Netflix and other online streaming websites are becoming more and more successful, making cable less of a necessity. Netflix allows users to watch unlimited movies and TV shows commercial free via their wireless devices. The only thing Netflix requires is a monthly payment of $7.99 and a stable internet connection. Netflix also allows users to have DVDs mailed to them from Netflix’s large selection of titles. Their original DVD mailing service was a large part of why stores like Blockbuster closed. Beforehand, Netflix almost went out of business because of the lowering interest in renting DVDs. Netflix’s streaming continues to gain popularity throughout different age groups because of their wide range of titles available.
Netflix has also began introducing their own original series including Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards, and the continuation of Arrested Development. Orange Is the New Black follows Piper Chapman as she serves her sentence in a women’s correctional facility in New York. Sophomore Bea Thompson says “Orange Is the New Black brought light to a lot of topics that many big cable companies would be scared to air.” House of Cards is about Frank Underwood’s struggles to gain power in Washington and how he finds himself determined to move up the United States political ladder.
Arrested Development returned for 15 episodes on Netflix in 2013 after a five year hiatus when it was cancelled in 2006. Many other streaming websites have been rapidly growing such as HBO Go, Watch ABC, and Amazon Instant Video. Although both HBO Go and Watch ABC require a subscription to a cable provider, they are becoming more popular than watching live television. Unlike Netflix, Hulu Plus is $9.99 monthly and does have commercials, but also has the benefit of updating with the newest shows daily. HBO Go is offered to anyone who has a subscription to HBO, a premium channel that has many trending shows such as Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire. HBO Go will become a stand-alone product starting next year, allowing users to watch their favorite shows without paying for the cable contract.
Watch ABC also requires a subscription to cable television and allows users to watch any ABC show such as Grey’s Anatomy, Once Upon a Time, Castle, and more. Amazon Instant Video comes with a subscription to Amazon Prime which costs $99 yearly and offers many titles for free and others at the same prices as competitors such as Itunes and Google Play. As streaming websites continues to grow, many believe the need for cable subscriptions will be greatly reduced for many people. This would provide a large increase in customers for Netflix and Hulu Plus, while it may hurt HBO Go and Watch ABC since they rely on their viewers having cable subscriptions.
Sophomore Stephanie Cardenas says “Netflix won’t be able to replace cable entirely because many people still enjoy watching the news to keep up with current events.” Growing popularity allows streaming websites to add more content monthly, attracting more users. As technology continues to improve, media streaming is becoming more and more important.
