Terrestrial broadcast series have long been established as popular TV programs, produced and broadcast through traditional broadcasting stations. In contrast, Over-the-Top (OTT) services are internet-based streaming platforms, with global streaming giants, regional streaming services, and Wavve being representative examples. As viewing trends evolve, competition between network-produced series and OTT services has heightened. Consequently, each platform is developing original productions and employing differentiated strategies to maintain relevance.
Differentiation Strategies of Terrestrial Dramas
Terrestrial dramas focus on providing stories with high mass appeal while maintaining classic narrative structures. In particular, they actively cast renowned leads to increase viewer engagement and produce television series that appeal to a wide range of age groups, thereby securing a loyal audience. Additionally, leveraging their historical credibility and network legacy, they continue to offer traditional stories, ensuring reliable audience numbers. This allows audiences to have multiple options to engage with traditional content through various distribution channels.
Differentiation Strategies of OTT Services
OTT platforms are expanding their influence by employing strategies distinct from network-based television. Firstly, they actively adopt unconventional narratives and experimental formats, prioritizing originality and narrative depth over mainstream success. Secondly, they provide personalized selections that caters to niche preferences, targeting specialized demographics. Lastly, they focus on producing international releases aimed at the global market, allowing them to attract subscribers not only in their home country but also across different cultures. Through these strategies, OTT services are building industry dominance in ways unlike legacy channels.
Competition and Collaboration Between Platforms
As major TV networks increasingly expand into the digital entertainment industry, competition has escalated. For instance, one of Korea’s leading networks and MBC operate their own streaming platforms, 'KBSon' and 'MBC Digital', respectively, distributing their existing broadcast content on digital platforms. This strategy helps sustain the relevance of traditional broadcasting platforms while attracting new viewership. Meanwhile, the growth of new media services is changing consumer behavior towards more on-demand website entertainment.
Conversely, digital platforms are also expanding their dominance by partnering with terrestrial broadcasters. Netflix has gained a global following with K-content hits like 'Squid Game' and 'Hellbound', leveraging the drama production capabilities of Korean TV networks. This strategic alliance helps both parties complement each other’s strengths, fostering a diverse storytelling landscape. As a result, the boundaries between network TV and streaming continue to become less defined.
Ultimately, legacy TV series and streaming platforms are both rivaling each other and working together through their respective differentiation strategies. Terrestrial dramas maintain classic formats and mass appeal, whereas digital platforms provide genre-defying and internationally appealing content. As synergy and integration between these platforms continue to grow, audiences can expect a more diverse and elevated media landscape in the future.