Long Read, tried to format it in a way to make it easier to get through.

The current Subscription system needs a re-haul. It works for content that is more centric on "On Demand" structure like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc. But for content that is at the mercy of actual "live" broadcasts like Twitch, there is a better way to do this. I'm not a streamer, I don't have the knowledge to know how that side of things work firsthand (like the payout system from subs), so this is coming from a viewer (consumer) pov.

General Idea:

Change the way subscriptions are active. Instead of a subscription lasting for a total set amount of days, make it work by "hours streamed" by the content creator.

Reason:

Subs currently are at a length of 30 days. You can sub to a streamer, but there is no guarantee you will be able to take advantage of that subscription because that content creator could just decide to not stream for any amount of those 30 days your subsciption is active for. Let's be honest, that would end up being a total waste and there should be some kind of protection for cases like that.

Switching to a "hours streamed" format guarantees a subcription will be used to the fullest. As a viewer, this makes subbing more enticing because you have the assurance the subscription will not to go waste. This format makes it so the sub is on the viewer to use and puts the control of their subscription directly in their hands. So if the viewer doesn't tune in to a streamer when they are live, the viewer can only blame themselves. "Hours streamed by content creator" does not equal "Hours watched by viewer". A subscription progress is based on the creator creator going live and streaming, they would be doing their part.

So if a streamer goes on a hiatus for a few months, then a subscriber won't miss out on their benefits for the time the streamer is taking a break. Not naming anyone directly, but yes a certain situation did come to mind (your first guess is probably correct) and did spark this idea for a re-haul of the subscription system.

How it could work:

Based on a regular work week of 4-5 Days for 8 hours a day. That's about 128-160 hours a month. A number between that range would be perfect for a Subscription length.

Most Partnered Streamers consider streaming their jobs and have considered it their full time career choice. Reaching a goal of around 128-160 hours in a month should not be that difficult to achieve for them. If they are worried about what "content" to do for a stream, there are enough games out there its impossible to complete or play them all in a lifetime.

If 128-160 hours seems like a huge number, lets take this in consideration. A 30 Day month is 720 hours, so converting a 30 day subsciption to hours straight-up is not viable (for this proposed re-haul idea). Thats why we use a typical standard work week to base the hours on, hence 128-160 hours. Thats less than 25% of a 30 day month to stream to fulfill a subscription in this new proposed format. There are streamers that already stream hours close to this number and sometimes more, so they can actually benefit more by having subscriptions completing earlier than the current 30 days. Their viewers would be able to re-sub quicker.

For Affilates, that number can be and should be lower for them. I'm assuming full time streaming is still in a stage of consideration and they might have other sources for main income as they work towards making Partner. So streaming is likely the secondary source for income to them and they may not have the time to focus on it in comparison to Twitch Partners.

Other observations:

While this new format would essentially make some streamers put in more effort into streaming, it can be highly rewarding for those who do. Take Subathons for example. There is an instance where a Subathon would actually finish a subscription cycle in 7 days. A streamer could turn a single sub into 4 if they are doing a 30 day 24/7 Subathon for that month.

There have been an influx of alt channels and channels that run VODs and reruns 24/7 popping up on Twitch. I don't think these type of channels should be eligable for subs under this new proposed system. Instead, guess which system would actually be perfect for these types of channels, the current 30 Day subscription system. These channels are more like the Netflix and Hulu streaming services where the current system makes much more sense. This prevents loopholes/exploiting of the new "streamed hours" format. But this wouldn't be the case for 24/7 channels that actually provide real broadcasts of "live content" and not just run VODs. An example of this would be Alveus, which is another channel that would benefit much more under this new proposed system.

Like I said, I have no knowledge of things from a Streamer POV like payouts specifically other than the revenue splits between Partner and Affiliates. I would like to hear from people who do and can add to the discussion to come up with an idea of payment system that might work well with this idea.