The problem with streaming — and the case for physical media | Tom Rizzuto

Physical media provides a necessary safeguard for cultural preservation that streaming platforms cannot guarantee. While streaming offers unprecedented access to media, it grants corporations the power to unilaterally remove content, potentially erasing significant artistic and historical works. Historical examples, such as Soviet teenagers bootlegging jazz onto discarded X-ray plates or the survival of the film *Nosferatu* despite court-ordered destruction, demonstrate that physical artifacts are far more difficult to eliminate than digital files. Relying solely on streaming creates a fragile landscape where media can disappear at the whim of a few gatekeepers. Maintaining physical collections ensures that influential art remains accessible, protecting the ability of future generations to interpret and draw inspiration from the creative works that define our history.