Vurt pushes vertical video as a distinct genre as streamers test portrait feeds

Vurt is calling for vertical video to be treated as a distinct genre today, The Verge reports. The push lands as Disney Plus, HBO Max, and other major streamers test TikTok-like feeds to stem audience drift to social apps. With platforms seeing TikTok and Instagram as existential threats, the framing could shape how studios fund and promote mobile-first storytelling.

The Verge says almost every major streaming service is experimenting with ways to get into vertical content, underscoring how quickly viewing habits are tilting to phones. Vurt positions the portrait format as more than a technical choice, urging new discovery models and commissioning strategies that meet viewers where they are, according to the report. Watch for whether streamers formalize vertical slates, measurement, and ad formats this year, and whether Vurt secures partners to validate the approach. [Developing. This article will be updated.]