The Internet is Saving Culture
In an New York Times article brimming with hope, author Farhad Manjoo argues that while it may have appeared the internet was being detrimental to culture, in fact, it’s saving it. First, he makes clear that a series of new formats have led to low barriers of entry for creators. This may have hurt the business model of culture at first, but now it appears we’ve figured it out—or are moving in that direction. People are now paying for online content—and the subscription model is at the forefront. Citing new statistics, Manjoo celebrates the fact that Netflix now has 94 million subscribers, Spotify has risen to 50 million, Apple Music landed 20 million in a year and a half, and even the New York Times itself has risen to three million subscribers (both print and digital). As Manjoo states, “The digital economy is finally beginning to coalesce around a sustainable way of supporting content.”
Via nytimes.com link opens in a new window
