Blog Post Module 5
When given the video assignment for Module 4, I went to the local retail store (Target) and purchased one of the movie choices (Minority Report). I paid only five dollars. My goal was to try and find the movie on the internet or rent at the local Blockbuster, but decided to purchase because this movie may serve as a reference for a future project, assignment, or for personal reasons.
The competition between DVDs and video on demand (VOD) are an example of Red Queens. According to Dr. Thornburg (2009a), increasing returns are two innovations that hit the marketplace at the same time; unfortunately these two innovations did not. DVDs and VOD are examples of Red Queens because currently companies can seen through marketing, advertising their products and services. DVDs currently have companies such as the big Redbox, Blockbuster, and Netflix. The big Redbox present the challenge of immediate access (multiple locations) and cheap prices. Blockbuster went from your local video rental company to providing on demand movies to compete with other companies. Netflix allow individuals to access movies through mail, from your pc/laptop, and broadband with an unlimited time limit of return or having access to the movie. VOD are currently being provided by ComCast, Dish Network, and Direct TV (huge cable television providers). VOD allow users to receive instant access to movie, stop, play, pause, etc. from video streaming.
As I look back at McLuhan’s tetrad, I feel that DVDs are in the stage of reversal and VOD are in the obsoletion stage. DVDs reverse themselves because they provide new options that were not available when DVDs first came on the scene. DVDs can are in the formats of blue-ray, 3-D, and extended versions. VODs are in the stage of obsolete due to the fact that individuals can download movies for free. With downloading, free movies mean that a person too can become an entrepreneur by selling burnt movies.
Sources:
Answer.com. (2010). DVD. Retrieved on August 9,2010 from: http://www.answers.com/topic/dvd
Answer.com. (2010). Video on demand. Retrieved on August 9, 2010 from: http://www.answers.com/topic/video-on-demand
Thornburg, D.D (2009a). Increasing returns. [Vodcast]. Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved from: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4199715&Survey=1&47=5863163&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Thornburg, D.D. (2009b). Red Queens. [Vodcast]. Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved from: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4199715&Survey=1&47=5863163&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Nikisha,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed, as usual, reading your reflections on technology. I am confused about DVDs in the reversal quadrant of the tetrad. Could you please explain it better to my addled brain? I think the reversal quadrant remains the most difficult section to understand. Although not yet obsolete, I can envision DVDs heading in that direction (instead of reversal) due to the onslaught of video streaming.
Nikisha,
ReplyDeleteI think you covered every way DVDs and videos could be accessed! I just wonder how will they be accessed if and when we no longer have Redbox,Netflix,Blockbuster or VOD. Perhaps we will have VOD exclusively using broad bandwidth alone. Then I wonder if we will have to have a new power source to meet the demand. This only gets more interesting. Great Post!
Nakisha, I enjoyed your post, but I am not sure how I see VODs in the obsolete stage. Wouldn't you consider video streaming as VOD as well as downloading any video regardless of whether it is free or not?
ReplyDeleteI thought that what you said about the DVD reinventing itself very interesting! I found out in my interviews that DVD's have features that we haven't even tapped into! So I can see where they could reinvent themselves.
ReplyDeleteThanks!