Melissa Merchant

Video on demand (VOD) refers to television, movies and other digital video content streamed over internet-based online services. Because it is not linear, viewers are able to watch videos at any time once the programme is available. VOD can be either ad-based and free to watch such as catch-up television services or it can take a subscriber model whereby consumers pay a fee (usually monthly) to access services. Subscription VOD has been slow to take off in Australia. Quickflix and Foxtel Play have been present in a limited capacity for a while; however, 2015 saw the introduction of three new service providers in quick succession – Stan, Presto Entertainment and Netflix Australia. Popular commentary described the expanding market as the “streaming wars” and predicted consumers would be the beneficiaries (Tucker 201)