In-home entertainment has been experiencing yet another revolution. This time the new form is streaming content chosen by the consumers, and it has taken off.
Nearly everyone I know has some form of streaming service. Most have Netflix, while some have Hulu, and now Disney+ has arrived to takeover it all. That is, if government doesn’t ruin it for everyone.
An article in The Economist gives the following warning-
“Government has so far had little to do with the [streaming] boom, but when it inevitably peaks the state will have a part to play, by ensuring that the market stays open and vibrant.”
Of course, left-wing writers at The Economist believe this to be a good thing. They are wrong. Just look at what has happened thus far and it is easy to see that the streaming market is already very much “open and vibrant.”
Netflix took off. Their creators and investors became wealthy because they created a product that consumers wanted. Demand was high and supply was nearly controlled by one company because they got there first. Basic economic principles of the free market were at play. Success was enjoyed by those who chose to participate.
It was the success of the new product that made the next step of the free market kick-in; competition. Rival streaming services came up. Some are lasting, others faded. The top product then had to adapt or perish. New content, more content, more features came out. The free market, once again, shows its limitless capacity.
And all of this was done without the government interfering.
I signed-up for Disney+ last week. I like it. Next week I plan to cancel Netflix. These are choices made in the free market.
Government needs to stay out of the streaming services. Let the people dictate how companies deliver their streaming content. The free market works.
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