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Free video streaming sites are totally having a moment, thanks in part to their first bona fide hit. The advertising supported business model will never, ever die

HEARD OF JURY Duty?

It’s an American reality show on the free streaming site Freevee. Jury Duty has exploded in popularity in the three weeks since it premiered, fueled by enthusiastic TikTok-ers.

The show sounds cool: a reality TV experiment where a civil trial in California unfolds through the eyes of one juror. The man thinks he’s serving on a real life court case that happens to be the subject of a documentary.

What he doesn’t know is that everyone else involved—the other jurors, the lawyers, bailiff, and judge— were all actors, and the scenes were all half scripted/half improv —and 100% fake.

HEARD OF “FREEVEE?”

It’s an Amazon-owned free television streaming network. It’s also the only “network” that picked up Jury Duty when its creators —who worked on The Office, another “mockumentary” comedy— were shopping the project around.

Well played, Freevee. Jury Duty is a hit. A serious one.

“THIS IS NOT even an ad I’m just urging u to watch bc it’s a hilarious show”

That’s a caption from a popular TikTok that’s received more than 3.2m likes.

Since premiering in April, Jury Duty has “blown up” on TikTok. Fans have created fancam edits. And the sounds-like-an-ad-but-isn’t hashtag #JuryDutyOnFreevee has well over 200m views on the platform.

“THE DEAL” IS having a serious moment!

Regular readers know that I really believe in the advertising supported media business model.

I’m intrigued by the fact that the exact same business model can fuel industries as diverse as old school terrestrial radio, network television, practically everything Meta does, most of what Google does, plus TikTok, and now, all these free streaming video sites too.

I call this business model “The Deal” (show me what I want for free, and in exchange I’ll look at an ad every now and then), and it will never, ever die.

Something about our modern media mix has made The Deal more relevant than ever. And it’s coinciding with an historic economic change as well.

Stay with me.

AS EVERYONE KNOWS, we're oversaturated with media

Everything is content. And content is everything. Social media’s transformation from a connection tool to a discovery engine has helped everyone and everything find their audience.

Bizarre and esoteric niches —the sort of subjects whose enthusiasts could, back in the day, barely fill the corner of a local pub or online chat room— now command global audiences of thousands of followers on social media.

EVERYBODY IS GETTING everything they ever wanted, and more… for free!

In the midst of this constant crush of content from every angle, free streaming television sites like Freevee, Pluto, Tubi, and others are also having a moment.

To be sure, there are a number of reasons why that is. Inflation probably has something to do with it. Higher prices for everything pressure people’s monthly budgets, making free streaming sites more attractive.

But there’s another reason why Freevee, Pluto and the like are booming. It’s called the paradox of choice.

HEARD OF IT?

It’s a sociological concept —and a 2004 book. In it, the author notes that “modern Americans have more choice than any group of people ever has before —and thus, presumably, more freedom and autonomy.”

The paradox, however, is this: Americans don't seem to be benefiting from all that choice, psychologically.

I’ve written about this concept several times over the past year, in part because I believe the two decade old theory is more apt than ever, thanks to the fractured, free media landscape today.

OK, WHAT’S THE point here?

I think it’s this: people really, really like these free streaming platforms because the tsunami of content is rushing over us just as inflation has hit the world’s largest economies.

Curation matters more than ever. Now, that price matters more than ever too, The Deal is super hot again. Or, as The Verge puts it, the future of streaming is ads.

More:

The future of streaming is ads »»

Why Jury Duty is the show you should watch right now »»

IMDb TV streaming service will rebrand as ‘Amazon Freevee’ »»

The best part of FAST TV is the choice it takes away »»

Jury Duty team on the finale and the secrets to pulling off tv’s wildest ruse »»

Jury Duty's Ronald Gladden says it took 'months' to work through what was real or not after filming »»

Written by Jon Kallus. Any feedback? Simply reply.