I've also burned through the backlog of stuff I 100% wanted to watch, but considering how cheap it is, and how often they add/I discover something nice, I just let it roll. I probably do at least 60% of my movie streaming with Shudder.
I also legit appreciate the 'channels' on their home screen. While I rarely watch them, they surface some things that I enjoy later on.
I feel that this article describes a transitional period, not a permanent state. Streaming services are relatively new, and new technology always introduces instability before everything settles into a new normal that looks somewhat like the old normal.
> If the company spends time and energy on only certain audiences, the numbers fall, and that company becomes a niche; however, subscription services cannot only cater to niches, they must try to be everything to all people, which places more value on the content platform and its library than the quality of each individual piece of content.
Netflix's revenue stream fell recently. I have seen analysis that this was in part due to its "quantity over quality" model. My personal opinion is that finding quality programming in Netflix is difficult, and when I cut any streaming services from my monthly budget, Netflix will be the first to go.
Contrast Netflix with HBOMax and Disney+, each of which have consistently incredible quality.
It may be wishful thinking, but I suspect that this transitional period will last perhaps a few more years, and then the streaming consumer will be more willing to pay a premium for true quality, in turn driving a new hit-driven normal.
> subscription services cannot only cater to niches, they must try to be everything to all people
There are niche streaming services. Shudder for horror, MUBI for foreign and art films, Nobudge for first-timer and low budget films. I'm certain there are or will be others.
I currently have Netflix, Hulu, and Prime, with a number of "add on" subscriptions for Prime. This is one place I think Amazon really got it right. I login to Prime, and I can watch Prime specific content, as well as stuff from Showtime, HBO, Shudder and CuriosityStream, and it's all seamless. Plus if I want to pay for one of those "one off" movies that isn't part of a base streaming subscription, I can just click a button and it's charged to my Amazon account. I have my own issues with Amazon sometimes, but their idea of "add ons" really makes Prime a lot more desirable a service from a streaming standpoint.
Now the flip-side is, I don't really want to know how much all those little $4.99/month, $8.99/month, $7.99/month "add ons" are costing me in aggregate. :-)
Hacker Cinema
3 comments on Hacker News
I've also burned through the backlog of stuff I 100% wanted to watch, but considering how cheap it is, and how often they add/I discover something nice, I just let it roll. I probably do at least 60% of my movie streaming with Shudder.
I also legit appreciate the 'channels' on their home screen. While I rarely watch them, they surface some things that I enjoy later on.
I feel that this article describes a transitional period, not a permanent state. Streaming services are relatively new, and new technology always introduces instability before everything settles into a new normal that looks somewhat like the old normal.
> If the company spends time and energy on only certain audiences, the numbers fall, and that company becomes a niche; however, subscription services cannot only cater to niches, they must try to be everything to all people, which places more value on the content platform and its library than the quality of each individual piece of content.
Netflix's revenue stream fell recently. I have seen analysis that this was in part due to its "quantity over quality" model. My personal opinion is that finding quality programming in Netflix is difficult, and when I cut any streaming services from my monthly budget, Netflix will be the first to go.
Contrast Netflix with HBOMax and Disney+, each of which have consistently incredible quality.
It may be wishful thinking, but I suspect that this transitional period will last perhaps a few more years, and then the streaming consumer will be more willing to pay a premium for true quality, in turn driving a new hit-driven normal.
> subscription services cannot only cater to niches, they must try to be everything to all people
There are niche streaming services. Shudder for horror, MUBI for foreign and art films, Nobudge for first-timer and low budget films. I'm certain there are or will be others.
I currently have Netflix, Hulu, and Prime, with a number of "add on" subscriptions for Prime. This is one place I think Amazon really got it right. I login to Prime, and I can watch Prime specific content, as well as stuff from Showtime, HBO, Shudder and CuriosityStream, and it's all seamless. Plus if I want to pay for one of those "one off" movies that isn't part of a base streaming subscription, I can just click a button and it's charged to my Amazon account. I have my own issues with Amazon sometimes, but their idea of "add ons" really makes Prime a lot more desirable a service from a streaming standpoint.
Now the flip-side is, I don't really want to know how much all those little $4.99/month, $8.99/month, $7.99/month "add ons" are costing me in aggregate. :-)