A World of Pure Reimagination: What Netflix’s Wonka Tells Us About Its Future

Fifty-five years after Gene Wilder first opened the doors to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, Netflix now invites audiences back inside. It features familiar visuals, the return of an original Oompa-Loompa, and a Wonka voice that resembles the original chocolatier many remember. However, the film and TV industry that existed when those doors first opened has…

Australia’s Sports Streaming Revolution Has Arrived — Just Not How We Expected

The NRL’s record broadcast agreement appears to preserve Australia’s established sporting order. Look more closely, however, and it reveals how thoroughly that order has already changed. Part one of a two-part series on the changing sports-media landscape. When the NRL announced its new seven-year, $5.3 billion media rights agreement, the obvious story was the deal’s…

VR Cinema: The Future of Film or the Opposite of Cinema?

Over the past decade, cinemas have been exploring how to stay competitive with streaming services. With viewers now often at home, equipped with large TVs, surround sound, and extensive on-demand content, cinemas face a tough question: what unique value can the theatrical experience provide that streaming and home theatres cannot? The response mainly focuses on…

The Netflix Effect: A Decade of Global Streaming and Australia’s Place Within It

Ten years ago, live from CES in Las Vegas, Netflix made one of the most significant announcements in modern media history. In a single day, the platform expanded from operating in around 60 countries to more than 190 worldwide. Australia was among the first countries outside the United States to receive Netflix, marking the start…

Apps such as Stremio let you stream for free. How do they work? And are they legal?

Marc C-Scott, Victoria University For a brief period, film and TV piracy in Australia seemed to be somewhat under control. When Netflix launched in Australia in 2015, it provided a service the local media sector had lacked for years: instant, affordable and extensive access to a broad library of movies and series. A decade later,…

A Decade of Streaming in Australia: From Disruption to Aggregation?

How rising prices, fragmented content, and platform aggregation are reshaping the streaming promise When Netflix arrived in Australia in 2015, it was presented as a disruption. For years, Foxtel had defined subscription television with bundled packages, premium prices, and long-term contracts. Streaming promised something different: flexibility, affordability, and control. Watch what you want, when you…