By: Thomas Horvath

In the mid to early 2010s, the well known streaming service Netflix would become a staple in culture and entertainment. People loved using it, as it seemed like it had anything in the world to watch at a low cost and no advertisements. Now, Netflix is shrinking in scope and losing money, as companies that previously put their shows and movies on the service are now realizing that they could make more money if they start their own streaming service. This has caused Netflix to start making changes so that it is more difficult to share accounts, as well as considering implementing ads onto the platform. With all of these companies making different services, it leaves most of us missing the days that were not long ago but feel like forever. Just less than five years ago, you could get everything in one place.

With all of these new services, the initial appeal of it being cheap is gone, even though all of the main services are still cheaper than cable. Cable television used to be what everyone had, but the numbers are tanking and it likely will not be continued much longer. In fact, Youtube Tv will be streaming the NFL from now on, which seems to be the final nail in the coffin for cable. This brings most people to the last resort, whether ethical or not, piracy. With the power of the internet growing easier to obtain, piracy is easier than ever. Can’t find the show you’re looking for? Just go online and search for free episodes. 

With it being unlikely that these prices will decrease, piracy will continue to grow and become less niche than it currently is. And with companies like NBC and Disney losing money and subscribers, it seems like the age of streaming services may go full circle and become one, expensive network where everything is, just like cable.