Since Netflix first went online in 2007, it has changed the way people watch television.
According to the site’s records, it boasts more than 40 million subscribers and is available in more than 40 countries. It has accomplished its successes through key business decisions.
Netflix is a relatively cheap service to subscribe to because the first month is free and each month after the first is only $7.99 for streaming. This is a stark contrast to the standard rates offered by most cable companies.
Netflix is also unique in its distribution of TV shows because there are no commercials. An average TV show episode has a 30-minute time slot which, on average, equates to 24 minutes of show programming and six minutes of commercials.
“I have both Netflix and Dish. We have more options with cable. We have Netflix because we have random shows that are fun to watch,” said pharmacy major Aleisha Beavers.
However, Netflix is significantly limited in its viewing selection when compared to standard cable providers. According to Jenny McCabe, Netflix’s director of global media relations, Netflix decides what shows to drop and add according to popularity of the shows, rather than trying to broadly stream everything.
“We often license movies and TV shows on an exclusive basis to provide a unique experience” McCabe said in a Netflix “Getting Started” video. One such show, “House of Cards,” is a Netflix original series that has won three Primetime Emmy Awards.
The monthly subscription war between Netflix and cable companies may never end, but its clear that Netflix is a contender in the TV world and will continue to be as long as they keep finding ways to compete with the other big names in cable.
etwelch@lc.edu
