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With the release of 14 original series pilots, eight of which are topping the charts of most-streamed episodes, Amazon Instant is set to follow in the footsteps of Netflix and Hulu, according to Boston.com. Unlike other streaming media services, Amazon is letting the viewers decide which pilots will see the light of day as full series. They encourage everyone who has viewed the episodes to review and rate the pilots. The highest-rated pilots are the ones that Amazon plans to turn into full series. Amazon has 25 total pilots released or in development at the present time, according to Wired. Click ahead to read more…

Benefits of Online Streaming

Streaming services provide a viable and economical alternative or addition to cable and satellite television services. Streaming media services do not have the variety that cable and satellite offer, but they can simplify your TV-watching routine by organizing the shows you want and having them readily available. Streaming media services are increasing the amount of popular cable shows and blockbuster movies they offer as the demand is higher. According to www.rasertech.com, a basic satellite television package costs $30 a month. Netflix costs about $7.99 a month and Amazon Instant video access via an Amazon Prime subscription will run you roughly $79 a year. It’s no wonder that many people flock to streaming media services, especially when their favorite shows are available on them.

House of Cards Success

Netflix was the first streaming service to develop its own original series with “House of Cards.” They took a gamble and won by including original programming into their lineup, netting 2 million subscribers to their service during Q1 2013. While this growth was within Netflix’s predictions, they far exceeded what the analysts were expecting. According to CNN Money, Netflix is set to expand to 20 shows if the original content plan continues to garner good success. There are two areas that have some people concerned about Netflix’s original content plan. The first is that Netflix released all of the “House of Cards” episodes at the same time. The main concern with this approach is that the entire original series could be viewed on a free trial. Netflix reports that a small percentage of viewers took advantage of that tactic. The other concern is the cost of producing original series. However, CNN Money reports that the amount spent on developing “House of Cards” is roughly equivalent to the amount that the company spends whenever they sign a streaming deal with a studio.

Author: Owen Smith (Owen is a freelance writer and sports blogger living in Utah.)