” and “Fear the Walking Dead,” which are available on AMC+ a week before airing on AMC, and FX hits “American Horror Story” and “American Crime Story,” with next-day availability on Hulu.
Comparing “Yellowstone” with the other big cable dramas, which are not TV exclusives for several months, only proves the theory that limiting streaming exposure provides value for pay TV. The AMC and FX hits pale in comparison to “Yellowstone” for audience, as viewers know they can watch in places other than TV.
The argument against hollowing out the value of pay TV takes on increased significance when considering how widespread TV networks remain in homes and the value they bring to media companies. The money generated by traditional TV takes on increased significance when considering how costly it is to compete in streaming. The transference of resources from TV to streaming, together with the need for high-quality originals, movies and exclusive sports rights, contribute to the estimated direct-to-consumer spend among the big four media companies mushrooming from $18.4 billion in 2021 to $40.1 billion in 2025 — an increase of 118%.