The fledgling video streaming service Peacock has low ratings for its original television content. Peacock was launched on April 15, 2020, and since then it’s failed to measure up to its competitors. NBCUniversal’s streaming service just hasn’t quite drawn in audiences like Squid Game for Netflix or Star Trek on the ViacomCBS streaming service Paramount Plus. They earned brownie points for their non-live premiere of Halloween Kills. Peacock hopes to improve their low ratings with Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. This is the latest addition to the video streaming service’s original television content. The series is based on Dan Brown’s prequel to The Da Vinci Code. The service hopes it will increase its audience base.
The co-founder of Moffett-Nathanson, Craig Moffett commented on the lack of progress with the video streaming service saying the investment community has concluded:
that Peacock is simply not on a trajectory to be one of the major streaming services, and that they’re going to have to do something dramatic if they’re going to change that narrative.”
Peacock is Struggling to Take Flight with its Original Television Content
Dr. Death is part of Peacock’s original television content.
The original television series Girls5eva and Rutherford Falls aren’t appealing to audiences, unfortunately. Comparatively, Dr. Death has been the video streaming service’s most popular series. Despite the service refusing to share viewing numbers for the series, it still maintains a 91% rotten tomatoes score. Peacock obtained only 1.6% of digital original demand share in the U.S. during the third quarter. It’s a small improvement from the 1.4% it drew during the previous quarter. Peacock may have less competition with its digital-ad dollars, but its original television content has not brought in ideal numbers. There is talk of Comcast merging or sharing assets with ViacomCBS, but nothing has been confirmed. Whichever route Peacock takes, it will have to make changes soon or it could see further losses. At least they can say they had Halloween Kills.
