Let’s get an insight into the world of the digital era which has taken over the new-age entertainment industry
The entertainment industry has seen various changes over the decades. One such shift that has exploded since the early 2000s and has continued to grow, particularly after the lockdown, is Streaming services. Streaming services seem to be the order of fashion in today’s world with aspects to its syntax, quality, and overall content. 2020 has been the year that has taught us that during these trying times when going out to shopping malls, vacations, or cinema halls was impossible, the only resort for people to keep up with the mental sanity was to binge-watch series on streaming applications.
The history of streaming services began in the early 1990s but came to popular use among mainstream audiences much later. With the internet and its use growing rapidly and smartphones being viable, the accessibility towards streaming services has become much easier.
One of the biggest pulling factors that has attracted the always-in-a-rush millennials towards streaming services is that it has changed the way they watch shows. They no longer have to wait for the episodes of their favorite shows to air on the television nor do they have to wait for a whole video file to download before starting playback, all you need is a stable internet connection and since there are no downloads involved, you don’t have to worry about the risk of running out of disk space or memory space. Apart from that, unlike pirated sites, these platforms provide you with HD video and audio quality and in some cases, allow you to choose the quality for yourself depending upon your internet speed. Streaming websites like xcine give you a chance to pick from their vast list of selections. As long as you have charged your subscription, there are no restrictions as to how many videos you can view in a day. Streaming platforms have not only opened up a new environment for actors but also writers, technicians, and the whole industry. The casting of actors is no longer based on box office figures or the politics behind it, but rather merit-based and democratic. Because it’s digital, it’s no longer limited to language or genre but purely content.
Just like any other technology-inspired venture, online streaming services have their own set of upsides and downsides.
The downside to a website’s streaming media is that the videos are only accessible online. The alternative restricts access to the content to people who do not have an online presence. A further downside to streaming media from a website is that a secure internet connection is required, you should have a minimum of 2MBPS of internet access if you want the HD experience, otherwise, you will experience buffering and slow loading of web pages. When purchasing a subscription from untrustworthy sites, there is a chance of losing your financial and personal data. At times, paying for an additional platform could also be considered as an unnecessary expense on top of a charge for a general cable connection. Even though there is still some work needed to enhance the whole experience, the perks outweigh the drawbacks of streaming services.
Online movie streaming has restructured the future of cinema-based entertainment. With a single click, one can now access any choice of movies and TV shows in a way that the traditional remote control couldn’t provide. The rapid development in technology and fresh and creative concepts have opened up great doors for streaming services. The pandemic has made us realize its importance which reminds us that it’s going nowhere and is here to stay.
