There are few internet services as popular as online streaming. The demand for entertainment media that can be enjoyed anywhere at anytime is increasing, so it’s no surprise that the number of providers is growing as well.
Amazon, Disney, CBS, and most recently Lionsgate and Tribecca, are just some of companies that have started up movie streaming sites in last few years. But the appearance of so many new services could spell trouble for laptop moviegoers as content is divided up over an ever-growing number of hosts.
Netflix, perhaps the most widely used streaming site, has maintained its overwhelming popularity due to its expansive library of films and television. As one of the first services of it’s kind, production companies originally embraced Netflix, but now many of those same companies are launching their own services and reclaiming content.
Instead of a single database, viewers are now left with the dilemma of picking and choosing which sites to subscribe to, knowing their selection will be limited no matter how they break it down. Selections are becoming smaller and smaller, driving many to rely on illegal free streams and pirating rather than paying for multiple subscriptions.
In order to combat this loss of content, and in turn the loss of paying viewers, providers like Netflix are beginning to generate some of their own, producing exclusive movies and series. In this way, the expansion of online streaming does more than effect audiences, it’s altering the film and television industries on a whole.
Production and distribution are no longer jobs for separate parties, and in some ways this could bolster the industry. As a greater number of companies compete to produce content, more opportunities for writers and directors are created.
However, the boom in online streaming could also pose a threat to certain other businesses. Sites like Netflix launch their exclusive content directly online, skipping over movie theaters or broadcast networks. And with many people choosing the convenience of internet as their preferred viewing medium, theaters could likely see a drop in audience members.
It’s unlikely that the demand for online movies will go down any time soon, and it’s anyone’s guess exactly what changes this shift to a more internet centered film industry will bring.