Netflix's proposed $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming businesses could intensify "subscription captivity" in the TV and film sector, as consumers feel increasingly locked into essential services amid widespread subscription overload.
A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted Americans' shift from mere subscription fatigue to feeling trapped, with little choice but to maintain monthly payments for delivery, entertainment, music, news, and food services that have become routine.
The phenomenon is most pronounced in streaming, where a potential Netflix-WBD merger—facing regulatory hurdles and opposition, including President Trump's comment that it "could be a problem" due to market dominance—might consolidate vast content libraries under one platform, potentially raising the 61% of Americans who already pay for video subscriptions, per an April 2025 CNET-YouGov survey.
That 61% figure makes streaming the top subscription category in 2025, surpassing e-commerce and music services, even as many users share accounts with family or friends.Overall, four in five Americans paid for at least one subscription in the past year, averaging $90 monthly ($1,080 annually), though younger generations like Gen Z and millennials have slightly reduced spending amid economic pressures, according to the same CNET survey.