Cogent Arts & Humanities

Streaming Platforms and its Impact on the Communication Ecosystem

In January 2007, Netflix transitioned from a mail-order DVD rental system to an Over-the-Top (OTT) platform, allowing customers to directly watch content over the internet. Shortly thereafter, other companies, like HBO, Prime Video, and Hulu followed suit, upending the media ecosystem. These streaming services offered an ad-free, convenient and customizable viewing, becoming a major competitor to traditional media, which still relied on an advertising model.

However, in the early 2020’s, this new model started to show cracks.  In 2022, Netflix announced a significant drop in subscriber numbers as new streaming services like Paramount+ and Peacock reclaiming their Intellectual Property, moving content away from Netflix. As a result, Netflix incorporated plans to introduce advertising on its platform and limited the common practice of sharing accounts with other households. Soon, other streaming services enforced similar measures.

The proliferation of new streaming platforms and video-based social media platforms (like Twitch and Kick) and the withdrawal of big markets (like Russia) created an uncertain future for Netflix and other older streaming services.

As we approach nearly twenty years since the emergence of streaming services, now is a good moment to reflect on the past, examine its impact, and explore how streaming media will further evolve.

This Collection will explore changes both within streaming platforms and the media ecosystem at large. We welcome submissions that explore how streaming platforms have impacted content and its audiences as well as those involved in content production including (but not limited to) producers, writers, and advertisers. We especially encourage submissions from all regions to showcase streaming service’s impacts on local media industries and global audiences alike.

Potential topic ideas include, but are not limited to:

• Traditional and streaming media in the age of short video content
• Incorporating advertising and monetization strategies
• Audience response to ads on streaming services
• Streaming services’ impact on local media
• Competition between streaming services
• Dissemination of media on streaming platforms
• Storytelling, genre, and creativity on streaming services

Keywords to Describe Article Collection

1. Streaming media
2. Over-the-top platform
3. Television production
4. Media industries
5. Media production

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 14 June 2026.

Please contact Kristen Brida at [email protected] with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

For Taylor and Francis Journals: Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.

For Journals with Sections: Please select Communication Studies from the list of available sections during submission. Failure to select the appropriate Article Collection or Section name can result in delays.

About the Guest Advisors

Dr. Juan Martín-Quevedo is a senior lecturer in Web Projects and Media History at the Rey Juan Juan Carlos University (Spain). His main research lines are social media and streaming, history of broadcasting and scholarly communications.

Institutional page
ORCID page

Dr. Erika Fernández-Gómez is a senior lecturer of Communication and Advertising at the School of Economy and Business, International University of La Rioja (Spain). Her research focuses on social networks, streaming platforms, advertising and younger audiences.

Institutional page
ORCID page

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

The Guest Advisors do not have any Conflicts of Interest to disclose.