Netflix raises their fees another again?! I’m going back to watching television programming on cable.

watching them was a bad idea.

That’s all I can think after hearing that another streaming service, this time Netflix, has raised its pricing even more.

When streaming initially took off a decade ago, it was spearheaded by individuals like me, Millennial cord-cutters who saw the high monthly price of cable TV and chose to save what little money we had (this was, after all, the never-ending aftermath of the 2008 Financial Crisis) and just watch the greatest Netflix shows.

It is critical to review the most recent facts in order to comprehend the most recent price rises and the causes for them. Remember that price hikes may vary by area, and Netflix may offer different subscription plans at different prices.

Netflix had been gradually increasing its subscription prices over the years for a few key reasons:

1. Content Investments: Netflix has consistently invested in producing and licensing high-quality original content. This includes hit series like “Stranger Things,” “The Crown,” and various films. These investments require significant capital, and raising subscription prices helps fund these projects.
2. Global Expansion: Netflix has expanded its services globally, which comes with costs associated with providing content in multiple languages and adapting to various regional preferences. Increasing prices can help offset these expenses.
3. Improved Technology: To maintain a high-quality streaming experience, Netflix constantly invests in technology and infrastructure. This includes upgrading servers, improving video quality, and implementing new features. These upgrades require financial resources, which may be partly covered by price increases.
4. Competitive Landscape: The streaming industry has become increasingly competitive, with the entry of new players like Disney+, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and more. To stay competitive and continue providing a broad range of content, Netflix may increase prices to ensure it can keep up with the competition.
5. Revenue Growth: For a publicly traded company like Netflix, revenue growth is crucial to satisfy investors and continue investing in new content and technology. Raising prices can be a strategy to boost revenue.

Streaming providers have done away with this, which is understandable, but they are also boosting their pricing and putting advertisements on their basic plans. Which, once again, is understandable. With the end of the Writers Guild of America strike, streaming services will have to pay more for the writers of shows on their platforms, which will be passed on to the customer (full disclosure: I am a member of the Writers Guild of America, East, though digital media members were not on strike and are not covered by the contract negotiated by the studios and the guild).

It isn’t just Netflix. Disney Plus is increasing its pricing, as is Discovery Plus. Max’s costs are rising, and all three services include ad-supported tiers. This excludes Hulu, Peacock, and all the other services that are doing or will shortly do the same. When you add it all up, it’s a lot of money, which makes me question what the hell it was all for.

So screw it, I’m returning to television via cable.

Things that pushed me away from cable TV in the 2010s remain. Cable TV plans remain expensive, customer service is generally poor, and the we-can’t-call-it-a-cartel carve-up of US states, cities, and even neighborhoods by cable providers who obtain exclusivity agreements from landlords means that which cable company you get in the US is entirely determined by your street address. Is your cable company terrible? Unfortunately, you get what you get.

This way of doing things is a big part of why I ditched cable TV a decade ago and turned to streaming services in the first place. You remember when Netflix was $9.99 and you could organize your own cartel with your buddies to pool your streaming services? We had all remained at Zuccotti Park.

But, with the end of password sharing and most streaming services’ inability to find a decent price range for their products, I can’t help but feel like we’re right back where we started, and it’s really exhausting. I just want to watch TV after a hard day, maybe catch a Yankee game or a NYCFC match (it’s been a terrible year on both counts, alas), and the last thing I want right now is more options.

I now have a life full of hard hours, family commitments, relationships, and friendships, and I couldn’t tell you how much I’m paying for all the different streaming services I’m signed up for and only use once or twice a week.

Unfortunately, the solution is right in front of me. I’m going to crawl back to whatever cable provider services my pre-war Brooklyn apartment building offers and sign up for a TV package that includes sports, movies, and premium-ish TV (nothing prestige, but whatever).

Streaming providers have done away with this, which is understandable, but they are also boosting their pricing and putting advertisements on their basic plans. Which, once again, is understandable. With the end of the Writers Guild of America strike, streaming services will be responsible for paying more for the writers of shows on their platforms, which will be passed on to the customer (full disclosure: I am a member of the The authors Guild of India America, East, though digital media members were not on strike and are not covered by the contract negotiated by the studios and the guild).