Tubi has been able to outperform its more expensive and glitzy competitors thanks to its ad-supported business model and vast content library.
The topic of when a new Netflix movie will release is covered in great detail by numerous websites, underscoring the importance of the service in the streaming community. For casual viewers, Netflix is frequently synonymous with streaming, surpassing the prominence of even its biggest rivals, including Disney+, Paramount+, Peacock, HBO Max (which is no longer in operation), and Disney+. But these rivals might have to admit that, at most, they are fighting for third place. In terms of viewing, Tubi outperformed all of these slick non-Netflix alternatives last month.
With a unique ad-supported streaming experience, Tubi lets users watch a variety of free films and TV series without having to log in. This mixes the excitement of video shop browsing, Netflix’s rapid gratification, and the nostalgic channel-switching of cable TV. Tubi’s viewership and ad income are growing even though the platform is not yet profitable; in the most recent quarter, there was a 22% growth in both.
Prior to the disclosure of these numbers, Tubi was no longer a scrappy startup; the service was acquired by the Fox Corporation in 2020. The Fox Corporation controls multiple TV stations bearing the Fox name and retains a portion of the media conglomerate that was not sold to Disney. Its basic approach, meanwhile, is still pretty much the same: give users access to a vast selection of ad-supported content, occasionally even including shows that have recently or concurrently been offered on other, more upscale-looking streaming services. To draw users, Tubi doesn’t spend as much money on well-known original programming. While Tubi does offer original content, it frequently has an older vibe, more in line with straight-to-video or straight-to-cable exploitation films from the 1990s or early 2000s than HBO original productions. The company is beginning to experiment with more well-known, high-profile original content, such as a new show starring TV veteran Lauren Graham, but this is not expected to overwhelm its popularity as an online video retailer.
A little-known benefit of Tubi is the large selection of films it has collected over the past thirty years, which is uncommon among many subscription streaming services. For instance, Netflix’s selection of pre-1990 films is currently about twenty, which is an improvement over some of the previous months because of their anniversary-year effort that features films from 1974 and 1984. Because HBO owns Turner Classic Movies, it does marginally better overall, but it still can’t match the breadth and diversity of TCM (or its streaming app available only to cable subscribers). You can evaluate other providers by searching for less popular genres, such as musicals or westerns. For example, Tubi offers a wide collection of classics like the original West Side Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Peacock only has one pre-1990 musical.
Yentl, The Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, The Jazz Singer, The Pyjama Game, and High Society. Although not comprehensive, Tubi’s collection offers a more favourable beginning point for these genres than many more expensive providers.
This description could lead one to believe that Tubi is mainly intended for senior citizens who want to use the platform to recall the past in order to enhance their MeTV viewing. But, at 39, the business claims that Tubi has the youngest median age viewership in television history. Certain platforms, like TikTok and YouTube, that are well-liked by younger audiences are probably not included in the “TV” category. However, Anjali Sud, the CEO of Tubi, stressed in a recent interview that the company is not aiming to be a futuristic version of a well-stocked cable channel, but rather is targeting younger audiences and sees itself competing with significant alternatives to traditional films and television.
Although it will probably be difficult to outperform YouTube in terms of reach, the two platforms are still significant rivals, at least for the time being. Due to its original content and its creators—who frequently concentrate on content specific to the site or adjust their work to the preferences of the algorithm—YouTube has grown incredibly popular. This content includes a wide range of genres, including discussion shows, animated cartoons, visual essays, sketch comedy, and reality TV. Many creators have developed their own unique techniques and genres that may not seem historically contextual to outsiders.
On the other hand, if one is willing to put up with the occasional commercial break, Tubi can offer a surprisingly thorough introduction to classic film. This is a familiar experience for those who grew up watching cable TV in the 1980s, 90s, and 2000s. While Tubi’s “classics” section might not be as extensive as it could be, or some public domain titles may not be of the highest calibre, its diverse collection goes beyond new releases, providing an enjoyable experience for the curious and budget-conscious viewer. If streaming is going to take over how we consume entertainment and keep us indoors, it ought to at least provide a wide variety of content.
This may not be Tubi’s long-term plan, in the same way that Netflix progressively condensed its vast DVD collection into a more manageable assortment. In the same interview with The Verge, Sud talks about bringing in younger content creators who might otherwise concentrate on TikTok by investing in content creation—perhaps not on the same scale as Netflix. This strategy may be viewed as misinterpreting their target and how to interact with it; it would be comparable to booking a juggler to perform at your neighbourhood video store. But Tubi could be able to create a smoother transition between professionally produced entertainment and TikTok-style instant culture if it continues to offer a large and constantly evolving library of free films and series alongside content from less seasoned creators. This strategy might take advantage of the possibilities presented by a unified, global internet. Furthermore, Tubi’s selection numbers might be strengthened by replacing the lower-quality material in its catalogue, which consists mostly of animated parodies and knockoffs of Disney films.
Maybe this is just an idealistic desire born out of a midlife perspective, that culture will move towards a more thoughtful understanding of history and creatively bridge entertainment from different eras. As of right now, the most popular streaming service in the business seems to be against theatrical releases, cutting back on funding for auteur-driven projects, and endorsing programmes that don’t seem to be tied to the craft of television production. Netflix has unintentionally contributed to the development of a new, unfavourable monoculture by providing few options and encouraging binge-watching behaviours that don’t satisfy. Imagine a day in the future where we “Tubi and chill.”