Digital Media and Film: The Impacts of the Internet on Cinema

It has been established that music has been greatly influenced by the rise of digital media, however, it is not the only industry the internet has influenced. Cinema is rapidly evolving, and it seems the film industry is experiencing the same rapid changes as music is.

First, there is the issue of streaming. Movie streaming websites such as Netflix are becoming increasingly popular, rendering video rental stores redundant. In one year, from 2010 - 2011, subscriptions to Netflix increased by 66%. In 2011, members spent 2.4 billion hours watching streamed Netflix videos. If these figures keep rising, and Netflix gets more money on the system, then physical DVD sales will start to go the way of the CD.

DVD sales are still going strong, however, with the Avengers gaining $35,412,164 profit from its physical media alone. BUT, streaming is slowly taking over, as shown by this infographic below, sourced from Online Degrees.