Netflix and Redbox rise in popularity

Renting a movie has never been easier - go to the nearest Redbox video vending machine, get on your computer to rent a movie, or even match a movie directly on your TV from on demand.

With all the different ways to rent movies now, driving down to a video store and browsing through all the movies has become a thing of the past.

Some DMC students like Edward Faus believe the video store is "an old fad." However, other students like Richard Torres said, "I like being able to go to the video store and look through the movies and also being able to talk to the employees about the movie, which is an experience that you can't get through a box or a computer."

Video stores that opened in the 1980s like Hollywood Video, which recently went out of business, and Blockbuster (which is closing numerous stores) are struggling to keep up with competitors like Redbox, Netflix, and OnDemand.

Blockbuster, which is already $1 million in debt, is trying to keep up with the times by lowering their store rental rates to a $1 a day. Blockbuster also offers OnDemand videos on certain devices.

A deal with Warner Brothers to be able to release WB's new releases a month before Netflix and Redbox and a partnership with NCR to place 10, 000 DVD kiosks around the country by the end of the year are being worked out.

If Blockbuster is not able to keep up with the competition then that will most likely be the last of the video store era. Student Daniel Bond said, "I grew up with it. It's a shame to see them go."