Netflix rules when it comes to student TV

Photo by jovino

There are more options than ever for people to track down their favourite shows. Hours after a program airs, a torrent file is floating around the internet, ready to be snatched up and enjoyed. The next day, it will be available on a free streaming site such as Project Free TV. Wait a couple of months and it’s likely to appear in your Netflix queue. Or, if you are a truly devote fan, you can crack open the TV Guide and try to catch it live.

So many options, and the variety clearly affects our consumption. The average Canadian watches 30 hours of television a week. But how do students, strapped for time and worked to the bone, find their entertainment in the little free time they have?

A survey of 100 students revealed 20 per cent of them used free streaming services, 18 per cent relied on personal video recorders (PVRs), only 10 per cent preferred to catch their programs as they aired, and a measly 4 per cent trusted torrents and file sharing systems. That left 48 per cent of students using Netflix as their main source of television entertainment. It’s a large number to be sure, but after hearing what students had to say, it became clear how the service is capturing its audience.

“When a company like Netflix can offer a superior product for only $8.99 a month, it makes you wonder what’s wrong with the competition.” -Ryan Santos

Lisa Yamura, a prospective nursing student, cited its lack of commercials as a plus. “Even with my PVR or other streaming sites there are still ads that pop up you have to close or fast forward through,” she said. “Netflix just lets me watch my show.”

Andrew Littler, an English major, talked about the convenience of the service. “I can stop and start my shows whenever I want,” said Littler. “Netflix has a huge memory and tracks what shows I’ve been watching, which episode I’m on, and at what point in the episode I stopped. If I ever decide I should stop procrastinating and get some homework done, I know I’ll be able to watching right where I left off when I come back to [the show]. As a student, I find that a really useful feature.”

Anthropology student Ryan Santos is another fan. “It’s just a quality service,” said Santos. “Their library is full of popular shows people actually want to watch, sitting there on demand. And you don’t have to worry about the quality like with torrents or streaming. You know that when you press that play button you are going to get what’s advertised. Hassle free.”

Santos also referenced the pedigree of Netflix’s original content such as Orange is the New Black, Hemlock Grove, and House of Cards as a big draw for him.

“When a company like Netflix can offer a superior product for only $8.99 a month, it makes you wonder what’s wrong with the competition,” Santos said.