To Stream or to Stream

According to the Wall Street Journal “Netflix’s paid domestic streaming subscriber base has increased to nearly 28 million from 25.5 million at the start of 2013 and 22 million a year before.” For those of you who have been living under a rock Netflix is a DVD rental and video streaming company through Internet subscription that incorporated on August 29, 1997. Netflix offers TV and movies.

HuluPlus is another online subscription that offers video streaming. Most of what is on HuluPlus is TV, and some older movies. HuluPlus offers a lot of TV shows on NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX. Some of which can be viewed the next day after airing live.

Redbox is literally a big red box that you can rent DVD’s overnight for $1. Redbox launch on March 14, 2013, Redbox Instant, which allows you to stream movies online. Even though Redbox has made it’s name by holding onto DVD’s now RedBox Instant offers an $8 a month subscription for DVD rentals plus online streaming.  Sounds a lot like Netflix, huh?

Amazon who is well known for being an online retailer with the world largest selection of everything also offers an online subscription of video streaming called Amazon Prime. This Prime subscription also offers you a free two-day shipping on items you purchase on Amazon.com.  According to Variety.com, Amazon just may be launching their own set-top box. This would allow TV’s to stream video titles purchased or rented not only through Amazon, but also through 3^rd parties.

The only issue I would foresee with this idea is that technology is forever changing, not to mention that Netflix almost tried this back in 2007. Right before it was going to release the company canned the idea. This should tell Amazon something, right? How about Netflix being one of those 3^rd parties? What about AppleTV? Netflix is one of the highest used apps on AppleTV. Let not forget about Roku and Chromecast.

Well it is no wonder that Netflix “stock has surged 178% so far” for 2013.  According to the Wall Street Journal “Netflix also has become a choosier content shopper. It now targets exclusive deals for high quality programming, opting not to pay for as much old library content as it did before.” Let’s not forget about Netflix original shows Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. Netflix also walked away with 14 Emmy nominations, and a win. Which is the first for an online TV company.

Time Warner

Did you know that Time Warner controls major networks like HBO, TBS, TNT, Cinemax, CW, and CNN. They are also in film studios like New Line Cinema and Warner Brothers, as well as operating People magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Time. HBO alone allows Time Warner to reserve about 70% of their cash flow. The box office projections for 2013 between their film production companies are about $1.4 billion monthly sales. Time Warner is on top of their game. They have been surpassing their competition for years. They have defeated industry standards by over 7%.

This weekend’s Warner Bros. big blockbuster Gravity opened this past Thursday night.  As it stands it’s projected to bring in almost $50 million, and there’s already talks of Oscar nominations. The movie is about space isolation, and was about $100 million to make. It’s lonely out in space with Gravity crushing it’s competition, but I’m sure that makes the people over at Warner Bros. / Time Warner happy. Hey, even Roger Ebert gives it four stars.

Just a few days ago there was a deal agreement with Warner Brothers and RatPac-Dune Entertainment. The deal consists of financial backing for Warner Bros for as many as 75 films over the course of four or so years.  RatPac will not have any creative involvement. There haven’t been any confirmed financial details as of yet; however, RatPac-Dune Entertainment has committed approximately $450 million according to anonymous person who was given the rundown of the meeting. Legendary Entertainment as stated back earlier in the summer they are going through with it’s move to Universal Studios. 

I am excited for the RatPac-Dune deal with Warner Bros.. As a huge fan of Time Warner's Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. I look forward to their 75 movie deal.