[Posted by: Martin Keller]
Over the past couple of years there’s been a lot of reporting on how our access to television and film has been shifting from the traditional model. Instead of films taking the typical, theater-to-home video route, more films are going straight to DVD. OnDemand viewing is another new medium and has not only become an alternative for viewers who would normally wait for a DVD release or go to the theaters, but it has become a viable distribution option for independent and foreign filmmakers. One notable OnDemand program is IFC‘s, premiering movies OnDemand the same day they premiere in theaters. There’s redbox, which allows you to rent a movie at a dollar a day, vastly undercutting the typical video store. Another shift, and probably the most indelible, is Netflix. The DVD-by-mail model has undoubtedly changed our viewing experience, giving us access to an almost innumerable amount of movies and television for a nominal monthly fee. Further compounding the benefits of this model, is the ability to watch content directly through your computer, video game console, or television. Also, while there have been arguments that the quality of films is going down (or at least not rising), the quality of television has certainly ascended with the resurgence of dramatic serials on HBO and AMC, and some better written sitcoms like Community and the short-lived but oft praised, Party Down. It seems to me that for once, things are weighing in favor of the viewer and consumer. It’s becoming a buyer’s market. (more…)
Dorkosphere 