Physical media survival with streaming incentives?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by fitprod

Well digital may look more lucrative, but that would be only as a rental format. (And honestly that hinges heavily on being able to leverage their content to rental services that will eventually go, "F-U, we not paying that much anymore because it's not helping us grow... And we backed ourselves into a corner with $7.99 all you can eat rentals, and can't generate any more revenue.")

Digital as an ownership format will get a small foothold, but much like the record industry, the overall sales of product are going to eventually collapse. Most studios are trying to license their product to 3rd parties for physical distribution. (Just like in the "old" days with laserdisc.)

Disney and Warner are testing the waters for some stuff they don't believe will sell at retail, by selling directly through to consumers via the Disney Movie Club and Warner Archives, respectively. I honestly really respect these efforts, because they are trying something different since chains like Wal*Mart, Target and Best Buy have visions of getting out of physical media completely. (Not a big deal in Best Buy's case since they'll probably be going the way of Circuit City by 2016.)

Studios like Paramount, Fox, Sony and Lionsgate are probably going to look at something like this down the road. (I can't explain why Sony isn't already, since they have the complete infrastructure. You would think they could do it.)

Blu-ray, and probably DVD, will exist in the future, but it's going to become the niche market, like the small but growing LP market that has oddly risen from the dead over the past decade. Physical media will still exist for movies, but it will be a much smaller piece of the income pie, and will continue it's downward trajectory.

fitprod

$7.99 for all you can eat rentals? People say I'm outlandish but imo that won't happen. If people could rent any film they wanted and as many each month that would kill off any sell-through market in the world. It would cost a great deal more than the price you mentioned. At least $15. That would still be a popular choice though. Screw quality for the masses they want their bargains in good old SD!

If you mean Netflix, that is not all you can eat rentals, that is the corner of the video store with the films no one wants to rent (plus a handful of decent, modern titles) imo and they are not rented its a subscription.

I agree about digital EST collapsing. I see it going that way.