There is a global movement witnessed that put the TV and cinema industry to shame. It was the dawn of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, etc. that sparked this necessary change. When was the last time any of us watched cable TV? I don’t want to sound harsh, but it is inevitable for the cable TV experience to fade away soon. But how will this affect us?
Let’s not forget the amount of joy we experienced on cable TV. The early morning Pokémon and the evening Dragon ball Z. It slowly transitioned to HBO blockbusters and Showtime premieres. Nowadays, you can watch movies and shows of every genre on Netflix in just a few taps. That’s how quickly we revolutionized from the old ways.
But instead of calling it the downfall of cable TV, it would be more fruitful to understand how the change took place across the globe. This is why we highlight 7 ways that streaming services are used to change the entertainment experience. Although TVs are where we all started, it is slowly declining and here’s why:
The rise in ‘binge-watching’
People would rather yawn in offices than stop binge-watching and go to sleep. Also, with the advent of ‘Work from home’, we saw more people getting to the binge-watching trend. When we say binging, it simply means finishing seasons in one go that would take days or weeks.
In the TV era, the concept of one episode per week persisted. That created enough anticipation inside the viewer’s headspace to clear his schedule and prepare for the next episode. But Netflix indirectly fed people ‘Instant gratification and people went head over heels for the
The loss in advertisements
When was the last time you heard someone say, “we’ll be right back after these commercials”? It might be years now, but this is an important transition to consider. Streaming services started endorsing packages that had no ads for higher prices. People know how obnoxious TVC ads have become so they would consider streaming services an absolute steal!
Hulu Live TV offers both Video on Demand (VOS) services and Live TV streaming which makes it the ultimate cable cutter’s choice. This has reduced the TV channel’s earnings because it was mostly based on TV advertisements. The only way they are getting more views is if they jump to streaming sites.
The rise in Streaming content than TV content
New trailers and teasers are coming of upcoming productions, but almost all of them end with “Coming soon on a streaming service”. TV content is now filled with old reruns and all the new releases are migrating to Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and others.
Some releases are made exclusively for these streaming sites which creates more imbalance in the release of content. Let’s not forget that in 2020, all the award shows featured series and movies that premiered on streaming sites. Shows like The Queen’s Gambit, Money Heist, The Irishman, Roma, etc. all bagged major nominations in Oscar and Emmy awards.
The loss in live broadcasting
There was a charm of cable TV to have live broadcasting of major events and activities. Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime do not have live broadcasting so it can be considered a win for cable TV. But that is until we realize that broadcasters are also moving to stream sites.
ESPN+ is a streaming site that broadcasts NFL and NBA at extra cost. When broadcasters see higher viewership from streaming sites than cable TV, they will go where the money is.
The rise of top-rated programs on Streaming services
As mentioned earlier, the streaming services have their productions in the pipeline that are winning the audience and Hollywood. There was a time when some of the big names of Hollywood would boycott streaming services to show loyalty to Cinema.
But if you look at the current releases, they are featuring the best and brightest of the industry. One fine example is the upcoming Netflix production called ‘Don’t look up’ which features Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Meryl Streep, Kate Blanchett, Ariana Grande, etc. and so many more. Such a power-packed cast goes to show you where the attention is going.
The rise in accessibility of Streaming Platforms
A cable TV is limited to a device or a wire connected to the back of your TV. But streaming services know exactly what’s convenient for you and facilitate you there.
These services are compatible with smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles, Smart TVs, etc. and they continue to raise their compatibility level on future devices.
The rise in specificity for viewers
Back in the TV era, the policy of viewing was “watch what you got”. If not, you’re welcome to change channels till you find something good. That has completely changed since users can surf different niches for themselves. Later, as they watch a lot of content, the recommendation system aligns itself to their favorite choices and picks.
In TV, it was a generic audience looking for generic content to watch. Streaming services gave people options and specificity and that won the hearts of viewers. They don’t even need to wait till the end and can change the show if they’re not interested. On TV, you can only change channels at best.
Conclusion
The Television era was a memorable one, but we are looking at a transition to the future. A future of DVCs and instantly accessible content. Therefore, streaming services are the future and anybody who doesn’t have one will be alienated. Don’t be an alien and be part of the global change of entertainment.
