Techmeme Ride Home (Bonus) The Rise And Fall Of Blockbuster Video
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Oct 12, 2024 
Join venture capitalist and writer MG Siegler as he dives into the fascinating rise and fall of Blockbuster Video. He reflects on the company's once-dominant role in video rentals and the cultural nostalgia tied to those late fees and weekend movie runs. The conversation spotlights Blockbuster's struggle against Netflix's game-changing subscription model, highlighting missed opportunities for innovation. MG also reminisces about the vibrant atmosphere of video rental stores and the societal shifts that transformed home media consumption.
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Flix Video Store
- MG Siegler frequented a mom-and-pop video store called Flix in his youth.
- It had unique features like dog tags for available videos and a back section with adult films.
Brian's Blockbuster Job
- Brian McCullough's first job was at Blockbuster Video, starting in high school.
- He even rose to the rank of assistant manager, giving him insight into the business model.
Birth of Home Video Rentals
- Home video rentals emerged because buying movies on VHS was initially prohibitively expensive.
- Studios priced VHS tapes high, targeting rental market, making rentals the default consumption mode.