Kristoffer Hayward
Staff Writer
Disks are obsolete. Rental stores like Hollywood Video and Blockbuster are on their final legs thanks to Redbox, though even Redbox is feeling the squeeze from streaming services.
Unlimited movies, shows and original content for just over eight dollars a month is a hard deal to beat.
Netflix, Hulu+ and Amazon Prime have a vice-grip on the streaming market, supplying instant media to your television while other companies are pumping out videos for fifteen or twenty dollars.
There is a clear advantage between 15 dollars to pay for a single movie, maybe seen only once, versus 30 movies in a month for eight dollars.
Netflix has a claim on a number of classic movies and cartoons, as well as two exclusives series with more slated for the future.
Recently, they’ve uploaded every nineties kid’s childhood, from “Johnny Bravo” and “Dexter’s Lab” to “Samurai Jack.” The streaming aspect of the business is becoming the main breadwinner as Netflix moves from the mail-in DVD market into the digital market over the last few years.
Hulu Plus offers a number of exclusive shows and shows allowed only on Hulu. It is also bearing down with the force of almost all shows from Fox, NBC Universal, ABC, AMC and the WB.
For the same cost of Netflix with the drawback of commercials, Hulu gives the same basic advantage: instant connection to thousands of shows and movies from the comfort of your home.
Amazon Prime is a different service, allowing access to free Kindle products and better shipping via amazon.com.
The other part of their draw is some sort of direct viewer interaction, where their exclusive shows take in member feedback to allow the viewers to choose which shows continue and possibly how.
Unfortunately, Amazon Prime also requires a yearly contract equaling a little less than seven dollars per month.
Steaming service providers such as these have begun acting like customized television stations more than some rental place. Unique offerings such as these have made digital streaming a lasting service rather than a passing trend.
It seems that a future where people can buy tickets and watch new movies right from their computer isn’t as far off as we thought.
