Are streaming services being abandoned for better options?

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Are streaming services being abandoned for better options?

Concept of streaming service illustrated by hand with remote in foreground, blurred background of streaming choices on tv screen.

Streaming services are becoming the norm for a lot of our entertainment needs, but it has plenty of shortcomings. This is why it’s simultaneously surprising and also a little bit unsurprising that physical media is making a small comeback. According to Giant Freakin Robot, the BBC reported that entertainment retailer HMV reported “physical visual” sales rose by 5 percent in the first half of 2024, with 4K and Blu-ray releases doing “particularly well.”

Phil Halliday, managing director of HMV, claimed that the increase in sales is likely due to the changing conversation around streaming services, saying, “When streaming first came out, I think a lot of people saw it as cheap and with huge breadth of choice,” and, “but I’m not sure people see it like that now.”

Halliday also noted how CD and vinyl sales have increased in recent years, so clearly there’s something to people wanting more physical media in their lives.

Some Streaming Services Are Profitable, But At A Price

Halliday’s statements about streaming services aren’t necessarily wrong from a social sentiment standpoint, as many people have complained about the anti-consumer decisions of companies like Netflix in recent years. Price hikes, crackdowns on password sharing, and other decisions have made people angry with their streaming options, and it doesn’t help that there’s so much competition in the streaming space that you have to pay more than cable just to watch all of your favorite shows.

Physical Media Isn’t Subject To Corporate Whims

Physical media may be pricey too, but it has the added advantage of letting you own your favorite shows and movies, rather than leaving them to the whims of a bunch of corporate streaming rights battles.

There’s also the fact that even if you’re subscribed to every streaming service out there, you might still not find the content you want. Some films and TV shows only live in the physical media world, with no option to stream them anywhere. There’s also the fact that the streaming version of shows and films don’t come with all of the bonus features and content you get with a DVD or Blu-ray.

Of course, this bit of good news about an increase in physical media sales comes with the caveat that we’re only looking at the numbers of one major entertainment retailer and not necessarily the industry as a whole. Meanwhile, streaming services like Netflix have outperformed Wall Street expectations in recent years and continue to be major players in the entertainment industry.

Physical Media Is A Commitment

While it’s good to see physical media get some love, it’s safe to say that streaming is still going to be the more convenient and affordable choice for many.

Streaming services are also pretty low commitment, as you can get access to hundreds or thousands of shows and films even if you might not like them.

When you go to buy physical media, it’s pretty likely that you’re already a fan and just want to own a copy for your collection or to ensure you always have a quality version on hand to watch. Still, it’s great to know that physical media is still important to many and that we’re not completely at the whims of streaming corporations.