Stop the streaming madness

Streaming services run rampant

There are too many services to choose from and pay for.
Illustration: Rigby Guerrero · *The Sentry*

From Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and the countless others, it seems like every major television network and those outside of that like Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, and Sling are trying to start their own streaming services to hop on the hype around streaming—especially now that everyone is stuck at home. While there’s unlimited access to a variety of streaming options, as a consumer it’s hard to keep up with all the options available and the prices that continue to rack up with each one.

Being able to stream anything at any time is great–there’s no doubt about that. However, the increasing separation and exclusivity between content and respective networks makes for a frustrating and inefficient streaming experience for the typical consumer—and college students specifically, who are typically strapped for cash and time.

With prices anywhere from five dollars to 45 dollars per month for services including live television, subscribing to multiple services to consume content from more than one network is simply unattainable for the average consumer. No one simply has the kind of money to throw away on multiple streaming services per month. In fact, according to PCMag, 40 percent of consumers surveyed stated that they wouldn’t want to spend more than 20 dollars per month on services.

Not to mention, it feels incredibly exhausting to file through numerous services to find something to watch. Luckily, there are some streaming services taking these things into account; however, services like Disney+, that have already partnered with multiple networks and studios like National Geographic, Marvel, and Star Wars, more, also offer bundles with other services like Hulu and ESPN+ for the same subscription price of Hulu. Or the new streaming service on the block, Discovery+, which partnered with multiple brands on television like Food Network, HGTV, TLC, and more for a low price of five dollars per month. Of course, the bundle option doesn’t take out the annoyance of flipping through multiple apps, but it’s still a step in the right direction to make streaming more affordable and give consumers more options to choose from.

If networks are going to continue offering their content and exclusive content people can only get on said paid service, it would be in the interest of both parties for networks to partner with one another. Or offer bundle deals with other services involved to make the streaming experience more streamlined, accessible, and affordable for consumers of all demographics. No, streaming hasn’t been around long, but the system of networks and companies continuously throwing new services at consumers calls for a revamp to the system in favor of those consuming and paying for the content. Consumers shouldn’t be expected to pay an arm and a leg for multiple services in order to watch the content they enjoy, or new content being released.

This is a selection from the Jan. 27 issue. To view the full issue, visit: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/422892/