Hulu Plus. Amazon Prime. Netflix. Redbox. In an ideal world, any one of these would someday become an all-encompassing streaming service. One subscription, one price, one ticket out of the cable’s iron grasp. That’s never been the case, of course. But as exclusive content deals keep piling up, it’s increasingly clear that it never will be. Want to cut the cord? That’s great. But what’s waiting for you could soon be nearly as bad. Streaming services have always been fractured, but at least there were some clear lines of demarcation. Broadly speaking, if you wanted (most) TV shows on delay, you’d plunk your money into Hulu Plus. Movies more your thing? Netflix, right this way. Prefer a budget-friendly middle ground that comes with free shipping? Amazon Prime’s a click away. Each addressed a specific need.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.