Should students be expected to pay so much for streaming services?

Whether it be the chance to wind down after a long day of studying or having a movie night with flatmates, films can be both a source of comfort and enjoyment at university. But away from home without access to a DVD player and, for some, no access to family plans, the burden of paying for streaming services falls solely to the student - and in a time of financial strain, shelling out a minimum of £10 a month for access to entertainment is simply too high a price. 

For those without access to streaming services, piracy can seem an appealing option. It is free and gives widespread access to a large portion of entertainment. However, it has the obvious downsides of being illegal, filling technology with viruses and taking money away from entertainment industries and hardworking filmmakers. Not that the alternative of giving money to large corporations who charge significant monthly fees and are oftentimes very self-serving feels much better.

So what could streaming services do to appeal more to students?

They could reduce their membership plans, for one. Though certain services do offer a reduced fee - Prime Video allow students to have a 6 month free trial then 50% off per month and, through UniDays, students can get access to Disney+ for £4.99 monthly for one year - for the likes of Netflix, there is no such reduced fee which leaves students paying, at a minimum, £5.99 a month for a subscription.

The oversaturation of platforms makes it impossible to afford all of them, thus it would only be right for students to be offered a reduced fee or even the introduction of a more affordable combined package. 

Otherwise, though, how can students watch movies whilst keeping the cost low? 

• Keep an eye out on sites like UniDays or Student Beans for any student streaming service deals, such as the Disney+ offer. 
• If you want to watch a movie without a subscription, look into renting it. Most movies, other than new releases, can be rented for under £5 and if you’re watching with flatmates, sharing the cost can make it very affordable.
• If there is a new release coming out you’d like to see, take a trip to the cinema. Plenty of local places like Tyneside Cinema and Cineworld offer reduced student prices whilst Vue Cinemas in Gateshead offer tickets for as cheap as £4.99. Regular trips may be outside the budget but once a month could mean keeping up to date with new releases whilst also being a fun trip out with uni mates. 

We can only hope in the future streaming services all begin to make more ethical, user-friendly adjustments to their models which allow students to stream movies more affordably, but if you know where to (legally!) look, cheaper options for entertainment can be found in many different places which allow movies to remain an accessible part of student life.