Careful! Don't Drown in the Streams

You know that old adage “6 of one; half dozen of the other”? Like when it doesn’t matter what you choose? Welp, it looks like we’ve reached that saturation point with apps and streaming services. It’s as if Oprah herself announced “ You get a Stream.! You get a Stream! Everybody gets a Stream!” So many streams are flowing, one could easily get pulled under the water. Although we’ve all heard about Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, (not to mention all the news outlet streams), there’s pretty much something for everyone now. It’s quite likely, however, that you’ve never heard of many of them. Here are a few examples:

· Rooster Teeth: Interesting name, huh? Offering live-action shorts, podcasts, gaming and animated shows, Rooster Teeth has lots of free content and subscriptions ranging from $5.99 a month to $59 for annual service.

· PrendeTV: ¡Hola! This channel offers tons of content, always in Espanol and always free. ¡Sí, siempre gratis!

· KevOnStageStudios: While most people have heard of BET (which now has 3 versions of it’s own streaming services), KevOnStageStudios is the up and coming home of original black content including scripted series, comedians, sketch comedies, and reality TV. Their show “Love On Stage” is giving other dating shows some real competition. Just $5.99/month or $59/year.

There are others specializing in niche content like horror (Shudder or Screambox), kid friendly shows (Toon Googles), and Bollywood (Eros). Sports is always a popular segment of the streaming world. ESPN+, Twitch, and YouTubeTV are some of the top players here. In 2021, Jason Gurwin of the website Streamable, told us about FuBoTV dropping A&E Networks from their streaming platform. The decision was based on the acquisition of more popular content like ABC, ESPN, and Disney+. While some have debated the wisdom of bringing TNT and TBS back into the FuBo fold, does it really matter? There are so many streaming configurations and options available that it is almost impossible to keep up with- even for streaming services who want to remain competitive. Remember, they are all swimming in money-our money.

No More Cable, you say…

For the “No More Cable” cord cutters, if we aren’t careful, we could actually end up spending about as much as we were paying in expensive cable bills by piecing together 5–10 different streaming services. Take my family, for example. I happily got rid of cable 3 years ago and saved about $60 a month off my normal cable bill. Great, right? I thought so until these sneaky little streamers started to add up. Before I knew it, we were back where we started or worse. In my case, Apple+, Disney Plus, Hulu, Prime, HBOMax, and Netflix combine for a total of $54 plus tax. Not to mention my subscriptions to PureFlix and Tubi.

Ummm…I’m not so sure I’m winning here.

Such a fortunate problem to have, huh? There are people who don't have technology like tv or smart phones. Conversely, there are some people who's lives are likely more enriched and fulfilled because they haven't succumbed to the lure of all these streaming "options". Really, I'm not here just to complain, but rather to point out how easily we accumulate subscriptions, bills, and debt. Of course, I could simply give up one or two services to control my bill, but which ones? Guess I need to do a little research and be willing to switch up every few months or so. It probably won’t matter, though, as long as I keep my head (and my wallet) above the waters and don’t get swept out to sea.

Happy swimming, streamers!

Copyright 2022~Joy Yvette~All Rights Reserved