Television show provider fragmentation
Apr. 27th, 2017 08:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mtbcPartly because of our awkward situation in having Amazon Prime US available while living in the UK, the television shows that I would like to watch are very much split across different providers or not available at all. I read that a recent survey suggests that many younger people both illegally pirate shows and subscribe to various providers and I can wholly sympathize: it would be one thing if they were all available à la carte or from multiple subscription services but, even for those willing to pay for content, having the shows spread across exclusive bundles really is difficult to joyfully accept.
Personally I am lucky enough to be patient. Some shows are very difficult to avoid being unwillingly spoiled on but most can come and go and within a year or two will be out on DVD. So, my approach is to maintain our Cinema Paradiso subscription (DVDs by mail; Netflix don't do that in the UK) and my wait is rewarded by having a provider who does carry a wide range of shows, albeit not streaming.
Still, I wonder if the days of DVDs are numbered. They are probably already encumbered by tight restrictions on fair use: for example, having bought myself a copy I doubt that I am permitted to then rip it to preserve a scratchless copy then simply play it from that disk image even though I see no persuasive moral argument that I oughtn't. I hope that the fragmented content provision market gets its act together before I can no longer rely on shows turning up on DVD a while later.
Personally I am lucky enough to be patient. Some shows are very difficult to avoid being unwillingly spoiled on but most can come and go and within a year or two will be out on DVD. So, my approach is to maintain our Cinema Paradiso subscription (DVDs by mail; Netflix don't do that in the UK) and my wait is rewarded by having a provider who does carry a wide range of shows, albeit not streaming.
Still, I wonder if the days of DVDs are numbered. They are probably already encumbered by tight restrictions on fair use: for example, having bought myself a copy I doubt that I am permitted to then rip it to preserve a scratchless copy then simply play it from that disk image even though I see no persuasive moral argument that I oughtn't. I hope that the fragmented content provision market gets its act together before I can no longer rely on shows turning up on DVD a while later.
