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Netflix has long been a popular service for streaming video content, but compared to services like Showtime or HBO, it hasn’t been offering original programming for the nearly the same length of time. In fact, HBO has generally been the unrivaled king at the top of the hill when it comes to original programming that you can’t find anywhere else. Netflix has been dabbling in original programming for more than a few years now though and it’s been catching up in terms of popularity. More than just gaining popularity, a new survey about streaming media services put out by Morgan Stanley today showcases that the original shows coming from Netflix are now considered better than that of the content coming from HBO.
Although HBO’s Game of Thrones is likely to be a chart topper out of single shows that is hard to beat, when it comes to the overall scope of what’s on offer, Netflix seems to be winning out. The survey shows Netflix had increased its standing to the number one spot with a 29% share of the surveyed population which thinks they produce the best original content. Netflix was followed by HBO with 18%, Hulu, Showtime, and Amazon had somewhere around 4%-5%, with Starz ranking last at about 2% popularity for original shows.
The survey from Morgan Stanley is the sixth annual survey which ranks non-cable and premium channels for original programming in the streaming services market, and the survey included only U.S. adults at a total number of 2,501 people. Netflix has been focusing heavily on putting out as much original content as they can, and will continue to focus on original content for 2016 with 31 original shows and over 600 total hours of original programming that will be available across the length of the year. Alongside showing Netflix is now the most popular streaming service for its original shows, it also displayed that about 45% Netflix subscribers are keeping their memberships going not because of the library of movies and other TV series, but because of the original programming. Coming up in May, Netflix plans to introduce a new data saver feature which will help members watch even more of these shows without taking away as much of their data. Netflix memberships are also sure to rise thanks to the promotion that Samsung ran, offering up three months of Netflix for free for those who purchased the Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge.