Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew H.
More choices are usually better
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More choices are better, when they're competing. Problem is, they're not. You want to watch HBO, Showtime, like you can via cable, and you have to get each separately. They're offering similar services, but no crossing over.
Right now, I subscribe to both Hulu and Netflix streaming, and while there is some cross over (where both services offer the same content), a good chunk of it isn't. Netflix offers more movies, or TV shows that are on DVD, where as Hulu offers more newer release TV shows (currently airing). For instance, my girlfriend and I started watching 30 Rock on Netflix, but when we got to the current season, we had to watch it on Hulu. This more complementary than competitive.
When each network has their own service, it is even less competitive. Now that scheduling is a non issue, is there any reason why I couldn't watch HBO and Showtime? Before, I would have to choose what I wanted to watch, based on the schedule, and they competed directly. Now, it simply boils down to "Do I like it enough to want to watch it?", where as if the answer is yes, then instead of paying one bill I now have 2 or 3. What really sucks is with many of these subscription services, the networks limit how or where you can watch it. For instance, for HBO, you have to have an ISP that has a deal with HBO, so your money isn't enough. On a lot of shows on Hulu, they're limited by the content owners to limit how far back they can keep the shows (currently CW limits to the most recent 5 episodes, and NBC often limits their popular shows to being viewable for free on the huluwebpage, and not to the paying Hulu Plus subscribers, despite the plus subscribers still seeing all the same ads as the people watching for free)
So, I don't see this as better.