Disney: TV Needs To Become Stickier

Disney is developing new features aimed at getting subscribers to spend more time watching its streaming services.

The Wall Street Journal reports the changes include a more-personalized algorithm for content recommendations, customized promotional art for new shows and movies, reminder emails to viewers who’ve stopped watching mid-series, and pop-up live channels to entertain viewers who don’t want to scroll through viewing options, according to people familiar with the matter. Some of these moves toward a more Netflix-like model could come in the next six months. Disney, which offers Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, wants to reduce subscriber cancellations and generate more revenue from advertising sales.

A metric known as “hours per subscriber”—a measure of user engagement—has taken on increased importance at Disney in recent months, current and former streaming employees say. Netflix, famous for enabling binge-watching with batch releases of episodes, has also given priority to improving user engagement and return visits in recent years.

New features in the works at Disney include a more-personalized algorithm to power content recommendations, customized promotional art for new shows and movies based on subscriber’s tastes and usage history, and emails sent to viewers who stop watching in the middle of a series reminding them to finish, according to people familiar with the matter. Some of these features could roll out in the next six months.

The company is developing pop-up live channels aimed at entertaining viewers who don’t have the time or energy to scroll through viewing options, people familiar with the matter said. Some ideas that have been discussed are channels that play through the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe or popular series like “The Simpsons” from start to finish. Such channels could be sponsored or have ads or not. The Information earlier reported on plans for live channels.