Gone are the days when you used to rely on cable TV channels for entertainment or driving to the store to pick up the latest film. But thanks to the rise of high-speed internet, streaming services like Netflix bring entertainment straight to your internet-enabled device.
All the series, films, and documentaries are a few clicks or taps away. Netflix started as a DVD-delivering service in 2007 but slowly transitioned into an online streaming service after the rollout of high-speed internet.
This begs the question, how have streaming services changed the entertainment industry in 2022? Let’s take a look:
Users Consume Content in a Global Environment
There are many streaming services worldwide, making it easy for the entertainment industry to reach its targeted audience easily. However, most streaming services are geo-restricted due to copyright and licensing agreements.
For example, you need to find a way to access Voot in USA because the service is only available in the US, the UK, and India.
That’s where VPNs come in. Most people use VPNs to mask online activity, keep out snoops on public networks and guard against hackers. But VPNs help switch IP addresses, which opens up the door to spoofing locations to access streaming platforms unavailable in your region.
You can subscribe to any streaming service and watch your favorite content from anywhere with a VPN. For instance, you appear connected from the US when you can connect to the internet via a US VPN server. This simple process allows you to bypass content restrictions because most streaming services have different content libraries in other regions.
VPNs aren’t the only ones that bypass content restrictions based on region. People also use proxy servers, the Tor Browser, smart DNS, and DNS changers to access streaming services and content unavailable in their region.
Streamers Get More Content Variety
Besides the apparent genres people were used to back in the day, streaming services have an endless pit of content to choose from. There are many categories, including fantasy, drama, action, horror, comedy, etc., and subscribers can pick a movie or show based on their mood, which is astonishing.
Streamers can watch content that suits their entertainment needs or stream content from different parts of the world. Also, users get more variety because of the rising competition between streaming services. The streaming platforms must keep producing content to keep the users happy, or they’ll lose out.
Production of More Original Content
The competition between streaming services has led to producing more original content. This is an excellent strategy for keeping and acquiring subscribers because the content is exclusive to the streaming platform.
For example, you can only watch the highly successful Stranger Things, The Witcher, and The Last Kingdom on Netflix. Other streaming services aren’t left behind, with Amazon Prime releasing the Sylvester Stallone movie Samaritan and The Terminal List series starring Chris Pratt.
These are only a few examples to demonstrate how streaming services have upped the game to produce quality original content.
The Introduction of Niche Content for Niche Viewers
The entertainment industry of 2022 has evolved and isn’t what it was ten years ago. Production companies and TV networks made content to appeal to a broad audience, a model which worked for a long time.
That’s why shows like The Days of Our Lives, Neighbors, Friends, and Prison Break had a significant following.
This model doesn’t work as well as it did years ago, as people have acquired different content tastes. Subscribers don’t have the time to scroll through a massive list of content to find appealing titles.
If you want a particular show or film in a specific niche, log in to your streaming platform, enter the title on the search bar, and you’ll have it.
Content creators have developed new ways to entertain subscribers and appeal to niches. For example, Disney+ is your best source of entertainment if you’re looking for superhero shows and films.
Do you prefer crime and drug-related shows and films? Get Netflix to watch Narcos, Breaking Bad, Peaky Blinders, Ozark, El Chapo, Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami, etc.
The result is that subscribers access their preferred type of content in real time.
Impact on the Actors
Streaming services have significantly changed the roles of actors and actresses as they are no longer tied to major production companies and studios. Actors and actresses who primarily focused on prominent movie roles are appearing in TV series.
For Example, Chris Pratt, whom we mentioned earlier, has a big role in the MCU as Star-Lord in GOTG. Amazon Prime recruited him for the lead role in The Terminal List series.
Another example is Jeff Bridges, who’s played vital roles in movies such as The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009), R.I.P.D (2013), and Hell or High Water (2016). Jeff Bridges plays the role of Dan Chase in one of 2022’s best series, The Old Man, on FX and Hulu.
No character is tied to a particular role or genre because streaming platforms consistently produce new shows and films.
Subscribers Don’t Have to Wait for Their Favorite Content
Streamers want more content to meet their entertainment needs, so content producers must make new shows and movies to meet their demands. Streamers don’t have to go through the process of waiting for a movie to complete its theatrical run. The movie launches on the platform, ready for streaming.
Streaming platforms act fast to avail the content because they know users don’t want to wait.
Binge-Watching Is the Way to Go
The weekly episode strategy used by cable services no longer works as modern streamers prefer to watch a show in one sitting. Content creators shoot and release all episodes at once, a win-win strategy for content producers and consumers.
The creators must keep coming up with new stuff to meet the streamers’ demands. This makes them full-time employees of production companies and binge-watchers, on the other hand, have plenty of content at their disposal.
Streaming services have realized subscribers love consuming content on their schedule.
No Interruptions
Gone are the days when subscribers had to sit through annoying ads that ruined the viewing experience. Content developers identified the negative impact of ads cutting into a film or show and now creatively advertise in the content.
So, next time you see a cast member sipping on your favorite drink, you know!
Better Customer Feedback
Production companies get first-hand information about how customers feel about their content. Subscribers are good at giving opinions about a particular show, film or documentary through comments on social media, official websites and ratings.
Those in the entertainment industry use this information to know what viewers like and make relevant changes.
Wrap Up
Technology has changed the entertainment industry in 2022, especially in how content is produced and consumed. Not only can you filter the content to watch what you want, but you can do so on the go via a mobile device.
Streamers can stick to their busy schedule while having great entertainment at their fingertips. The entertainment industry has to keep cooking great stuff for the audience, expand the audience reach, and open up more opportunities for actors.
