In the era of rapid development of the Internet, the popularity of the early Internet has laid a certain foundation for the development of streaming media. The birth of high-speed broadband enables the rapid transmission of data, and also provides the possibility for video streaming. In 2005, the emergence of YouTube became the giant of online video, because it provided users with a platform to upload, share and watch videos, which greatly promoted users’ interest and accelerated the popularity of streaming media. In 2007, Netflix successfully launched an online video-on-demand service from basic DVD rental companies, which was also the first platform in the world to provide streaming media services. The new concept of being able to watch movies and TV shows at any time and place has made people no longer confined to cable TV. This on-demand service also makes Netflix the poster child for the streaming era.

  Of course, its video-on-demand service is just the beginning of its journey to the top, but there are a few things that really make Netflix important in the rise of streaming services：

1. Original Content: Netflix has invested a lot of energy in original content and produced a number of critically acclaimed TV series such as “Stranger Things,” “House of Cards” and “Ginny and Georgia.” This is changing the structure and landscape of the traditional entertainment industry and driving investment in original content on other platforms.
2. Episode release; Different from the traditional mode of movie and television play, Netflix advocates the one-time release of the entire season of content, so that the audience will not be limited by the playback time, more have the right to choose.
3. Globalization: The Netflix platform can be accessed globally regardless of region, allowing viewers to watch content from different countries and cultures. At the same time, it also promotes the development of global entertainment and enhances cross-cultural communication.

The above three points are all important factors for the rise of streaming media culture in my opinion, especially the last point, I believe that cross-cultural communication on a global scale is important. Because this allows streaming development to largely open up new possibilities in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation. Taking lgbtq as an example, these platforms represented by Netflix have made some breakthroughs in these characters and stories in recent years, and some original movies and TV series have made society better understand and accept different gender identities and their orientations by presenting diverse sexual orientations.

  Last but not least, the development of streaming TV provides creators with more freedom of thought, so that more stories of different groups can be told or seen, which also helps to promote inclusiveness and diversity in society, so that more people can find their own representation and resonance in entertainment.

References:

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-netflix-is-changing-the-entertainment-industry-2021-8

https://interestingengineering.com/culture/the-fascinating-history-of-netflix

https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/research/lgbtq-characters-rise-in-number-with-streaming-study/89655980

Yueyi Wang 33707444