What Netflix could teach Hollywood

Five million families have a Netflix account. So why do so many people think it's doomed?
The New York Times

The story "What Netflix could teach Hollywood" published June 6, 2006 at 11:00 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from The New York Times expires after 7 days.

[fakespam]

Huh?

What's the point of this article? I the last the paragraph sums it
up. Okay, fine. But why at the bottom of the first page are
"immigrants" mentioned? Does anybody care who is doing the
dirty work at Netflix? I doubt it.

I use Netflix. ALOT. (Yes, 'alot' is a word now, so suck on that,
Webster!) Anime sets are expensive, so I rent TONS of anime,
and other TV shows that strike my fancy. I like paying $50 a
month and getting tons of data to watch. I also split the account
amongst family, so everybody gets to watch something good. It
really works out.

Strangely, nowhere in the article is the "doomed" sceanrio
actually described, nor even hinted at. Some naysayers are
quoted, for whatever reason, but I didn't get "doomed"
anywhere.

[herkamur]

alot vs. a lot

"Alot" has always been a word as in:

Netflix will alot three movies to each customer.

Your use should be "a lot".

[fakespam]

Huh?

What's the point of this article? I the last the paragraph sums it
up. Okay, fine. But why at the bottom of the first page are
"immigrants" mentioned? Does anybody care who is doing the
dirty work at Netflix? I doubt it.

I use Netflix. ALOT. (Yes, 'alot' is a word now, so suck on that,
Webster!) Anime sets are expensive, so I rent TONS of anime,
and other TV shows that strike my fancy. I like paying $50 a
month and getting tons of data to watch. I also split the account
amongst family, so everybody gets to watch something good. It
really works out.

Strangely, nowhere in the article is the "doomed" sceanrio
actually described, nor even hinted at. Some naysayers are
quoted, for whatever reason, but I didn't get "doomed"
anywhere.

[herkamur]

alot vs. a lot

"Alot" has always been a word as in:

Netflix will alot three movies to each customer.

Your use should be "a lot".

[Philips]

Next "dying" company?

It reminded me Apple. All analysts spend lots of time past one and half decade saying Apple is dying. And the still on it. Company dying for 15 years - I wish my pet business was dy^Hoing that well.

Market watchers and analyst to IT are what critics to arts. Drawing analogy further, one can recall famous saying that there was no monument ever built to critic.

[rcrusoe]

What "fat pipes"?

Where can I order the "fat pipes" mentioned in this story?
Certainly not from my phone or cable company. Their fastest
service is a fraction of that available in Europe or Asia (and the
non-U.S. service is cheaper).

I currently have a 3mb DSL circuit, which is still faster than the
6-8mb promised, but never delivered, by my cable company.
Not near big enough for routine movie downloads.

Hollywood better hope Netflix survives. Otherwise they are
going to lose a ton of business, if many of the 5 million
subscribers think like me.

I don't go to video stores and I've tried both Blockbuster Online
and Comcast's Ondemand. For me, it's Netflix or a good book.

[nmcphers]

Re: What "fat pipes"?

The "fat pipes" refer to what the U.S. Broadband monopoly folks are smoking.

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.brookings.edu/views/papers/ferguson/working_paper_20020531.pdf" target="_newWindow">http://www.brookings.edu/views/papers/ferguson/working_paper_20020531.pdf</a>

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2005/07/11/the_united_states_of_broadband.php" target="_newWindow">http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2005/07/11/the_united_states_of_broadband.php</a>

[techguy83]

they mean

The higher end, (10Mbps, 8 Mbps, etc.) plans that larger companies offer, but then throttle so that you never get your allotted amount.

Throttling is what makes you not get your advertised speed.

[rcrusoe]

What "fat pipes"?

Where can I order the "fat pipes" mentioned in this story?
Certainly not from my phone or cable company. Their fastest
service is a fraction of that available in Europe or Asia (and the
non-U.S. service is cheaper).

I currently have a 3mb DSL circuit, which is still faster than the
6-8mb promised, but never delivered, by my cable company.
Not near big enough for routine movie downloads.

Hollywood better hope Netflix survives. Otherwise they are
going to lose a ton of business, if many of the 5 million
subscribers think like me.

I don't go to video stores and I've tried both Blockbuster Online
and Comcast's Ondemand. For me, it's Netflix or a good book.

[nmcphers]

Re: What "fat pipes"?

The "fat pipes" refer to what the U.S. Broadband monopoly folks are smoking.

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.brookings.edu/views/papers/ferguson/working_paper_20020531.pdf" target="_newWindow">http://www.brookings.edu/views/papers/ferguson/working_paper_20020531.pdf</a>

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2005/07/11/the_united_states_of_broadband.php" target="_newWindow">http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2005/07/11/the_united_states_of_broadband.php</a>

[techguy83]

they mean

The higher end, (10Mbps, 8 Mbps, etc.) plans that larger companies offer, but then throttle so that you never get your allotted amount.

Throttling is what makes you not get your advertised speed.

[menty666]

My two cents

While the cable company is indeed running more and more data down to the users, if my family is any indication (and who knows, maybe we're just a little odd), the cable companies may soon experience a backlash on pricing. Recently I cut out most of my cable options; I kept the data connection and cut our tv cable back to the bottom basic package, but we kept netflix. Why? Because my cable bill broke the 100.00 a month level and I was ticked about it. Like most people I only watch maybe a dozen or so of the 100+ channels I received and frankly was sick of getting ripped off. Given that 3 of my current 27 channels are home shopping trash, I'm still a little cranky but until they give in to a la carte.... Netflix, however gives me a ton of movie choices and if I don't mind waiting, tv via dvd. Without commercials. Netflix is nice and all, if I want to watch a movie on my computer (though I do have it hooked to the tv too). But with netflix if it takes me 6 weeks to finally watch a movie, it's not a problem, and the disc doesn't expire. Am I maximizing my subscription fee? No, but for the convenience I don't mind. Not to mention? A lot of the shows I like that are on cable channels out of reach of my basic plan are also available via iTunes with more being added every quarter.

[menty666]

My two cents

While the cable company is indeed running more and more data down to the users, if my family is any indication (and who knows, maybe we're just a little odd), the cable companies may soon experience a backlash on pricing. Recently I cut out most of my cable options; I kept the data connection and cut our tv cable back to the bottom basic package, but we kept netflix. Why? Because my cable bill broke the 100.00 a month level and I was ticked about it. Like most people I only watch maybe a dozen or so of the 100+ channels I received and frankly was sick of getting ripped off. Given that 3 of my current 27 channels are home shopping trash, I'm still a little cranky but until they give in to a la carte.... Netflix, however gives me a ton of movie choices and if I don't mind waiting, tv via dvd. Without commercials. Netflix is nice and all, if I want to watch a movie on my computer (though I do have it hooked to the tv too). But with netflix if it takes me 6 weeks to finally watch a movie, it's not a problem, and the disc doesn't expire. Am I maximizing my subscription fee? No, but for the convenience I don't mind. Not to mention? A lot of the shows I like that are on cable channels out of reach of my basic plan are also available via iTunes with more being added every quarter.

[dagwud]

A few cents more

We don't even have cable. Everything we watch at home is either broadcast or Netflix. And we've got probably 100 discs in our queue.

To get the basic cable tier at our locality is $45. To get the 2 cable channels we actually want to watch is another $25 for the second tier. It's just not worth it. And we won't discuss their inflated broadband prices.

Plus, telecom services are heavily taxed around here. Taxes on our phone/DSL service are 25% of the bill.

Netflix is convenient, if not entirely digital. And it has the additional bonus of exciting our preschooler when mail comes. He knows what the red envelopes are.

[dagwud]

A few cents more

We don't even have cable. Everything we watch at home is either broadcast or Netflix. And we've got probably 100 discs in our queue.

To get the basic cable tier at our locality is $45. To get the 2 cable channels we actually want to watch is another $25 for the second tier. It's just not worth it. And we won't discuss their inflated broadband prices.

Plus, telecom services are heavily taxed around here. Taxes on our phone/DSL service are 25% of the bill.

Netflix is convenient, if not entirely digital. And it has the additional bonus of exciting our preschooler when mail comes. He knows what the red envelopes are.

[The user with no name]

A fistfull of cents (lol)

sorry... i saw a theme beginning to develop LOL

I pay Cox Cable $150 a month for digital cable (no movie channels), 4 Mbps internet and phone service which provides unlimited local calling and 100 minutes of free long distance/month.

However I regularly only watch:

Medium
Two and a Half Men
Smallville
Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis
Battlestar Gallactica
Dr. Who (New)
John Doe
My Name is Earl
Courting Alex
Supernatural
Charmed (alas no more!)


So basically it's like what? 3-4 channels TOTAL? Of course there are period uses of History Channel, A&#38;E, Lifetime...
so at most I need like 10 channels OF MY CHOICE!

I have recently thought of going back to Netflix (they have tons of TV series available on DVD) for $20 month with tax, cutting my phone service and getting Skype In/Out (Skype-In number only a few bucks a month) and cutting my cable all together!

With my internet at $45/month, Netflix at $20 and Skypein at $3 I could save over $70 month.

And my turn around time with Netflix was pretty good as the article says usually within 2 days. (Blockbuster sucked big where I could only do one turn around a week when getting all three movies at same time! I sent back on sat. they said they got them and re shipped on Monday. Netflix would have them to me by Wed. Blocklbuster earliest was thursday if not friday!)

[Philips]

Next "dying" company?

It reminded me Apple. All analysts spend lots of time past one and half decade saying Apple is dying. And the still on it. Company dying for 15 years - I wish my pet business was dy^Hoing that well.

Market watchers and analyst to IT are what critics to arts. Drawing analogy further, one can recall famous saying that there was no monument ever built to critic.

[The user with no name]

A fistfull of cents (lol)

sorry... i saw a theme beginning to develop LOL

I pay Cox Cable $150 a month for digital cable (no movie channels), 4 Mbps internet and phone service which provides unlimited local calling and 100 minutes of free long distance/month.

However I regularly only watch:

Medium
Two and a Half Men
Smallville
Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis
Battlestar Gallactica
Dr. Who (New)
John Doe
My Name is Earl
Courting Alex
Supernatural
Charmed (alas no more!)


So basically it's like what? 3-4 channels TOTAL? Of course there are period uses of History Channel, A&#38;E, Lifetime...
so at most I need like 10 channels OF MY CHOICE!

I have recently thought of going back to Netflix (they have tons of TV series available on DVD) for $20 month with tax, cutting my phone service and getting Skype In/Out (Skype-In number only a few bucks a month) and cutting my cable all together!

With my internet at $45/month, Netflix at $20 and Skypein at $3 I could save over $70 month.

And my turn around time with Netflix was pretty good as the article says usually within 2 days. (Blockbuster sucked big where I could only do one turn around a week when getting all three movies at same time! I sent back on sat. they said they got them and re shipped on Monday. Netflix would have them to me by Wed. Blocklbuster earliest was thursday if not friday!)