May 20 is National Streaming Day, a celebration of the streaming platforms that have transformed our media landscape.
Streaming is not as new as you might think. While many people are familiar with mega platforms like Netflix, Hulu or Disney+, the first live video streams date back to the 1990s. The first live video stream in June 1993 featured the band Severe Tire Damage. ESPN streamed the first internet radio event in September 1995 with a baseball game between the Yankees and the Seattle Mariners.
The launch of YouTube in 2005 also transformed video streaming. Content creators could upload videos on anything from craft tutorials to video game playthroughs to lifestyle vlogs.
Netflix entered the streaming game in 2007. Originally a Blockbuster competitor in the movie-rental industry, Netflix transformed its business model with the ability to stream movies on-demand as long as you had an internet connection. In 2008, Netflix made a deal with the cable channel Starz to license its massive library of TV shows and movies for Netflix subscribers.
While the deal between Starz and Netflix no longer exists, it set a standard for streaming. People like having access to a variety of content, especially favorite tv shows and movies that they might not have access to elsewhere. Many of these streaming services also create their own content to stream exclusively on their platform. Some are wildly popular, like Netflix’s Stranger Things or Apple TV’s Ted Lasso.
With so many streaming platforms available, it’s becoming more difficult and more expensive to choose just one. Luckily, your Yonkers Public Library card gets you access to a streaming platform for free!
Kanopy is available to stream on desktop, mobile and Roku. You can watch up to 10 films per month, and you have 3 days to watch each film. Watch thousands of documentaries, classic and indie films for free with your library card.
You can check out other great digital resources available with your Yonkers Public Library card here.
Alison Robles is a part-time page at the Crestwood Library. She is an avid reader with a passion for YA lit, historical fiction and fantasy. A Yonkers native, she graduated from Iona University in 2020 with a dual-degree in Marketing and Public Relations.