TV isn’t just for TV anymore. We still watch content day and night, but the access to our favorite shows doesn’t run exclusively through the living room television anymore. Tablets and smartphones grow in popularity as online streaming services develop apps that allow us to watch our favorite shows and movies on the go. A CNET study discovered that “real-time entertainment” like streaming videos from Netflix or Hulu consists of nearly 66 percent. That means more than half of all Internet consumption is some sort of video entertainment—a huge number when you think about the scale of the Web, and mobile streaming is only becoming a larger part of the picture.
Hulu
Amazon, Hulu and Netflix are the companies to watch in this brave new world of viewing. According to ItWorld.com, Hulu recently dubbed the Hulu upfront, in which they announced their paid subscriber numbers had doubled to 4 million subscribers. This allows them to not only impress their advertisers, but also afford a whole host of original shows. There’s a new half-hour comedy that takes place in the wild west called “Quick Draw” about how law enforcement introduced forensics to crime fighting. Then there’s a drama called “East Los High” about an inner-city school in East Los Angeles. Both are set for release over the summer and Hulu hopes they will bolster the burgeoning subscriber base even more.
Netflix
Netflix has been the biggest story so far this year, with top-notch original series like “House of Cards” starring some of the top talents in Hollywood and produced, written and directed by studio darlings, such as David Fincher. “Hemlock Grove,” a horror series from macabre maestro Eli Roth, rated even higher than “House of Cards” according to the Netflix brass. It has more of a gritty, Twilight-teen angle to its audience. Other shows due out are “Orange is the New Black,” from “Weeds” creator Jenji Kohan, as well as a number of others that are in development or production but are being kept under wraps for now.
Amazon
Amazon has also released their own lineup of original programming, though it hasn’t been quite as well received. There are comedies and dramas, but the goal of Amazon was to bring those who were already signed up for Amazon Prime— people who were using the service to shop, not watch— to become their core audience and expand from there. This may be why Amazon hasn’t had as much success with their original programing to date, as they are asking their subscribers to use their service for a different reason and trying to change their habits, a big faux pas in today’s consumer-driven economy.
At the end of the day, all these streaming services that can be viewed on mobile devices are great for the viewer and for quality original programming, not to mention the instant access to movies and shows we have right from our satellite or cable TV. Some “on demand” features have access to around 10,000 titles, according to www.directtvdeal.com. While Netflix appears to be doing it the best right now, it doesn’t mean these other major streaming companies won’t do everything they can to compete in the future.