After many years of sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring how the world was changing around them, the big media companies are finally realizing the Internet is here to stay. As are the opportunities it provides to make money from old content repackaged in a shiny new box marked “Streaming.“
Warner Archive Instant
Warner Bros. is taking on the likes of Netflix and Amazon with Warner Archive Instant, which has now gone live. The site contains streaming video versions of classic movies and television shows that Warner claims are “rare or hard-to-find.”
Movies offered through the service include Mummy from 1959 and Cat People from 1982. TV shows currently offered include Gilligan’s Island and the original Adventures of Superman from the 1950s.
Unlimited access to this rather niche content will set you back $10-per-month, though you could probably burn through most of the content in a matter of weeks if you were so inclined to do so.
As to be expected Warner Archive Instant is currently only available in the U.S., with everyone else receiving the (un)welcome message, “Our Apologies. This offer is not available in your region. Thank you for your interest.”
Netflix Lite
The reasons Warner has created the Archive Instant are obvious. It’s something of a no-brainer for such old content that there is next to no market for in terms of physical media. So why not package it altogether and charge a monthly subscription fee?
However, the content leaves a lot to be desired when compared to similar services. To the point that I cannot quite see who would sign up for Warner Archive Instant over and above Netflix et al.
Conclusions
Warner will no doubt be treating this as an experiment, and one which it really cannot lose out on. But in the long-term I suspect doing a deal with one of the established streaming services will be better for the company and better for consumers.
[Via Engadget]
