Why Physical Media is Important in the Streaming Age
/
In an era where digital content can vanish with a click, the value of physical media has never been more evident.
Warner Brothers removed the original Looney Tunes from their streaming service, Max, this week.
Even though Warner Bros. unceremoniously shelved Coyote vs. Acme, it looked like they were ready to recommit to the Looney Tunes property with the release of The Day the Earth Blew Up, the first fully animated original movie from the franchise to be released theatrically. And yet here we are yet again, as Max has removed the original Looney Tunes cartoons from the streaming service. In short: That's all, folks!
The only way to watch these classic adventures is if you own a physical copy. A future person will never discover Looney Tunes by scrolling through shows on Max again.
It feels like Warner Brothers created the road we're on with TV shows and movies being removed or outright shelved and never seeing the light of day. This isn't just about older shows; this is about the preservation of all media.
Brief History of Streaming Content Removal: Why Physical Media Matters
This is not a new trend, as we have seen in the past.
In 2022, CEO David Zaslav took his scythe and killed Minx, Love Life, Westworld, and The Nevers. Minx's second season was wrapped but was never put up for viewing. Westworld was heading into what was expected to be its final season, and fans are still hoping for a wrap-up to the show.
Disney followed shortly after the Willow TV show's removal, and many others, including Turner & Hooch and The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. Those shows were advertised heavily. I only saw the Willow show, and I enjoyed it enough. My brother raved about Turner & Hooch, but by the time I would have gotten to it, it already crossed the rainbow bridge.
These moves were made to save the company money. It's in their best interest to remove the movies and shows and use them as a tax write-off that saves them and their shareholders money.
It's not in the best interest of those who worked on those shows, nor those who pay for these services and want to watch the shows they want. And while these services are removing content, they're increasing prices.
Why Content Preservation Matters: Beyond Personal Preference
Whether you, dear reader, saw any of these shows or thought any of them were any good is not the point.
Even if you dislike a particular show, the ability to preserve art and media is a core concept that should be defended. I don't like pistachio ice cream, but that doesn't mean everyone who does should be deprived of it. It might not be for me, but pistachio ice cream is someone's favorite, and they should be able to enjoy it.
There are thousands of hours spent by the people who worked on those shows with nothing to show for their labor. People who put together costumes, built sets, and spent hours hanging lights so the director could have his vision realized. None of it will be seen now.
You may think all these shows are crap and nobody will miss them, but what happens when they come for your favorite show?
The Rising Costs of Streaming: Why Physical Media is More Affordable
It's nothing new to have shows come and go from streaming services. Netflix removes content regularly, only for it to show up on another service.
Why must I subscribe to five services to watch a movie or TV show? I don't want to do the dance of subscribing for a month, binging a bunch of content, then moving on to the next. Who does that benefit? How much does streaming cost versus physical media?
Owning the physical version of Westworld allows me to watch it when I want. Zaslav isn't coming to my house to remove the Blu-rays from my shelf. I bought Season 1 of Westworld recently, and it cost me $19. That's slightly more than it costs for one month of Max on the standard plan ($16.99 as of this writing).
Another advantage of owning the disc is watching the show in the highest quality without worrying if you have the correct tier or the price will increase. I'd never seen Westworld in 4K until I bought the disc—the same for The Last of Us. I don't pay for a 4K tier for any of my services, even though I have a 4K TV and a 7.1 surround sound system. Why pay a monthly fee for a tier that would benefit only a handful of shows I could purchase?
To illustrate the rising costs of streaming, here's a breakdown of current monthly prices:
| Feature | Max (Monthly/Yearly) | Netflix (Monthly) | Disney+ (Monthly/Yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic with Ads | $9.99 / $99.99 | $7.99 | $9.99 |
| Standard | $16.99 / $169.99 | $17.99 | $15.99 / $159.99 |
| Premium | $20.99 / $209.99 | $24.99 | $15.99 / $159.99 (Dolby Atmos Included) |
| Extra Member/Household Sharing | N/A | $6.99 (with ads) / $8.99 (ad-free) per extra member | $6.99 (Basic) / $9.99 (Premium) per extra member |
| 4k Streaming | Included in Premium | Included in Premium | Included in Premium |
| Dolby Atmos | Included in Premium | Included in Premium | Included in Premium |
As you can see, the cost of multiple streaming services adds up quickly.
Creating Your Home Media Server: A Physical Media Solution
In 2025, a multitude of tools will enable the average person to own their physical media and make it available to watch from anywhere. I paid $99 for a Plex Pass more than a decade ago. I back up every piece of physical media I own to an external hard drive and make it available on Plex. I can stream Westworld from anywhere in the world or download it to my iPad to view on a plane.
That's a $120 one-time cost to watch Westworld whenever I want versus the $209.99 a year it would cost to subscribe to the Max Premium plan that would include 4K and Dolby Atmos.
There's a bonus of being able to share your libraries with friends and family. You have control over what you share, just movies and not TV shows. That part depends on how you set up your Plex server.
Plex can also stream your music and photos so that it can serve as your own music streaming service as well.
This isn't a plug for Plex; other services do the same thing. Plex is the one I've chosen. Similar services include Jellyfin, Emby, Kodi, and Universal Media Server.
For the last few years, a physical media collection has been how I want to enjoy my movies. It's essential for me to have access to what I want to watch when I want to watch it, and in the quality I prefer, without an add-on cost.
If you feel the same, you can start building your physical media library today and take control of your entertainment.
