Netflix’s OG Head Honchos Originally Didn’t Call It ‘Streaming,’ But Their Two-Word Term Sounds So Archaic Now

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Reflecting on the past, it’s astonishing to realize how dramatically things have evolved, especially regarding our entertainment habits, such as watching movies from 2025 or following the TV schedule of that year. Today, there exists a generation who find it hard to comprehend the concept of leaving home to rent a movie, let alone returning it on time to avoid late fees. This was once a common practice for many of us. Thankfully, streaming services like Netflix revolutionized this experience. Although they didn’t initially label it as “streaming,” their method sounds quite outdated by today’s standards.

What Did Netflix’s Head Honchos Use To Call Streaming?

Given that we currently have approximately 4.9 million streaming services at our disposal, offering us the ability to watch classics like I Love Lucy and The Office on demand, as well as an endless supply of brand-new movies and TV shows, it’s almost unimaginable that there was a period when the internet was so painfully slow that downloading a single photo seemed nearly impossible.

Netflix, starting as a DVD rental service back in 1998, has been instrumental in driving the surge of streaming content. However, as current CEO Ted Sarandos mentioned to Variety, when he joined the company in 2000, co-founder Reed Hastings referred to what we now commonly do on a regular basis with a term quite distinct from its contemporary usage. In Sarandos’ words:

“Streaming” was not the term used by Reed Hastings back then.

Back in the day, when I first crossed paths with Reed, he painted a picture of Netflix strikingly similar to what it is today – minus the term ‘streaming.’ Instead, he referred to it as ‘downloading videos,’ but his vision was crystal clear: he believed that all forms of entertainment would make their way into our homes via the internet. This was an era where such a concept was unheard of in the realm of home entertainment.

Truly astounding. I honestly can’t wrap my head around possessing such a keen insight, which is why I’m a writer, occasionally inventing new words for amusement, rather than a high-profile streaming service executive.

Looking back, it’s hard to believe that the concept of downloading videos from the internet seemed absurd and attempting to go online itself was often a challenge. Do you recall dial-up connections? You could connect to the internet, but you couldn’t use the phone simultaneously because the landline (everything was physically linked!) was the sole means to access the internet.

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Currently, we find ourselves in a period where movies are only shown in theaters for a short while before becoming available for home viewing (or on-the-go)…permanently. Yes, this may require subscribing to a streaming service that might increase its fees significantly, and it’s disappointing when they cancel your favorite original series before you’re ready for it to conclude, but consider this: THIS IS THE TOLL WE PAY FOR BEING ENTERTAINED WHILE REMAINING AT HOME AND NOT MOVING AN INCH.

In the meantime, as we anticipate a future where films and series can be instantly transmitted to our minds, it’s still convenient to “save videos” on our devices. Let’s express our gratitude to the entertainment world for this useful feature.

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2025-03-27 05:41