9 Huge TV Industry Ramifications Of Ripper Street's Amazon Instant Video Resurrection

3. Declining Ratings, Increasing Subscriptions?

Here€™s the big one for broadcasters: what impact will the collaboration between terrestrial and subscription services have on viewing figures? The evidence suggests it could go either way. In the case of Ripper Street, subscribers to Amazon Instant Video will see the show first. Die hard fans are likely to opt for a subscription to be one of the first to see it, but will this venture draw in even more new subscribers? The release of cult comedy Arrested Development€™s fourth season saw "a small but noticeable bump in membership when we released it" according to Netflix in a statement for CNN Money. During the problematic summer months when people are less inclined to stay in with their computers, subscriptions rose by 630,000. Arrested Development was a Netflix exclusive and in the case of Ripper Street, it€™s more likely that fan hype following premiere on Amazon Instant Video will generate additional buzz around the show, effectively creating its own advertising in preparation for the BBC air date. This should lead to a boost in BBC viewing figures but is entirely dependent on the new series being a fan hit and critical success. Negative reviews of Arrested Development resulted in a dip in Netflix stock prices, showing that investment, at least, is vulnerable to the critical reception of original series. Pleasing the critics is paramount.