Declining DVD Sales Threatening the Future of Media Preservation
It’s that time again when the older generation takes out our straw hats and pipes and laments the death of a type of media we grew up enjoying. This time we’re talking about DVDs, the humble disc-based format that’s spent decades as the status quo for digital video media. Even as the Blu-ray superseded the technology with higher quality, DVDs remained the kings of their domain.
Today, however, the last vestiges of big DVD businesses are heading for extinction. The few remaining rental services cost more to operate than they generate in profit, and sales are down to such a level that physical media now represents less than 10% of the market. Streaming now rules and this could be a dangerous thing for media preservation.
“Blockbuster Sign 4001 Perkiomen Ave, Rea” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by MikeKalasnik
The Real-Time and Storage Difference
Before getting into why this change is important, it’s important to note that not all types of online access to media are bad. Some forms of online-only entertainment excel through this approach, as illustrated by casino bonuses for new customers. This form of online access inherently relies on real-time access for payouts and wins, backed by promotions like free spins and deposit matches. There is no available paid offline variant of digital casino gaming, so its availability on mobile and desktop systems includes none of these downsides.
Instead, issues in entertainment media appear when access can be split between offline and online access with streaming and physical media. This physical DVD media ostensibly offers the same content as when it’s viewed digitally, only it comes in a permanent format. It’s not quite as convenient as video content that can be streamed since it needs a DVD player, but it’s still an option many prefer.
Why the Concern?
The major concern the preservationists have with the decline of DVD media is that streaming options for video content aren’t reliable. This is illustrated by the history of Netflix, which once operated as the only real contender in the streaming space. For years, users had access to an enormous number of shows and movies on Netflix, but over time, the exclusivity that the service enjoyed began to waver. Today, streaming content is split over many services, and if you’re not paying for each, you could lose access to what you once had.
Another issue with streaming is that media companies are not above changing existing content. This was famously illustrated with George Lucas’ changes to Star Wars years ago, and it’s done to many streaming shows today. Modifications to scenes and episodes can range from minor to major, and from understandable to unjustified, but the effect is that the original experience is betrayed in the process.
“Former DVD Collection” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by feverblue
Preparing for the Future
While DVDs are going away, that doesn’t mean that physical media has to disappear. If you’re interested in mitigating the risks inherent to streaming, consider subscribing to services that permit downloading files, and storing these files on hard drives. This way you can protect yourself against whatever the future brings, and not have to worry about missing out on the film and TV you love most.
