As I prepared for Module 4’s science fiction assignment, I immediately went to Netflix to see if the movies were available for instant viewing. Minority Report is in our personal DVD collection, but I wanted to see something else from the mind of Phillip K. Dick. Watching Blade Runner was a simple as adding it to the instant queue and watching it via the blu ray player. Netflix allows for viewing of the movie from any internet capable device including my cell phone, computer, or Wii.
A Red Queen is used to describe “a certain phenomena when a competition between two forces results in the rapid development of them both” (Thornburg, 2008). Video on demand services, such as Netflix and Hulu, are fierce competitors for DVDs and blu ray discs. According to Eyder Peralta (2011), there has been a significant decline in disc sales (either DVD or Blu-ray) because of online streaming availability via iTunes or subscription services. DVD and Blu-ray technologies are not improving to combat the impact of on demand viewing options. This is not an example of a Red Queen; it is an example of increasing returns. Thornburg describes increasing returns as the force, which explains how one technology overtakes another technology to the point of extinction.Netflix has pushed the development of other technologies since it entered homes:
With respect to McLuhan’s tetrad, DVDs would be the technology that is becoming relatively obsolete. There are some programs that are not available on Netflix, but as it continues to grow and sales of DVDs continue to decline, more executives will push for their programs to become available in digital instant viewing format.
References
Netflix. (2011). Consumer press kit. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from http://cdn-0.nflximg.com/us/pdf/Consumer_Press_Kit.pdf
Peralta, E. (2011). Sales of DVD, blu-ray plummet, causing consternation in Hollywood. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/05/03/135956046/sales-of-dvd-blu-ray-plummet-causing-consternation-in-hollywood
Thornburg, D. (n.d.) Increasing returns. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4930730&Survey=1&47=5513753&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Thornburg, D. (n.d.) Red queens. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4930730&Survey=1&47=5513753&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Thornburg, D. (2008). Red queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration. Retrieved May 8, 2011 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/14936/CRS-WUEDUC8812-3730077/red_queens,_butterflies,_and_strange_attractors.pdf
Great post Angela!
ReplyDeleteDo you think that the Bluray a withstanding technology or do you think there is something else on the horizon? Honestly, I never bought the whole bluray push...am I a lagger? Our world is becoming one of instantaneous technologies and I agree, Video on Demand is definately in the forefront.
Jeannine,
ReplyDeleteI also have not joined the BluRay push, but I liken the BluRay superceding DVD to the way that DVDs replace VHD. The prices of DVDs continue to diminish as BluRay disks fill the shelves, pushing DVDs into ever smaller offerings.
I am curous whether anyone thinks that the collecting and owning of movies will disappear as the "renting" from the larger cloud collection takes over.
Kimberly