NetFlix Online Movie Streaming Seen as Threat

We all know that the online world is full of possibilities to replace conventional (or "legacy") media distribution. The U.S. Postal Service and local newspapers are traditional targets of this demonstration, both unable to compete with the financial models of email and Craigslist respectively.

But there are numerous other online tools that can be seen as threatening to other legacy channels which either don't succeed or don't have as serious of an effect on their legacy counterparts. So purely offering a free (or substantially reduced cost) online version of something we're used to paying for isn't the only ingredient for success.

In my opinion, the remaining litmus test for online replacements to traditional distribution channels is ease and accessibility. It is more often the lack of these 2 elements that ultimately cause great online ideas to fall.

So in all, you have 4 elements that need to work together:
- Cost
- Quality
- Accessibility
- Ease of use

Taking these 4 elements into consideration, my bet is on NetFlix being the next giant killer. While NetFlix is no stranger to households, it's foray into the online video streaming world has made many people (including myself) a convert whose primary TV viewing is now done through an internet connection - but not on a computer.

NetFlix has offered online video streaming of certain titles for a while, but the real switch came for me when they integrated online streaming through my PlayStation 3. Suddenly, NetFlix had conquered Ease & Accessibility. Hours of high-quality entertainment (Quality) for $9 a month (Cost) that I watch on my TV (Ease) and control thru my PS3 (Accessibility).

With entire seasons-worth of TV episodes readily available (with no commercials!), I've been enamored by how well the NetFlix system works, and I won't be surprised when they start offering proprietary programming through this distribution channel.

When that happens, the internet will have a true foot-hold on broadcast video and will have a means out of it's current status-holder of "narrow-casting".