Why the + is everywhere

In the streaming industry, the plus sign is ubiquitous. Apple TV+, Paramount+, and Disney+ are just a few of the obvious culprits. The symbol’s purpose is clear-cut: “It can be a helpful way to signal, without getting too specific or wordy, that a service is providing added value,” Marcel Danesi, a semiotician at the University of Toronto, told Atlantic associate editor Lora Kelley. But the vague, all-encompassing simplicity of the + can’t mask high prices or consumer indifference.

The promise of streaming has largely dissolved into an echo of the cable-industry practices it once aimed to usurp. Multiple streaming services have pricing tiers, with ads included for the lowest-paying members. Netflix’s grip on the industry has loosened, and subscribers and content are now scattered across platforms. As the streaming business changes, executives are struggling to adapt.

Today’s newsletter brings you stories about the business of streaming.

• “Why the + Is Everywhere,” by Lora Kelley. The sign has become inescapable in the world of branding.

• “Streaming Has Reached Its Sad, Predictable Fate,” by Charlie Warzel. What should I watch? is now a much easier question than How do I watch it?

• “The Netflix Bubble Is Finally Bursting,” by David Sims. The days of seemingly unlimited new content from the streamer appear to be ending. (From 2022)

• “TV Isn’t About to Get Worse. It Already Is,” by Caroline Framke. The problems that Hollywood’s writers were protesting can be seen on our screens.

• “TV Is Back in Its Commercials Era,” by Lora Kelley. Amazon Prime is the latest streaming platform to offer consumers a hard choice: Pony up, or sit through ad breaks.

— Stephanie Bai, associate editor