One of the biggest hurdles Netflix has faced in developing the Watch Instantly streaming video service has been a lack of available content. While the company has been able to offer thousands of titles, a lot of the more valuable content is unavailable due to licensing agreements with cable companies. They already have a partnership with Starz to give them access to additional titles, and now it looks like they may be working on a deal to do something similar with HBO.
Although there hasn’t been any kind of announcement from Netflix about the possibility of a deal with HBO, company executives have always preferred not to talk about partnerships until they have actual deals in place. But that hasn’t stopped them from sending out a questionnaire to subscribers to guage interest in HBO content.
The survey, which was detailed on the website Hacking Netflix, asks current subscribers if they would be interested enough in HBO content to pay an additional $10 per month for access to it. It seems like a steep price considering that you still have to provide the broadband connection and computer, set-top box, or Blu-ray player to watch.
Result for: starz
Just last year some in the financial community were highly critical of Netflix for making streaming video their focus. Just over 6 months later it looks like Netflix CEO Reed Hastings must know something those analysts don’t because the number of consumer electronics devices capable of playing his company’s online video seems to grow faster every month. Last week the company added a new category of devices to that list - HDTVs.
Last week, during the leadup to CES, both LG and Vizio announced plans to make TVs that can play Netflix streaming video without the need for even a set-top box of any kind. LG is showing off their Broadband HDTVs at CES this week, and will start selling them sometime in the spring. The Vizio Connected HDTVs are slated to be available at an unspecified time later in the year.
Last May the first set-top box to support Netflix streaming video was introduced by Roku. It was an immediate hit and was followed by an announcement that LG would offer a similar feature on Blu-ray players.
All the interest among consumer electronics manufacturers, along with the deals like their partnership with premium cable service Starz make Netflix executives look smarter by the day. Combined with increased competition from video games for home entertainment dollars, it may be a sign of where the home video industry is headed in the next few years.
Result for: starz
Netflix has announced the hiring of former Macrovision Solutions executive Greg Peters in an effort to secure more video-streaming deals.
Peters will become VP of partner product development and report to current Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt.
“Greg’s expertise in all aspects of the product development lifecycle—from vision to design to implementation—will be a significant asset to Netflix and our partners as we push toward our goal of eventually enabling all U.S. households to stream Netflix to their TVs,” Hunt said.
Netflix has gone on a tear recently securing deals with Samsung, TiVo, Microsoft, Disney and Starz, all in an effort to boost their “Watch Instantly” streaming service. The library currently has over 12,000 titles available with another 3000 titles expected by the end of the year.
