4 ms·

You're right, but I am not sure this is the end. We are entering a "streaming content desert" where every content-maker tries to make their own Netflix. Consume

You're right, but I am not sure this is the end. We are entering a "streaming content desert" where every content-maker tries to make their own Netflix. Consumers will buy subscriptions to the top 3, at best. Most probably won't go beyond Amazon Prime and Netflix. In five or ten years, when the data finally rolls in that these disparate services are not making anything, have shoddy reviews from hastily-coded backends, etc, content makers will come crawling back. Or go out of business and get scooped up by the larger media houses. By 2030 I expect Netflix, Amazon, Disney, and Hulu will have bought up the struggling or failing independent content makers. The markets for content will shrink and consolidate around the big name streaming kings. Then we will wonder why we gave up a cable-free-for-all for an oligopoly. ;)

AFNobody 9y ago
The hilarious thing is this is going to drive people back to engaging in piracy on various levels (i.e. ripping streaming shows for personal use and/or organized piracy groups). The main reason for piracy's decline is $20/month for a couple streaming services is less hassle for most people in the 1st world. They are restoring the incentives that led to its rise. Its quite hilarious. I mean if eztv hadn't been taken over I'd be going to them right now because I'm tired of the balkanization of streaming services now that even Hulu is getting knifed in the back like Netflix is. As the knives come out and the backstabbing continues because "its worth money", people will be pushed back into doing that.
- wand3r 9y ago
  It certainly already has for me.
- paulcole 9y ago
  > The hilarious thing is this is going to drive people back to engaging in piracy on various levels People aren't "driven to piracy". Piracy's a conscious decision to take what they want without paying for it.
  - s_ngularity 9y ago
    It's a conscious decision, but that decision may be greatly influenced by the content being prohibitively expensive for them to otherwise obtain.
    - mixmastamyk 9y ago
      Or often not available at any price.
    - DoofusOfDeath 9y ago
      Sure, but that's the basic deal for any situation involving self-control and moral freedom. There's an act you would like to perform, but it's unwise/moral/sinful/suboptimal. Do you do it or not?
      - Can_Not 9y ago
        Glad you asked! But some people may disagree with your premises rather than directly with your conclusions. - if you steal that's bad - few people disagree with this - if you sell unauthorized copies of someone else's thing, that's bad - few people disagree with this. - if you make and watch an unauthorized copy of someone else's thing, but only for yourself, that's bad - most people kind of disagree with this, especially if in a vacuum. - same as above, but you make minimum wage (because the economy is only growing for the 1%, not because you're lazy) at 2 jobs and you like 1 tv show from 6 Netflix clones and you think 6x12$/month is too much when you're already paying 100$+ for cable TV and internet and share a small apartment with 2 roommates, and student loans, and you don't have healthcare, so you pirate 3 tvshows. - you'll probably mentally rewrite this as "no, they were lazy, otherwise they'd be getting VC funding for their 3rd startup like me", but most people probably don't think this is wrong if they don't apply egocentric mental rewrites of reality. And of course, if the response to this person's "personal problems" is "not my problem, piracy objectively bad", then of course the correct response would be "somebody watched your video for free, not my problem". - the content cannot be legally acquired in your country - probably less people find this bad. - you pirated the content because you don't think the people who would profit deserve money - I would consider it ethical to pirate EA games and unethical to pirate most indie games. If ISIS (terrorist organisation) released a TV show, are you going to defend their IP rights? - you pirated content because you don't believe in property rights - this one can be interesting. The USA's philosophical mind share is heavily propertarian, but how do you convince someone they stole your TV show view count (worth less than 10$ this month) when they believe you are sitting on top of the stolen value of the entire real estate of North America (stolen from the natives) and labor (some literally stolen from Africa, others where someone worth twice minimum wage in profits is paid minimum wage), then you have the balls to acuse them of theft? In fact, if you don't believe in property rights, then you think the gate keeping on this video is a form of theft, since without the right, it belongs to everyone. "Piracy is theft, there are no valid nuances" isn't a good position.
dx420 9y ago
Disney owns Hulu FYI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulu#Business_history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulu#Business_history
8ytecoder 9y ago
Amazon Prime has a way to "add" channels to your subscription[1]. This is an interesting idea IMHO. I liked the Prime app (which is still worse than Netflix) more than HBO Now and subscribed via Prime. There's a third possible path forward, one where you don't have to subscribe to tens of services and use tens of apps but still get content from a wide variety of providers - one where the content makers don't have to give up their entire catalogue. [1]https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&filterId=OFFER_FILTER%3DSUBSCRIPTIONS&node=2858778011 https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&filterId=OFFER_FILTE...
- lobster_johnson 9y ago
  The Apple TV's "TV" app centralizes the content from other apps you install, including HBO, Amazon, Hulu and Netflix. You can even set the TV app to be default "home" screen.
zacpdx 9y ago
we still aren't watching commercials on netflix yet so thats a win

AFNobody 9y ago

The hilarious thing is this is going to drive people back to engaging in piracy on various levels (i.e. ripping streaming shows for personal use and/or organized piracy groups). The main reason for piracy's decline is $20/month for a couple streaming services is less hassle for most people in the 1st world. They are restoring the incentives that led to its rise. Its quite hilarious. I mean if eztv hadn't been taken over I'd be going to them right now because I'm tired of the balkanization of streaming services now that even Hulu is getting knifed in the back like Netflix is. As the knives come out and the backstabbing continues because "its worth money", people will be pushed back into doing that.

wand3r 9y ago
It certainly already has for me.
paulcole 9y ago
> The hilarious thing is this is going to drive people back to engaging in piracy on various levels People aren't "driven to piracy". Piracy's a conscious decision to take what they want without paying for it.
- s_ngularity 9y ago
  It's a conscious decision, but that decision may be greatly influenced by the content being prohibitively expensive for them to otherwise obtain.
  - mixmastamyk 9y ago
    Or often not available at any price.
  - DoofusOfDeath 9y ago
    Sure, but that's the basic deal for any situation involving self-control and moral freedom. There's an act you would like to perform, but it's unwise/moral/sinful/suboptimal. Do you do it or not?
    - Can_Not 9y ago
      Glad you asked! But some people may disagree with your premises rather than directly with your conclusions. - if you steal that's bad - few people disagree with this - if you sell unauthorized copies of someone else's thing, that's bad - few people disagree with this. - if you make and watch an unauthorized copy of someone else's thing, but only for yourself, that's bad - most people kind of disagree with this, especially if in a vacuum. - same as above, but you make minimum wage (because the economy is only growing for the 1%, not because you're lazy) at 2 jobs and you like 1 tv show from 6 Netflix clones and you think 6x12$/month is too much when you're already paying 100$+ for cable TV and internet and share a small apartment with 2 roommates, and student loans, and you don't have healthcare, so you pirate 3 tvshows. - you'll probably mentally rewrite this as "no, they were lazy, otherwise they'd be getting VC funding for their 3rd startup like me", but most people probably don't think this is wrong if they don't apply egocentric mental rewrites of reality. And of course, if the response to this person's "personal problems" is "not my problem, piracy objectively bad", then of course the correct response would be "somebody watched your video for free, not my problem". - the content cannot be legally acquired in your country - probably less people find this bad. - you pirated the content because you don't think the people who would profit deserve money - I would consider it ethical to pirate EA games and unethical to pirate most indie games. If ISIS (terrorist organisation) released a TV show, are you going to defend their IP rights? - you pirated content because you don't believe in property rights - this one can be interesting. The USA's philosophical mind share is heavily propertarian, but how do you convince someone they stole your TV show view count (worth less than 10$ this month) when they believe you are sitting on top of the stolen value of the entire real estate of North America (stolen from the natives) and labor (some literally stolen from Africa, others where someone worth twice minimum wage in profits is paid minimum wage), then you have the balls to acuse them of theft? In fact, if you don't believe in property rights, then you think the gate keeping on this video is a form of theft, since without the right, it belongs to everyone. "Piracy is theft, there are no valid nuances" isn't a good position.

dx420 9y ago

Disney owns Hulu FYI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulu#Business_history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulu#Business_history

8ytecoder 9y ago

Amazon Prime has a way to "add" channels to your subscription[1]. This is an interesting idea IMHO. I liked the Prime app (which is still worse than Netflix) more than HBO Now and subscribed via Prime. There's a third possible path forward, one where you don't have to subscribe to tens of services and use tens of apps but still get content from a wide variety of providers - one where the content makers don't have to give up their entire catalogue. [1]https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&filterId=OFFER_FILTER%3DSUBSCRIPTIONS&node=2858778011 https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&filterId=OFFER_FILTE...

lobster_johnson 9y ago
The Apple TV's "TV" app centralizes the content from other apps you install, including HBO, Amazon, Hulu and Netflix. You can even set the TV app to be default "home" screen.

zacpdx 9y ago

we still aren't watching commercials on netflix yet so thats a win