By Solé Scott
Editor in Chief
Streaming services that are popular amongst consumers.
Cable is said to be a thing of the past, but it was just repackaged as streaming.
Streaming began in the 1990s with RealNetworks and Microsoft, yet did not take off until YouTube was created in 2005.
Netflix was launched in 1997 and was a mail order delivery service that distributed DVDs. Netflix’s current online platform was launched in 2007 and had numerous TV shows and movies to choose from.
Streaming was introduced as the internet became more prevalent and accessible to the masses.
Over time, streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Max, Apple Music and Spotify have increased their rates so much that customers are still paying cable prices or more.
The CEOs of these companies have completely ruined the concept of watching shows, movies and listening to music on the go.
Customers now have to buy multiple services just to watch their favorite programs. It does not help that cable channels such as CBS and AMC created their own paid streaming apps.
Controversially, the Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs game that premiered Thursday, Sep. 5 is the first of its kind to be exclusively shown on Peacock and NBC.
Peacock Premium with ads cost a staggering $80. The premium plus package that is mostly of ad-free cost $140.
On Friday, Sep. 6, Green Bay Packers went against the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, Brazil. The game was exclusively shown on Peacock.
Don’t even get me started on the loss of free trials.
Streaming services used to offer a month-long free trial before a customer committed.
Now, most trials are a week long, which is not nearly enough time to make a long-term financial decision like that.
The point of streaming apps was to eradicate the rising cost of cable and limit ads, yet the opposite happened, and now apps cost more.
Music streaming apps are not exempt from this conversation, as they are run by a bunch of greedy capitalists.
Listeners must pay for Apple Music in order to listen to all music. Spotify has a free plan with ads that cost $11.99 a month, yet not all artist catalogues are available.
Soundcloud has a free plan with ads but again not all artists catalogues are available unless you upgrade to premium and pay $4.99 monthly plan.
This is unacceptable. Streaming companies need to stop price gouging. I do not know how much longer I can hold on to all my services, but I know is that I cannot afford to keep them all.
VOL. 64- ISSUE 1
