Streaming was meant to save home entertainment. It survived long enough to become the villain
The arrival of Netflix just under 10 years ago was such a happy occasion. But 10 years later, the streaming industry is overpriced, disjointed and aggressively anti-consumer. It's time to fight back.
Remember when streaming was good?
When Netflix arrived in Australia it felt like a revolution. Finally, a legal alternative to the rampant piracy that was born from the restrictive, overpriced wasteland of Australian television.
Back then, accessing content legally online was a nightmare. The networks hoarded rights, delayed broadcasts for months, and blocked digital sales. It was no wonder we flocked to Netflix like thirsty travellers to an oasis.
But that oasis has become a mirage. Ten years on, the gleeful optimism of streaming's arrival has curdled into bitter resentment.
What was once a breath of fresh air has become a suffocating, money-grabbing monster. Streaming has betrayed us, transforming from entertainment's hero into its ultimate villain.
Remember 10 years ago when Netflix's basic plan was $9 a month? Stan was $10, and even Foxtel's disastrous Presto service dared to ask for the same.
Now? The cheapest Netflix plan, riddled with ads, is $7.99. Want to escape the ads? That’ll be $18.99, thank you very much.
Disney+ wants $13.99, Stan starts at $12, and even Amazon Prime, with its "included" Prime Video, still wants extra cash to ditch the ads.
And don't even get me started on the countless other services: Binge, Kayo, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Shudder, Britbox, Optus Sport, Stan Sport…each with its own subscription fee, often with premium tiers for 4K.
Accessing your favourite shows and movies now requires a portfolio of subscriptions, each bleeding your wallet dry.
And the worst part is that these prices aren't static. They creep up relentlessly. My Disney+ subscription doubled in six years, from $89.99 to a staggering $179.99. The sheer audacity of these price hikes, especially when you consider that the content libraries are a chaotic mess.
Shows and movies jump between services like fleas on a dog. Even "originals" aren't safe – remember when Netflix had the Marvel shows? Now they’re all on Disney+.
But the most infuriating trick is the disappearing act. Shows vanish from platforms without warning, sometimes never to be seen again.
Disney is the absolute worst offender. It launched the Willow sequel series in November 2022, only to yank it from existence a few months later. You can’t watch Willow legally anywhere. No streaming, no Blu-ray, nothing. It’s as if the show never existed, a victim of corporate vandalism.
And what are we paying these exorbitant fees for? Often, it feels like we're subsidising a deluge of low-quality content. It's as if the streaming giants are prioritising quantity over quality, churning out endless filler to justify their ever-increasing prices.
So, what can we do? How do we, as consumers, fight back against this streaming shakedown?
One option is to rediscover the joy of physical media. Instead of throwing $50 a month at a couple of streaming platforms, invest in Blu-ray box sets. Yes, it requires space and effort, but you own those discs. They won't vanish overnight.
The other option? Well, let's just say the high seas are becoming increasingly popular. The content selection is arguably better, but there are definitely more risks, so set sail at your own risk.
The streaming platforms have made their choice. They’ve prioritised profit over providing a valuable service. They’ve treated us, the consumers, with contempt. It’s time we made our choice too. It’s time to fight back against the streaming giants.
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