Higher Netflix price no concern, students say
TRENTON BURTON/CONTRIBUTOR
Some students, like Josh Halbert, can expect to start paying more for online streaming services like Netflix. Netflix has announced a price increase for new subscribers. THE PROJECTOR/Trenton Burton
Netflix newbies will be forking out more cash. Some students, however are saying they’re willing to pay the streaming piper for prime content.
The popular streaming service is raising its pricing for new customers, but content seems to outweigh higher prices.
Karen Blandon, a business administration student at RRC, said the change doesn’t bother her. Blandon, 19, uses Netflix and traditional television over Canadian streaming services shomi and CraveTV.
“I think Netflix has better content,” said Blandon.
The streaming television service operates on a three-tiered pricing system. The second tier has gone up from $8.99 a month to $9.99 a month. This option includes two simultaneous streams and supports HD streaming.
Tiers one and three will remain at $7.99 and $11.99 a month, respectively.
Brandyn Bustarde, a 19-year-old business information technology student, said the price change will affect Canadians more so than Americans.
But this isn’t a patriotic dilemma.
“There’s a difference,” said Bustarde. “American Netflix has a lot more content.”
Instead of Netflix, Bustarde said he uses Crunchyroll, an anime-focused streaming service. Its “Premium” package costs $6.95 a month.Whether you’re in to anime, dramas, comedy or documentaries, Netflix said quality content is the reason for the price increase. A Netflix rep told Variety this past October, “to continue adding more TV shows and movies including many Netflix original titles, we are modestly raising the price for some new members in the U.S., Canada and Latin America.”
But it doesn’t matter how modest the raise is for Bustarde.
“If I’m going to get Netflix, I’m going to get it,” he said.
Not everyone will have to pay more, though. If you’re already signed up for Netflix, the pricing change doesn’t come into effect for 12 more months. If you’re covered under a different price guarantee, however, you might want to check the details as it could be different.
Regardless of content, Netflix is more expensive than other streaming services. Thanks to this price change, Netflix’s $9.99 monthly subscription costs six dollars more than Bell Media’s CraveTV at $4. Netflix is also one dollar more than shomi’s $8.99, owned by Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications.
To reach more screens, shomi recently became available to all Canadians without a cable subscription. CraveTV announced in July it will follow the trend and cut ties with cable on Jan. 1, 2016, according The Globe and Mail.
Most of shomi’s subscription fee goes to buying content, according to Tyler Glennon, sales department manager at Shaw. He said acquiring and distributing content will increase costs in the long run.
As for a price increase, Glennon said, “I doubt it in the short term.” Because content is the main factor when deciding to subscribe, Glennon said raising the price of shomi will not significantly affect the number of Shaw customers.
As for the future of television, it seems streaming services are missing something.
“YouTube is one of the competitors we don’t talk about, because it doesn’t have as much professional content,” said Glennon. “I see YouTube being a much bigger player.”
