By Carol Bello, Features Editor
As advancements to access online videos practically anywhere are becoming increasingly popular, major cable companies are gradually being replaced. Innovations such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Roku, have allowed society to fit the need to have access to television on the go rather than having to watch at home. The overall demand for cable has decreased with more people switching to a cheaper and more accessible approach to movies and TV shows.
Typically, the cable companies provide deals that include both cable and Internet access for a collective fee, however, new innovations may eliminate the cable aspect altogether. In order to access these websites, all the viewer needs is Internet. Paying for Internet, which can allow access to television shows and movies, eliminates the need to pay for cable. This concept has cable companies losing customers who would originally pay for both Internet and cable, instead they resort to websites that act as alternatives to a more expensive cable plan.
Cable television has more limitations than sites such as Netflix due to the specific time frames that shows air on certain networks. Most citizens with cable miss their movies or shows if they can’t get to a television by the time they air, resulting in them missing an episode that won’t air again for months. The online alternatives solve this problem, as they offer not only movies, but also series of television shows that can be viewed during any time.
Websites such as Netflix and Hulu only require Internet to be used and a small monthly fee to access thousands of television shows and movies. Netflix and Hulu also allow viewers to watch what they want when they want to watch it, as well as an additional advantage, practically anywhere they wish to watch. These websites have generally up to date movies, television shows, and other videos that appeal to all audiences.
Unlike cable, theses sites are not overwhelming. There is no ‘guide’ and not over a thousand channels to chose from. Netflix and Hulu are designed to be organized in a fashion that is easy for the viewer to browse and or find what they are looking for. Netflix includes a ’15 second’ feature when watching a series, which allows for the next episode to play 15 seconds after the previous one has been finished. This feature is both convenient and distracting as the viewer could spend hours watching a season without having to click.
When more recent TV shows or movies are updated on the site, they don’t come with a fee like ‘OnDemand’ requires. Using the Internet as a main source of accessing television programs and movies eliminates the need to pay for cable when the viewers can easily view shows using their already paid for Internet plan.
Despite all of the advantages to sites such as Netflix and Hulu, there are minor aspects that prove that cable is still dominating. The general consensus for negative reviews on Netflix and Hulu stems from the sites inability to provide the variety that cable offers. Often times it takes a few months for the websites to update, allowing for new episodes to be added to a series and old shows to be taken down. An advantage that ‘OnDemand’ offers is the ability to provide ‘new’ movies, just weeks after they have been in theaters. With the slow updating, sites such as Netflix and Hulu cannot compete with the new movies that cable companies can provide, despite the high expense.
Although cable has proven to be an ideal form of viewing movies and shows for centuries, websites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime continue to be popular in the world of those who find it more convenient to access anywhere and any time. The advantages to these sites apply to people who chose to view their movies and shows on their own time, while remaining easy and affordable.