Redbox vs. red envelope, or what happens when the infinite aisle swings through the grocery store
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2011
Abstract
Recent media scholarship and industry analysis have emphasized the role of what Chris Anderson refers to as "long-tail" distribution in opening up wider access to a seemingly unlimited selection of films, a model associated with Netflix. However, despite the availability of deeper catalogs, many movie consumers in the United States seem to be opting to use Redbox, a chain of kiosks where customers can rent from a small selection of movies cheaply. Because Redbox has contributed to changes in the existing DVD rental and sales system, it has presented a significant challenge to studio attempts to control the consumption of DVDs, with the result that studios and retailers have renegotiated the "windows" that mark when films are made available through various delivery systems, whether theatrical, DVD for purchase, or streaming video. This essay argues that we need a more careful examination of the practices, habits, and technologies that inform media distribution in order to understand some of the more prosaic practices associated with everyday film culture.
Recommended Citation
Tryon, Chuck, "Redbox vs. red envelope, or what happens when the infinite aisle swings through the grocery store" (2011). College of Humanities and Social Sciences. 198.
https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/college_humanities_social_sciences/198