The streaming catalog now features recent seasons of many acclaimed TV shows, including Mad Men and The Office, and exclusive series such as Lilyhammer. Coming attractions include “The Artist,” winner of this year’s Oscar for best picture, and another original series called House of Cards starring Oscar winner Kevin Spacey. Netflix also has struck a deal to revive the critically acclaimed TV series Arrested Development which last aired in 2006.
As it is, Netflix has already agreed to pay about billion in licensing fees during the next few years. CEO Reed Hastings foresees spending billions more.
Netflix might be able to afford to buy even more online video if it raises its prices, but thats a strategy the company says it won’t pursue following a customer backlash over last summers rate increase of as much as 60 percent in the U.S. For now, Netflix is trying to showcase the material already available in its online library by fine-tuning its recommendation system.Pachter thinks there is only so much that Netflix will be able to do to conceal the weaknesses in its Internet library.
In particular, he thinks the recent loss of the streaming rights to movies and TV shows from Starz Entertainment will cost Netflix some subscribers. The Starz contract expired depriving Netflix’s streaming library of popular fare that included recent movies from Walt Disney Co. Netflix had been paying an estimated $30 million annually; Starz is thought to have demanded as much as million a year to renew.
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