USA distribution -CBS All Access discussion
- Thread starter jefferiestubes8
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That is a very good idea, as they could do it relatively cheap (mostly present-day setting with unknown actors), and I imagine a lot of well-known writers and directors would be interested in doing one-off episodes where they could fully deploy their own style and interests.
Since you seem to think this is a general trend, just give me some examples. Not too many, just 5-10 maybe.
You're both assuming that there will be Blu-Ray season releases of Star Trek: Discovery. For most streaming first series, that has not been the case. Netflix is getting ready to release a first season Blu-Ray season set of Marvel's Daredevil, but that is a special case and nearly two years after the fact. There are a few others, but they remain the exception not the rule, and generally have been years after the last episode of the season first came out. So while a Blu-Ray release of Star Trek: Discovery may see the light of day, I would not count on it for at least two years after its release on CBS All Access.
I can't speak for CBS All Access as I've never subscribed to it (yet), but for Netflix and Hulu, I didn't have a problem canceling those when I had to a couple of years ago. I've since resubscribed to both.
As for losing access to content, that's neither here nor there. CBS All Access and Netflix have little in common with online video stores like iTunes or VUDU. iTunes and VUDU sell you licenses to content, which you keep for the life of the service. CBS All Access and Netflix are more like renting, for as long as you keep your subscription and for as long as the content deal stays in place. Netflix has lost rights to plenty of movies and television shows over the years. Netflix having a show one month doesn't mean there is a guarantee it will be there next month.
No, it's not the 1990s. But it's also not 2013. For better or for worse, the age of Netflix and Hulu combined having nearly everything is over. Now there are literally dozens if not hundreds of video subscription services, all with different content vying for your money. As I mentioned above, Netflix loses content regularly, especially over the past couple of years. Mostly what is on Netflix now is their own movies and television shows, which I have very little interest in with the sole exception of Voltron. Everything indicates that that trend will continue, so I will most likely drop my Netflix subscription soon, and just resubscribe when there's a new season of Voltron and then drop it again. I will do the same for CBS All Access with Star Trek: Discovery.
Also, I noticed that CBS All Access was added to the PlayStation 4 this week. So it's now available on just about every streaming device, from the Roku to XBox One to PlayStation 4. I don't know about Apple TV, but if it's not on there yet I imagine it will be very shortly.
Shows that receive enough demand for a Blu-ray releases get them. House of Cards does (each season of that show has been released on Blu-ray only four months after its Netflix premiere), Orange is the New Black does, Daredevil's getting a Blu-ray release in November, Jessica Jones is getting a Blu-ray release in December a year after its premiere, and I assume Luke Cage will be following soon after now that Marvel Television, not Netflix, have entered the home media game.
Besides, how sure are we that CBS will be following Netflix's path? As far as we know, they won't, they've already decided not to follow "streaming protocol" by releasing DSC on an episode-per-week basis rather than dropping the whole first season at once. With a franchise as big as Star Trek, I think there'll be a large market for a Blu-ray release that some Netflix shows may not have and I'm sure people will pay for the special features and commentary tracks alone.
I think it's to assume that DSC will be getting a Blu-ray release sometime in 2017.
I don't think cord cutters want to buy for a dozen different services, so they are going to have to pick and chose and that will put CBS All Access in more direct competition with Netflix. I am not sure how CBS All Access is supposed to get a library that is competitive with Hulu or Netflix.
One step at a time.
Want to? No. But they will. CBS All Access library will become more competitive with Hulu and Netflix not because of CBS All Access' library size, but because the library sizes of Hulu and Netflix are continually shrinking. Hulu's library of television series has been steadily decreasing. They just lost the CW shows for instance. Netflix's library has been steadily decreasing as well. IIRC, they have about a third of non-original content now than they had three years ago. Content makers are pulling their content from Hulu and Netflix and starting their own subscription services. Like it or not, that's just the way it is now, and it's not going to get any better any time soon. People kept clamoring for years that they wanted a la carte, and now they have it.
CBS All Access' library will be competitive with Netflix for me in May as Netflix mostly has its original movies and television shows now and the only one of those that interests me is Voltron Legendary Defender.
But here's a good question, how can CBS All Access dramatically increase the size of its library?
Netflix has recently made deals with WB and Disney to stabilized its library. What is CBS All Access doing tom increase the size of its library, who are they making deals with? CBS won't even allow Showtime series on CBS All Access, so how much effort are they really putting into it?
Increase its own original content and not outsource it to other services, which is what other channels are or will be doing. It's why Netflix and Hulu are ramping up their own original content. People will just pay for the handful of streaming services that offer the content they want, rather than pay a hundred bucks or more for 2,000 useless channels.
One, Netflix is willing to make deals with other companies (WB, Disney, etc) to increase its library, would CBS All Access do the same?
Two, would CBS All Access produce the same type of edgy content Neflix is making or would it just be the same type of safe Network shows, just on a steaming service?
True, but as it's been pointed before, Netflix has been hemorrhaging content more than it's been acquiring licenses. It's more known for stuff like Stranger Things, and that's clearly their focus for the future.
As for CBSAA, I mean, I dunno what their goal is, I don't work for them. But there is probably a market for more traditional programming in a streaming-centered ecosystem. But with the streaming format, it gives you more freedom to experiment, so why wouldn't they create more content that is, I guess, "edgy," whatever that means.
Okay here some good questions, why are there no movies on CBS All Access? Why aren't all the Showtime shows on CBS All Access?
You can talk about Netflix losing content, but it still has a far bigger and more diverse library then CBS All Access and I don't know what CBS All Access is going to do make their library bigger and more diverse. The fact they are not putting the Showtime programs on this service makes it seem like they are not putting a lot of effort into making it great.
Not every streaming service is going to focus on films. Hulu technically has a selection of movies, but other than its sizeable Criterion Collection options, Hulu's movie range is terrible. They focus on television. I imagine CBSAA will be similar. It will cater to more specific interests -- and that's also why they don't charge as much as Netflix. Not every streaming service is going to be a "Netflix-killer." That's unnecessary. A little competition in the market will go a long way. Shudder is a streaming service that focuses exclusively on horror films. They charge 4.99 and have a laser-focus on one audience. They started out small, with a meager selection, but they have grown into something quite respectable. And their horror selection is now better than both Netflix and Hulu. That's an example of where things are going. Streaming services will have their niche.
This is just my opinion, but Netflix's film selection is actually pretty terrible. They have far more quantity than quality. Hulu has more quality tv than Netflix has quality movies.
EDIT: Shudder also has a great user interface, guest curators, and an elegant system of narrowing your options down to your interests. The website looks awesome too. Netflix...not so much.
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Precisely so. CBS doesn't have to take Netflix out, as much as provide content that can't be acquired anywhere else. Which means that people, such as myself, who like older CBS shows, will go there for their archives. My wife loves NCIS and JAG, so the prospect of being able to watch all the archives in one spot without having to acquire the DVD sets is appealing.
Also, why would CBS dump out all its programing data to public now? There is such a thing as withholding information in a market as competitive and cutthroat as media.
You are ignoring one of my points, if CBS is so gun ho to All Access a success, why are the Showtime programs not on it? I question how much effort they are putting into this service, if they can't be bothered to put all their assets on it. We are not talking about Shudder, we are talking about CBS All Access, what makes it so great. You complain about Netflix, but how is CBS All Access better then Netflix, in any way?
And I think cord cutters are not going to want to subscribe to a dozen services, so yeah, CBS All Access has to compete with all of them.
Again, I don't think cord cutters are going to want to subscribe to a dozen services, that is too expensive, so they are going to pick and chose and I don't think NCIS reruns and even a new Star Trek show is enough to make them competitive in this market.
My guess would be as to why CBS All Access does not have Showtime's content is because it would require raising the price (in CBS' belief), and not everyone would be interested in Showtime's content. You seem to think "edgy" content is better. Great. Not everyone agrees. I don't like "edgy" content. I literally become violently ill at the sight of gore. For me, this works out as I have no interest in Showtime's content, and I wouldn't want to pay more to subsidize it.
No it does not require a raise in prices, CBS already has the rights to those shows, just put them on.
The problem with CBS All Access is lack of variety, yeah not everyone would want to see the Showtime shows, but I bet a lot of people would, I think it would broaden its appeal. I am not even sure CBS All Access even has any decent shows for kids.
The unwillingness to put the Showtime content on this service makes it seem like CBS just see this service as a quick cash grab rather then something they are putting their A effort into.
I do not think CBSAA is "better" than Netflix. It hasn't been around as long, promoted as long, or occupied a comfortable monopoly for years. It is pretty much just getting started. And it isn't trying to be better than Netflix -- it's trying to fill a niche, which is why I brought up Shudder. I don't know why CBSAA doesn't integrate Showtime. They might, who knows? They also charge half of what Netflix charges, because they're not a generalized service -- they focus on their own content.
And it is actually more cost effective to subscribe to a handful of services that you actually use rather than sign up for cable TV services. Let's be generous and say you get Comcast's introductory deal for $99.99. Okay, there's a hundred dollars, you're get a couple thousand channels of which you'll realistically watch five or six, premium channels, etc. But tack on to that a $90 installation fee, fees for renting out the cable box, DVR fee, modem fee, broadcast surcharge, taxes, and other hidden fees, and you're looking at minimum something in the neighborhood of $150. Or you can subscribe to, say, Hulu (7.99), Netflix (9.99 standard), CBS All Access (5.99), and let's throw in Shudder just for shits (4.99) and you're looking at $28.96 per month. You have a ton of wiggle room there to add a few more streaming services as they become available, and you're not even close to the cost of a premium cable package.
EDIT: Increase all those cable tv prices above if you pony up for Verizon fios so you don't have to suffer through the shitstorm of hatred that is Comcast customer service. (So long as Comcast doesn't have a monopoly on service in your area, which they happen to enjoy here in Baltimore, much to the chagrin of literally everyone in this city).
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