ENTERTAINMENT
| March 21, 2014
Online streaming has become a dominant force in the realm of home entertainment, and Netflix is proving to be a threat to network television in the race for ratings.
Hope Allchin & Dora Bialy Editors-in-Chief
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ILLUSTRATION BY BASIA CHRUSCINSKI-RAMOS
ith the entertainment industry placing more and more emphasis on the Internet, Netflix has emerged as the frontrunner in the new age of online streaming. Not only has its rapid success made it a threat to cable networks, but its popularity and ease of accessibility have made it a staple of America’s entertainment culture. Originating as primarily a throughthe-mail movie service, Netflix was initially marketed as a competitor for Blockbuster and other movie rental stores. As RedBox gained
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popularity and Blockbuster was forced out of business, Netflix turned its attention to another aspect of its business—Internet streaming. In 2007, the company began investing more in their video-on-demand services, and by 2011, the DVD-by-mail service became a separate payment plan from Internet streaming. Today, Netflix has over 44 million subscribers worldwide with a growing selection of T.V. series, films, documentaries, and specials. It supports a variety of host devices, ranging from various game consoles to computers to tablets and smartphones. However, Netflix’s success cannot be solely attributed to its lucrative business strategy. The true indicator of the Netflix revolution is the cultural phenomenon that it has become. Just take a look at the impact it’s made on the typical American teenager. In a voluntary, anonymous email survey, 80% of Maine South students said they watch Netflix. The average time these students spend watching it is about six hours a week. “Sometimes I watch Netflix instead of doing homework,” said senior Craig Stewart, “But only
because Netflix is a prime way to procrastinate, which is always exhilarating. And I can just get my other homework done in other classes or lounge.” Maybe students watch so much Netflix because they have constant access to it and other streaming services. Not only can they watch at home, where almost every household has a TV, computer, and gaming system, but devices like smartphones and tablets have made Netflix constantly available, whether on the bus or in study hall. This constant access is an important feature of Netflix, and it can be credited as one of the main causes behind the new “binge watching” trend. The next episode is immediately ready for viewing and will start automatically, with only a brief pause for the show to load and perhaps a commercial for another program offered by Netflix. “Whether or not you want to watch another episode, Netflix starts the episode 15 seconds after your episode ends,” said senior Nicole Hassman, “So even if you want to stop watching, you can’t.” Watching Netflix is purely entertainment for some—and an excuse for others.
“I choose Netflix over going out because Jesse Pinkman is cooler than all of my friends combined,” said senior Kate Staunton. As people spend more and more time on Netflix, it isn’t unrealistic to think that online streaming may replace network television. Greater accessibility to fast and reliable Internet, the increase in smartphone and tablet ownership, and commercial-free viewing make services like Netflix a much more appealing option. Netflix also gives the user an incredible number of programs to choose from, ranging from extremely popular shows like “Breaking Bad” to more obscure shows that have long been off the air. This creates an extremely personal and customized entertainment experience. Streaming also allows the user to watch whenever and wherever he or she wants—only an Internet connection is required. Netflix typically releases entire seasons of a series all at the same time, allowing viewers to watch as many episodes in a row as they want at any time after the release. Perhaps most exciting is the potential for the original series being produced and released by Netflix, including “Arrested Development” Season 4, “House of Cards,” and “Orange Is the New Black.” For those creating and starring in these Netflix original shows, the appeal is more independence and greater creative license. For the