The Impact of Netflix and Video Streaming Services on Changes in Distribution, Production, and Audience of Television Series

Ilija Milosavljević, Nataša Simeunović Bajić

Abstract


This paper analyzes key changes brought by video streaming services, with a specific focus on Netflix, in the realm of television series. Through the lens of technological determinism, media ecology theories, and the Toronto School of Communication Theory, transformations in the production, distribution, and consumption of serial content are explored. The paper highlights how digital distribution has reshaped the geographic and temporal boundaries of traditional television, enabling global access and personalized algorithm-based recommendations. Changes have also emerged in production, where high-budget series and new narrative formats have become the standard. Finally, the study explores the impact of streaming on audience behavior, including binge-watching practices and the creation of globally recognizable cultural products. The paper concludes that these changes have transformed not only the media landscape but also social practices related to series consumption, indicating a continuous process of evolution that warrants further investigation.

Keywords


streaming services; Netflix; television series; digital distribution; algorithms; media production; binge-watching; technological determinism

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.51558/2490-3647.2025.10.1.763

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