Netflix Claims Americans Don't Want Standalone Streaming Movie Service
from the say-what-now? dept
Netflix's streaming movie service has been pretty successful according to most of the analyses I've seen, but it's still tied to the DVD rental service. So it's a bit surprising to find out that, while Netflix is readying a streaming-only service, it won't be available in the US because (according to CEO Reed Hastings):"the company hasn't seen much interest in something of that nature in the States."Karl Bode, over at Broadband Reports, has the appropriate response:
Wait, What? 42% of Netflix users have streamed at least 15 minutes of one TV show or movie during the last quarter, up from 22% just one year earlier. Personally, my DVD queue has sat unused for months, with the majority of my film and HDTV viewing now occurring via the far more efficient Xbox 360. The demand is certainly there, it's just not quite mainstream yet. So what's really going on?His guess... and it's a good one, is that Hollywood isn't really thrilled with the situation, and is holding back the licensing that would enable such a service.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
I want streaming netflix!!!
Karl Bode is probably right, hollywood is probably playing the bully again.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Stream THIS, Hollywood
That being said, there's still a good number of movies I want to see that aren't even available for streaming......those, of course, go in my DVD queue.
I'd have to say I have been using the streaming portion much more than I anticipated when I started my subscription. However, even if a streaming-only service were launched, I'd keep my current combination subscription as there are too many movies I'd like to watch that aren't available via streaming.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Hey Huuuuuluuuuuu!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Hey Huuuuuluuuuuu!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
Oh that's right, use a decent ISP and not Virgin ;-)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Best of both worlds
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Hey Huuuuuluuuuuu!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Damn shame. the only thing keeping me back as a customer i that i can't watch it on all my computers.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
1) Their choice of operating system is not supported.
2) The quality is fine for most people, but there are those who demand only hi-def.
3) Newer releases aren't available. They have to get them on disc.
Now, points 1 & 2 will eventually be fixed. They have 2 choices... go to Flash based streaming (which I hope they never do), or help to improve the technology.
Number 3 will never be fixed because of Hollywood. nelsoncruz is right... it's not your average American movie watcher that doesn't want streaming, it's American movie execs that want to crush it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
On the other hand they just announced that they will be offering their streaming service on the PS3 soon, so that may affect my viewing patterns.
I think that they have looked at the economics and the desires of the customer base and that at this time it makes more economic sense for them to keep the services bundled. In the future it may make sense for them to separate them. After all the goal is to make the customers the happiest possible, the goal is to keep the customers satisfied and rake in as much money as possible.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Not the greatest argument
The rest of his argument is an anecdote. I don’t know what he expects anyone to extrapolate about Netflix’s market from a single user’s personal preference.
Not that I’m asserting you and he are wrong or anything, but you’re not providing any real evidence for anything.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Netflix + Redbox Problem solved
[ link to this | view in thread ]
MBIT vs MBYTE
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Problem with Streaming
I have a HUGE interest in being able to stream TV Shows and Movies from Netflix, but they have quite possible the worst selection of all time. Sure, if you love B-Rated, extremely old, documentary, or independent movies then Netflix is definitely for you. But if you want to watch popular movies that have been released even in the past few years then you will quickly run out of content.
I have a mail subscription with Netflix which comes with free unlimited Watch Instantly for 9$/month. For the first month or 2 after getting Watch Instantly I was pleasantly surprised to find some interesting content on there. Since exhausting those options in that first couple months I check back every so often and am usually disappointed. Thereafter I usually either go to Hulu or pick up a movie On-Demand.
I'm guessing that at least the majority of Americans feel the same way. I don't know if the Europeans are more used to these non-recent, non-Hollywood type movies, or if they have some different available content than we do. But I suspect that this is a large part of why Netflix sees a decreased interest in the States for Watch Instantly.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Some people also don't like making choices from a huge menu.
Reason people tend to eat the same dish everytime they go to a restaurant with a huge menu selection. Too many to choose from.
Same reason some people will watch a movie on tv, even if they have that movie on dvd.
There is a certain pleasure out of going to the mailbox and seeing what movie awaits.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
for now, maybe. it's a big hit with the early adopter crowd and is becoming mainstream. i dumped blockbuster online and i am seriously considering a netflix subscription mostly for the streaming service.
After all the goal is to make the customers the happiest possible, the goal is to keep the customers satisfied and rake in as much money as possible.
the goal is to keep costs down so they can keep making a profit. customer happiness is just one point in a complex matrix. more important than customer satisfaction is keeping hollywood at bay lest the movie cartels decide to triple the prices of the discs they authorize to netflix.
that's the problem that netflix, redbox, hulu, and everyone else is facing: the delicate balancing act of giving their customers what they want while keeping hollywood from completely alienating those same customers.
whenever companies want to innovate too much, hollywood wants to take its content and go home. this is unfortunate for services like netflix who are presumably built on the idea that hollywood wants it's movies to be seen by people.
personally, it doesn't affect me at all. i get all the movies i want, mostly via filesharing and sometimes via DVD rental. it's easier for me to obtain the films than it is to make time to watch them, so when it comes to movies and television, i'm set.
so if hollywood decides to crush netflix, or hulu, or whomever, i'll still get mine. they'll have to stop making movies all together before i start to miss out, and based on the dwindling number of good movies i have seen of late, i don't think i'll be missing that much.
let's hope that hollywood soon realizes that their choice of revenue streams is becoming limited, and that companies like netflix may be their only hope for growth.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
I don't want streaming-only
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Streaming is the future of media
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Streaming is a green way of watching content and its a much cheaper way of delivering content. While it is concerning that many people are out of a job because of the need for less employees to accomplish the same workload, Capitalism as a viable economic model is on it was out anyway so lets take advantage of the technology we have and use it to its fullest capacity.
I do use Netflix rental service but rarely their streaming service anymore. All the good movies are usually not available to stream and their TV show quality just SUCKS.
IE where is my 1080p streaming Netflix? I didn't buy this 10 meg connection just to see it sit idle!
Hollywood will learn to give the customer what they want or they can go bankrupt. Really its up to them. They are no longer a entertainment monopoly. They actually have to compete for eyeballs now!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
All information-based monopolies are based on selling a physical medium (newspaper, cds, books, vinyl, tickets, etc)
There price model fails when content is delivered without a physical medium that can be preserved and transferred indefinitely.
MIAA, RIAA, Disney, Viacom, etc do not want an information age.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Hey Huuuuuluuuuuu!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Hi Netflix!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Hey Huuuuuluuuuuu!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Been a customer for many years
My only complaint is that there simply aren't enough licensed movies / shows for streaming to stop DVD mailers just yet. If / when Netflix manages to convert the majority of their movies into streaming format and provide streaming content for ALL upcoming movies / shows, then and only then will I feel that we can let go of physically mailing DVD's back and forth.
With regard to demand, I certainly support the streaming model.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
I think Netflix is right..
Now if only they would add a movie channel to my Wii!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Hey Huuuuuluuuuuu!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Streaming Video
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
They are DVD rental service that streams not a streaming service that rents a few DVDs.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
netflix streaming
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Can someone help me understand?
. Consumers have traditionally been willing to pay considerably more for a DVD than for a streamed movie, so this has been the preferred option for The Movie Industry. However, many Netflix users (like myself) actually prefer streamed movies, because they are available instantaneously. Some Netflix users are currently concerned about the selection and quality of streamed content, but these are precisely the issues which would be resolved if streaming became the primary focus of Netflix. I would be willing to pay the same amount (or perhaps even more) for a streaming-only service from Netflix which provided the full selection and quality of movies which are currently only available in DVD form. I believe many other consumers would also pay the same or more to be able to watch any movie in their queue on any given day, instead of waiting days for each DVD to arrive in the mail... In other words, it seems to me that the costs to both Netflix and The Movie Industry would be lower in an all-streaming option, but revenues could remain similar (or even increase). Which implies that it would be a profitable decision. So what is the snag?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Watch US netflix in Canada
[ link to this | view in thread ]