Flow is the impulse to keep on watching. I think flow is especially relevant in the strategies that streaming services use to keep viewers interested. Television shows often have cliffhangers at the end of each episode to motivate and tempt viewers to continue watching. With streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, multiple episodes and seasons are readily available, so viewers can binge watch rather than waiting a full week for the next episode to be released. Streaming services are especially convenient because you can sign into your account on a phone/computer/tv and watch from anywhere (on the bus, at a hotel, in a park), so location does not hinder the flow of media. Moreover, the “Next Episode” feature on Netflix makes it so easy to simply click a button once the credits roll to skip to the next episode. Even more, there is a countdown of about 5-10 seconds, so if you don’t exit out of the show in that quick time frame, the next episode will automatically start. This feature, coupled with cliffhangers, encourages viewers to keep watching. Without much self control, it’s pretty difficult to avoid binge watching because the flow is everlasting and the technology makes everything so convenient.
4 thoughts on “Flow – Chloe Fandetti”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I can see what you’re saying and I think the point you raise is interesting. “Flow is the impulse to keep watching” is intriguing because it’s something I never really think about. Cliffhangers is a means of connection between each episode or movie, however it acts as a connection towards the viewer as well-to keep them engaged and to obtain capital from that engagement.
I agree that a variety of streaming services have mastered the ability to keep viewers consistently hooked on their shows. The features you described such as the cliffhangers, access from all locations, and the automatic playing of an episode after another has definitely played a role in increasing the amount of time people spend on their devices watching different programs. Once another episode begins playing it is easy to think to yourself “I can just watch one more”. However, after a few days you realize how fast you have managed to finish an entire series.
The concept of flow is really relevant when it comes to streaming services. When you consider all of the features that streaming services offer, creating a flow of content for users is done very intentionally. I think your example of the “next episode” feature perfectly exemplifies this effort to maintain a flow of media distribution and user engagement. People are lazy, and streaming services take full advantage of this. Having the next episode of a show readily available and loading up 5-10 seconds after you finish the episode prior makes it so easy to just keep watching, creating a flow that sucks people into binge watching for hours at a time.
I agree that flow is the impulse we all feel to keep watching. In my post, I compared it to the hook in a story that grabs attention. I never consider cliffhangers in tv shows or series to be a part of flow, and you bring up a good point. I think media that utilize cliffhangers are the ones we can not help but to keep watching to find a resolution. Having that “next button” and count down is just like having the ability on social media to scroll to the next post or when it automatically jumps to the next video, leaving you watching for hours; it truly is that addicting.