WebProNews

Tag: Television

  • Amazon Original Programming On The Way, Job Listings Hint

    It looks like Amazon is on its way to producing some original video content, not unlike Netflix and Hulu.

    Well, actually, it’s a little unlike Netflix and Hulu. Rather than outsourcing production of original programming, Amazon is looking to create it in-house, as is indicated in Amazon’s job listings (via Ryan Lawler at GigaOm).

    Recent listings include: Creative Executive, Kids, Creative Executive, Comedy, and Production Assistant.

    The Job Description/Responsibilities section for Creative Executive, Comedy, says:

    People’s Production Company is a movie and series production company. We are seeking a Creative Executive, Comedy to help develop half hour comedies for online and traditional distribution. Projects will primarily come from Amazon Studios. This position will report to the VP, Series Development.

    The ideal candidate knows the comedy genre, has development and production experience and wants to work with writers and artists to develop original series for the web and for traditional distribution channels.

    Responsibilities

    Assess pilot proposals
    Work with writers and artists to develop series ideas
    Staff, cast and produce pilots in a cost-efficient way
    Supervise series production when series are greenlit
    People’s Production Company, part of the Amazon.com, Inc. group of companies, is an equal opportunity employer. This job will be located in Sherman Oaks, CA.

    It looks like at the very least, Amazon is looking to offer comedies and children’s programming. My guess is that it won’t stop there. So far, Netflix is going the drama route. Hulu has gone with comedy and reality.

    We may be poised to see some interesting new directions for Amazon between this and a rumored retail store.

  • Football Fans Prefer To Watch The Super Bowl On TV Instead Of Live

    It’s been said that experiencing the real thing is much better than something fabricated, but in the case of this years Super Bowl, it seems the real thing is just not going to cut it. TechBargains.com released a survey recently in which they probed customers for information regarding the matter in which they would be viewing the game; the results were a bit surprising.

    The survey revealed that 8% of customers want to buy a new television before the Super Bowl. Surprisingly, of those who bought a new TV last year for the game, over half of them plan on buying an even newer television for this year.

    It seems a bigger and better picture quality trumps the actual live game; why chance sitting in the nose bleed section when you can almost be on the field with a high-def TV set? 25% of those surveyed said the size of their TV depended on how pleasurable their viewing experiences would be. According to consumers, high resolution is the most important factor when purchasing a new TV; sound quality even came in second to picture quality. According to Jeff Haynes:

    “Bigger is better. The reason people are spending more is they are upgrading the size of their television. Consumers have moved from wanting televisions around 42 inches to now buying 46 inches to 55 inches, the TV has become the center piece of the American family room and the difference in just a few more inches is noticeable.”

    As online shopping gains momentum, in-store television buying is on the decline. The survey say 67% of people planning to buy a tv before the big game, plan on purchasing theirs online rather than the old fashioned store.

  • SAG Awards: Twitter Reacts

    The Screen Actors Guild awards were the trending topic this weekend with hits such as Boardwalk Empire taking home TV’s best drama, Jessica Lange taking home best actress in a TV drama for her role in American Horror Story and bringing home best cast in a TV comedy, Modern Family. The hottest topics of the awards are of course the shows and categories, but for all the fashionistas out there, the clothes were the hot topic. With the SAG awards ending and the trophies given, Twitter erupted with opinions.

    With hot fashions and hot categories, the SAG awards were one of the focal points of the weekend, if you’re a cinephile. With all the twitter buzz, what’re your opinions on this past weekend’s awards? Did your favorite actor/actress win? Did your favorite show get any nominations or awards? Let us know in the comments.

  • Fear Factor To Feature Donkey Semen Stunt: Twitter Reacts

    NBC executives are furious after the show Fear Factor recently revealed they would have contestants drink an entire beer mug of donkey semen with the addition of a hefty glass of donkey urine to finish. NBC was so upset, they nearly decided to remove the stunt altogether. In the stunt contestants would have to chug both the semen and the urine completely to move on to the next stunt.

    According to one source the episode has been filmed and is set to air this coming monday, January 30th. It’s been reported that several contestants did, in fact, gulp down the gross substances.

    Fear Factor has always had a wild reputation for sick and gross stunts; including eating cow brains, drinking animal blood, devouring insects and more, but with the addition of this insane stunt, the show really seems to be pushing the bar on the disgusting. How do you feel about such a stunt? do you find it revolting? Hilarious? Revoltingly hilarious? Let us know your opinion in the comments section.

  • Amazon’s LoveFilm Gets Yet Another Deal, This Time With ABC

    Amazon’s LoveFilm Gets Yet Another Deal, This Time With ABC

    Amazon has been announcing a slew of streaming content deals for its UK Netflix-like property LoveFilm. This time it’s one with ABC TV.

    Thanks to a partnership with Disney UK, LoveFilm will offer on-demand streaming access to ABC Studios’ library of network and cable series.

    This includes shows like Castle, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Happy Endings, Grey’s Anatomy, Ghost Whisperer and Brothers & Sisters. Shows will be launched as full seasons after their first run on UK pay and/or free TV, Amazon says. Previous seasons of some series will be available to members before the next season airs in the UK.

    “LoveFilm members want top class TV shows, as well as movies, to watch instantly as part of their subscription. Today’s deal with Disney brings them access to some of the best American TV content ever produced. LoveFilm’s unique combination of world class movies and TV shows ensures that LoveFilm is the first and only port of call for those who want subscription entertainment on demand,” says LoveFilm CEO Simon Calver.

    “ABC TV On Demand is home to high quality, compelling US drama, produced by ABC Studios, and launching this service with LoveFilm means we are able to offer viewers more choice and flexibility in how and when they can view full seasons of these gripping shows, through one easy-to-use service,” adds Catherine Powell, senior vice president / general manager, Media Distribution, The Walt Disney Company.

    Other recent LoveFilm streaming deals include Sony, BBC and ITV.

    Now, competition is significantly higher for LoveFilm, as Netflix just entered the UK market last week.

  • Microsoft Puts Web TV Plans On Hold

    You might have to wait a bit longer for that Microsoft Web TV program, but at least there’s still Netflix.

    Reuters is reporting that inside sources have told them that Microsoft has put their long talked about Web TV program on hold. The program would essentially be Netflix but also give viewers access to live programming and currently airing television series. They reported that Microsoft pulled out after realizing that the licensing costs were too high.

    “They built Microsoft TV, they demoed it for us, they asked for rate cards but then said ‘ooh ah, that’s expensive,’” one senior media executive who had been involved in the talks said.

    Early versions of the service featured Kinect-like functionality that let users change channels with voice and motion control.

    Microsoft is still bringing video and news content through their Xbox 360 console. They announced at CES that News Corp would be bringing Fox Broadcast, Fox News, IGN and The Wall Street Journal to their Xbox Live service.

    Media company sources are hoping that Microsoft will come back to negotiate content deals later as the proposed service would be a money maker for all parties involved, especially the studios.

    In a statement to Joystiq, Microsoft had this to say on the supposed deal breakdown:

    “We don’t comment on rumors and speculation. Microsoft is committed to working with the world’s leading TV and entertainment providers to bring their offerings to Xbox and transform the TV experience with the power of Kinect. We are continuing to launch the more than 40 new entertainment partners we have already announced, including a wide range of live and on-demand TV on Xbox. Moving forward, you can expect to see more of the world’s leading entertainment providers coming to Xbox.”

  • GetGlue Hits 2 Million Users, Raises $12 Million [Exclusive Interview]

    GetGlue announced that it has closed a $12 million round of financing, led by Rho Ventures. Other investors include: TimeWarner Investments, RRE Ventures, and Union Square Ventures.

    WebProNews interviewed CEO Alex Iskold about the funding and the growth of GetGlue (it has surpassed 2 million users):

    GetGlue created the following infographic to recap its year that has led up to the announcement:

    GetGlue TV Checkins

    GetGlue also released a new update for its iPhone app and GetGlue.com, which includes a visual stream of check-ins, the ability to participate in multiple conversations, and a personalized recommendation feature called Guides.

  • Charles Addams And Addams Family Celebrated With Google Doodle

    There’s a new Google doodle up today, and you may recognize the characters in it as Gomez, Morticia, Cousin It, Lurch, Wednesday, Pugsley and Uncle Fester, collectively known as The Addams Family.

    It’s the hundred birthday of creator Charles Addams, an American cartoonist who introduced the world to these characters in the 30s, with cartoons originally appearing in The New Yorker. Eventually, of course, the characters would come to life on Television, and later still, in film.

    The Addams Family

    Addams died in 1988 of a heart attack at 76.

    For the doodle itself, Google credits The Tee & Charles Addams Foundation (where the above image came from as well).

    Note: The foundation’s site appears to be currently experiencing the doodle effect, and is experiencing periods of downtime.

  • Amazon’s LoveFilm Strikes Streaming Deals With BBC And ITV

    Amazon announced some new TV streaming deals for its LoveFilm product.

    After owning 42% of the company, Amazon acquired the remaining shares of LoveFilm, a European Netflix-like company, last year. Since then, the company has been making deals to expand the service’s streaming catalog.

    Last month, Amazon signed a multi-year agreement with Sony to give members exclusive streaming access to new and forthcoming Sony Pictures TV and film titles. Other recent deals were made with Warner Bros., Entertainment One, StudioCanal, Disney, Momentum and Lionsgate.

    Today, Amazon announced deals with BBC Worldwide and ITV.

    The BBC deal will give members streaming access to content like Doctor Who, Life On Mars, Spooks, Whitechapel, Planet Earth, and plenty of other shows and documentaries.

    LoveFilm CEO Simon Calver says, “We are thrilled to be bringing together great British TV content with Europe’s leading film subscription service. This gives LOVEFiLM an even more powerful, unique offering of instant programming for our members to view across a growing number of platforms, for one low monthly price.”

    Lisa Rousseau, Head of UK and Ireland, Sales & Distribution, BBC Worldwide added, “We’ve had a content partnership with LOVEFiLM for several years now and it’s great to see this evolve digitally. We’re delighted to give LoveFilm’s subscribers the opportunity to instantly watch their favourite British shows, wherever and whenever they wish, alongside a diverse range of great programmes and films.”

    The ITV deal gives LoveFilm members streaming access to titles from the the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster, including Marchlands, Above Suspicion, Prime Suspect, Inspector Morse, Cold Feet, and Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

    “We are delighted to be working with LoveFilm to bring a wide range of ITV’s best loved programmes to their subscribers,” said ITV Director of Pay and Distribution, Martin Goswami. “Partnering with LoveFilm’s Instant service is a great example of how ITV is starting to drive new revenue streams by distributing its content across multiple platforms.”

    LoveFilm’s instant service is currently available to over 175 Internet-enabled devices, including PCs, PS3, iPad, Xbox 360, and numerous Blu-Ray players and connected TVs.

  • Google TV To Storm CES

    Google TV To Storm CES

    The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) begins next week, and you can expect a bunch of new Google TV-related offerings to be showcased.

    Google just announced new offerings to be unveiled by a handful of partners.

    For one, LG has become Google’s fourth major TV manufacturing partner. The company will showcase a new line of TVs powered by Google TV running on their L9 chipset.

    Chipset makers Marvell and MediaTek will begin supplying chipsets for the next generation of Google TVs, which Google says will help “usher in new products at new price points”.

    Sony will demo new Google TV-powered devices for the U.S. as well as plans for products in other countries this year.

    Samsung will have Google TV devices in 2012, and Vizio will hold private demos at the event, showing off their new line of Google TV devices.

    It seems like a long time ago that Google unveiled Google TV with big dreams and aspirations. In fact, it was May of 2010 at Google I/O. It has indeed been a while. Google TV didn’t quite take off with the bang the company had hoped for. TV networks certainly didn’t reduce the friction.

    Google launched an update for Google TV this past fall, and apparently that has been pretty big, as activation rates have more than doubled since then, Google says. The update came with a new interface, a more TV-friendly YouTube interface, and access to the Android Market.

    The increasing popularity of Android devices can’t hurt Google TV either.

  • Lilyhammer, New Netflix-Exclusive Show, To Debut In February

    Netflix announced the premiere of a new original series called Lilyhammer, set for February 6 of this year.

    The company describes it as “a gripping fish-out-of-water story” set in Norway. It stars Steven Van Zandt, of Sopranos (and Bruce Springsteen video “Glory Days”) fame.

    The plot involves a New York mobster going into witness protection after ratting on his boss. Netflix explains, “A sports fan, Frank wants to make his new life in Lillehammer, the Norwegian town that hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics – or as he calls it ‘Lilyhammer.’ Frank has visions of a paradise of ‘clean air, fresh white snow and gorgeous broads’ far away from the temptations of the Big Apple and from mob hit men. Reality, of course, turns out to be spectacularly different.”

    Here’s the trailer:

    “I am very careful with my choices and this project was so exciting to me because of the wonderful writing, the rich characters and the fascinating culture of Norway,” says Van Zandt, who also serves as Executive Producer. “Netflix is the perfect home for such a unique show.”

    This isn’t Netflix’s first foray into exclusive programming, though it does come before the previously announced entry into this territory – House of Cards, which will debut later this year.

    Lilyhammer will premiere on February 6 via Netflix Instant in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. It will debut with the entire season (8 episodes) available all at once.

  • YouTube’s Push For Quality TV

    Following rumors for the better part of the year, YouTube has finally made the official announcement regarding a set of forthcoming channels aimed at creating a higher quality YouTube with channels that could rival those of cable television (though Google maintains it is not trying to replace cable just yet).

    Google says more talented creators and original entertainment are joining YouTube’s existing channel lineup, and that this will include channels created by “well-known personalities and content producers from the TV, film, music, news, and sports fields, as well as some of the most innovative up-and-coming media companies in the world and some of YouTube’s own existing partners.”

    “These channels will have something for everyone, whether you’re a mom, a comedy fan, a sports nut, a music lover or a pop-culture maven,” says Robert Kyncl, Global Head of Content Partnerships.

    “Our goal with this channels expansion, along with the grants and educational programs we’ve launched in the past year, is to bring an even broader range of entertainment to YouTube, giving you more reasons to keep coming back again and again,” he adds. “And for advertisers, these channels will represent a new way to engage and reach their global consumers.”

    You may recall that Google was said to be trying to acquire Hulu, though Hulu took itself off the market.

    This announcement comes on the heels a big Google TV update announcement, further emphasizing Google’s push into the living room. More on that here.

    Of course YouTube is far bigger than Google TV, and probably bigger than it ever will be, and there are a lot more avenues into the living room that YouTube has access to, not that you have to be in the living room to enjoy quality content.

    It’s going to be interesting to see just how good these channels are, and if they can gain the kind of viewing that well-known TV networks get.

    Google says the first of the channels will appear next month, with more coming over the next year.

  • The X Factor Voting Is About To Get Tweetier

    Hey X Factor fans out there – you’re about to have one more way to vote in the upcoming live rounds.

    The show has announced a partnership with Twitter, enabling fans to vote for their favorite contestants using the social media service. When the live shows begin on Wednesday, November 2nd, fans will be able to cast their votes by sending a direct message on Twitter.

    Here’s how it will work:

    You can vote by sending a Direct Message containing the number of the act for whom you wish to vote via Twitter if you follow @TheXFactorUSA. Tweets do NOT count. The number assigned to each act is based on order in the performance show each week, much like the toll-free and SMS voting methods. So, if you wish to vote for act number 1, send a Twitter Direct Message containing the number 1 to @TheXFactorUSA.

    You’ll have to follow @TheXFactorUSA on Twitter in order to vote. And it is important that the votes be cast via direct message, as it is a private communication. They are discouraging @ mention tweets containing votes in order to “not spoil the results.”

    @TheXFactorUSA
    THE X FACTOR (USA)    Starting next week YOU decide which acts have the #XFactor. 5 ways to vote including via Twitter! http://t.co/0ZypE1g2 8 hours ago via HootSuite · powered by @socialditto

    Of course, you’ll still be able to vote in the more traditional ways, like by phone, text or mobile app (Verizon only).

    Twitter and TV have formed a rather logical relationship over the past couple of years, with more and more shows promoting discussion on the site. Examples of this include passive campaigns like including a hashtag during an on-air broadcast (which can be seen on dozens of shows nowadays), or more active campaigns like we saw with NBC’s The Voice, which had contestants and judges live tweeting during the show and required strong fan interaction from the stars on Twitter.

    The X Factor is also hitting the social media angle pretty hard, and enabling voting via Twitter is another step in this process.

    Do you like to interact with your favorite shows via Twitter? Let us know in the comments.

  • The Walking Dead Comes to Netflix

    Netflix and AMC already had a partnership in place, but reports indicate that the two have expanded upon it to give Netflix members access to the hit zombie TV show The Walking Dead.

    Season 2 starts on Sunday October 16, but don’t expect to watch new episodes on Netflix. According to MarketWatch, the deal only allows Netflix to stream previous seasons. Past seasons will be made available right before new seasons air.

    In other words, if you want to watch Season 2 on Netflix, you’re going to have to wait until AMC gets ready to air the season after that.

    Of course, there are other viewing options for the upcoming season. You can watch it AMC itself or download episodes from Amazon or iTunes. New episodes are available the day after broadcast. It will cost you about $3 bucks for an episode on iTunes though (at least that’s what they’re still charging for Season 1.

    Here’s a trailer for Season 2:

    As previously reported, AMC is also making webisodes available leading up to the launch of Season 2:

    Netflix recently revealed that 50 – 60% of viewing on Netflix is TV episodes.

  • Netflix Users Love Streaming Television Shows

    Netflix Users Love Streaming Television Shows

    While the future of Netflix may be cloudy, it’s clear the service is still on the lists of consumers as many are adapting from DVD rentals to streaming content, which was Netflix’ goal to begin with.

    In fact, one could argue the oft-discussed price changes were done in order for Netflix to transition to streaming-only company, and while the Qwikster development proves people still want DVD rentals, something Netflix is still willing to cater to, the fact that they split the services into two different entities demonstrates where the intentions lie. Netflix is by far the more popular, more well known brand, and by only offering streaming content at its flagship website, it’s clear where the company feels its future lies.

    With that in mind, what should we make of the acknowledgement that, when it comes to the type of content being streamed, Netflix members prefer the archive of television shows to the inventory of digital movies. At the Mipcom conference, the chief content officer for Netflix, Ted Sarandos, revealed over half of the streams being consumed are of the television variety, and not movies.

    “50 percent and sometimes 60 percent of viewing is TV episodes now,” offered Sarandos during his keynote speech.

    Considering the quality of Netflix’s streaming movie content has long been a point of contention, perhaps the revelation should come as no surprise. But then again, if Netflix could ever work out its distribution issues, especially for new releases of popular movies, the balance could easily shift.

    Too bad the Netflix board of directors doesn’t see it that way:

    “Not many people are coming to Netflix for new releases since they can get them elsewhere,” company spokesperson Steve Swasey says. Instead, he says consumers are going to kiosks, retail stores and retaining their pay per view — in essence, going elsewhere to find a service that Netflix feels isn’t crucial to provide.

    Apparently, the complaints concerning the lack of new releases on Netflix has fallen on deaf ears. Or do they really think an inventory of newly-released movies would just sit there, with none of its members watching them? Or are they simply trying to explain away their distinct lack of new releases?

    I mean, do they actually think losing customers to Red Box is good business? Surely not.

    With that in mind, as long as they continue to pump up their television content, while only worrying about catalog movies instead of new releases, don’t expect a shift in viewer habits to change anytime soon. This also means if a service like Blockbuster or Amazon somehow managed to secure streams of new releases as soon as they hit the shelves, Netflix would be ripe for another sustained mass exodus.

    Or are people willing to continue their membership as long as the television inventory remains strong? Let us know what you think.

  • An “All Simpsons” Television Station?

    Would you welcome an “all The Simpsons, all the time” channel into your life? Whatever your reaction, it may be time to make room for such a venture, provided the guys at Fox can demonstrate how much extra revenue such a creation could generate.

    Because The Simpsons is the longest-running scripted sitcom, animated or otherwise, of all time, the possesses an huge library of content, and apparently, the desire of the Fox suits goes beyond simple syndication. Instead, when discussing ways to further monetize The Simpsons and its content, the idea of an “All Simpsons” channel began to take shape.

    Over at SlashFilm.com (via Slice of SciFi), the details of such a venture were discussed by Fox COO Chase Carey at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Media Communications & Entertainment Conference (and that’s a mouthful), and while the idea is definitely in the gestation stage, there does appear to be some interest. Obviously, Fox’s interest comes from making more money off of their Simpsons content, and considering the show’s popularity, the idea should be at least intriguing for consumers, provided they want nothing but Homer choking Bart playing on their television screens on a continual loop.

    Of course, The Simpsons are much more than that, which is obvious by the amount of years it has been on the air. For those who may be unaware, when the Fall season kicks off on Fox, The Simpsons will be entering their 23rd year of original content.

    Like SlashFilm points out, apparently, there’s only so much money to be made off of syndication, DVD sales and Simpsons-related collectibles, and so, the idea for such an “all Simpsons” channel, especially when you have 22-plus years of content, does make sense, especially if there’s a demand for advertising slots. SlashFilm continues:

    If this does happen, however, it wouldn’t be for several years. First of all, the show is still on the air for Fox and doing well. Plus, it’s wrapped up in long term syndication deals. Fox would have to let all the show’s current contracts expire before they could go ahead and program an entire channel without huge legal ramifications.

    Which means, if the Simpsons channel did happen, all those syndicated showings would cease to exist. This indicates the syndication revenue is not as lucrative as Fox expected, or it means Fox realizes it could make more off of cable subscriptions and advertising on a channel dedicated to showing nothing but The Simpsons.

    With that in mind, is an “all Simpsons” channel something you would support, or is this just overkill by a company trying to ring every last dollar they can out of Homie and the gang? With all of this in mind, this seems like a perfect place to revisit the intro Banksy made for The Simpsons.


    The idea of an “all Simpsons” channel makes Banksy’s idea hit a little closer to home.

  • Google TV About To Get More Appealing to Consumers?

    Google announced the launch of a preview of a Google TV add-on for the Android SDK, which means that Google TV devices will be Android compatible, with an upcoming update to Android Honeycomb. That also means that developers can create Android apps designed for the television experience, or simply optimize existing Android apps for the bigger screen.

    Google TV hasn’t had the huge impact on consumer purchasing habits that Google may have liked so far, but this announcement is reminder that it’s really only just getting started. From the start, Google has been talking about the possibilities of Google TV with regards to Android, and only now will we really start to see some of this stuff come to fruition.

    “While the add-on does not contain all features of Google TV, it enables developers to emulate Google TV and build apps using standard Android SDK tools,” says Google TV Product Manager Ambarish Kenghe. “It also provides new APIs for TV interaction, such as TV channel line-up. Google TV emulation is currently supported on Linux with KVM only, and we are working on support for other operating systems. We’re very happy that through KVM we’ve been able to create a fast Android emulator for TV.”

    “Depending on the design and use case, an existing Android app may work well on Google TV as is, or it may require fixes,” Kenghe adds. “With the add-on you can test your apps to determine if they would be a good fit for TV and whether any tweaks are required. We are also publishing UI guidelines to help you with topics like optimizing for d-pad navigation, presenting information for 10-foot viewing, designing apps that work well across devices, etc. The guidelines include information on how certain UI elements on Google TV differ from other Android devices.”

    If apps require features that aren’t available with Google TV, they won’t be shown in the Android Market on Google TV, according to Google. That means Google TV users won’t have to worry about downloading a bunch of stuff that’s not going to work for them, and developers don’t have to worry about their apps showing up in unusable forms, tarnishing their reputations.

    As Google TV-based devices don’t come with touch screens (at least not yet), developers are going to have to seriously consider that potential set-back, as many are obviously used to designing for the touch experience.

    “While the number of apps available on TV will initially be small, we expect that through this early release of the add-on you’ll be able to bring optimized TV apps into the ecosystem more quickly,” Google tells developers.

    Google’s pending acquisition of Motorola Mobility could turn out to be a huge strategic move for Google TV, as the company already provides set-top boxes. Rumor has it that Eric Schmidt is also trying to win over TV studios, and Google’s name is being thrown around as a suitor for a possible Hulu acquisition.

    The lack of TV studio support has been a major set back for Google TV. Such support could drastically change the shape of this platform’s future. That along with Android (which now comes with movie rentals [so does Youtube]) should be considered critical.

  • Amazon Instant Video Up to Over 100,000 Titles

    Amazon Instant Video Up to Over 100,000 Titles

    Amazon announced that it now offers over 100,000 movies and TV shows through its Amazon Instant Video service. That includes new releases, and these titles can be either purchased or rented.

    These titles start at $3.99 a piece, and can be viewed on Macs, PCs, or on TV via 300 different devices from Lg, Logitech, Panasonic, Roku, Samsung, Sony, Tivo, and Vizio.

    “We are focused on offering our customers the very best selection and are always working to expand our already extensive list of great video content,” said Steve Oliver, director of video at Amazon. “The 100,000 titles on Amazon Instant Video range from new hit blockbusters to old favorites, with more than 15,000 of those titles available in HD, and popular TV shows available the day after they first air. On top of that, Amazon Prime members have the added benefit of unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of more than 9,000 Prime instant videos at no additional cost.”

    Netflix, the current leader in movie rental, recently announced a new pricing structure that has been pretty controversial among members. Essentially, members who have had their streaming and DVD together plan have to pay 60% more to keep the same level of service. This goes into effect September 1 for existing members (that’s not too far off).

    Amazon is often named as a major contender in the streaming space – the space that appears to be the future norm of video consumption. It will be interesting to see how the market share changes (if it does) once September gets here.

    Amazon sites already attract one in five Internet users around the globe, according to a report out this week from comScore. They’ve also got tablet aspirations, which could factor heavily into their video streaming plans.

    Amazon announced a 51% year-over-year growth in revenue for the second quarter in its latest earnings report. They also announced a deal with CBS to stream the networks’ TV shows.

  • Netflix Just Hitting A Million Members in Canada After Nearly a Year

    Netflix Just Hitting A Million Members in Canada After Nearly a Year

    After launching in Canada in September, Netflix has now announced that it has hit the million member mark in that country. Well, they’re just now announcing it anyway. It actually occurred in July, but still, that’s ten months.

    Netflix says this exceeded its own expectations for growth, but it seems a little low to me. Of course, they haven’t offered the DVD-by-mail option in that country – the backbone of what the was founded upon to begin with – the thing that attracted so many people to the service in the first place, here in the U.S. The thing that is available as a separate plan (from streaming) now. It also launched in Canada with an even smaller catalog of streaming titles.

    It also launched with a pair of PR blunders. First some of the extras the company had hired for a video gave interviews to the press, who thought they were actual customers. Netflix apologized for this. Steve Swasey, VP of corporate communications wrote: 

    I want to address an event held by Netflix in downtown Toronto yesterday as part of our launch of Netflix in Canada. The launch included the shooting of a corporate video with some hired extras, who, it turns out, were given improper direction to talk with the news media about their enthusiasm for the Netflix service. This was a mistake and was not intended to be part of our launch plan. Simply put: we blew it. We didn’t intend to mislead the media or the public, and we can understand why some have raised questions. We’re sorry that our misfire has given Canadians any reasons to doubt our authenticity or our sincerity.

    Then, CEO Reed Hastings made some comments that didn’t sit too well with some people. He later apologized:

    My Big American Foot is in my mouth. Yesterday, I made an awkward joke with a reporter in Toronto about Americans (like me) being self-absorbed relative to Netflix pricing in Canada. I was wrong to have made the joke, and I do not believe that one of the most philanthropically-minded nations in the world (America) is self-absorbed or full of self-absorbed people.

    “We’re thrilled that Canadians have embraced Netflix so rapidly, and we’re equally proud to have welcomed one million members in such a short period,” said Hastings now says. “Our focus remains on building up the breadth and range of movies and TV shows to watch instantly, as well as constantly improving the experience, and we look forward to welcoming many more new members.”

    @Netflix_CA
    Netflix Canada    Congrats to Amanda Bell James of Flin Flon, Manitoba, for being our one-millionth Netflix member in Canada! Thank you to all our fans! 18 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    “I’m excited to be the millionth Canadian member,” said Amanda Bell James. “Netflix is something I enjoy with my family and I look forward to continue watching our favorite movies and TV shows via Netflix in the future.”

    Netflix has 25 million members in the US and Canada combined. The company hit its first million in the U.S. in 2003.

    A month ago, Netflix announced that later this year it will be launching in 43 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

  • Apple Rumor: Streaming Movie Rentals

    Apple Rumor: Streaming Movie Rentals

    Tired of hearing rumors about Apple products? I didn’t think so. The iPhone 5 isn’t the only Apple product (or potential product, I should say) getting some attention from the press. There is speculation going around that Apple may be looking to launch a Netflix competitor.

    Before we get into the sources of such speculation, let’s just acknowledge that the concept itself makes a great deal of sense. Netflix has built a very solid brand for itself over the years, despite a bit of tarnishing in recent weeks, but it’s already getting competition from major web players like Amazon and Google. Apple, with its popular devices, operating systems, and iTunes store, as well as its existing competition with Amazon and Google seems like an ideal candidate for such a service. Let’s not forget about Apple TV and its rumored foray into actual televisions.

    Jay Yarow at Business Insider reports on a note from Peter Misek at Jeffries, who says, “As part of Apple’s roll-out of cloud video services (and eventually an iTV), we believe Apple has unannounced deals with all/most of the studios/TV networks that are similar to the subscription streaming deal between Amazon and CBS.”

    He also points out that Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer recently said that “some neat stuff is coming” for iTunes movies and TV content.

    Meanwhile, AppDevice is running a story today called “Exclusive: Apple to Launch iTunes Replay in the COming Weeks,” which says the publication “has been told and was able to independently confirm that Apple is on the edge of finally launching a full fledged re-downloading and possibly streaming service named iTunes replay.”

    This would reportedly include re-downloading and possibly streaming of not only music, but TV shows and movies.

    Don’t forget that Google is now renting movies via the Android Market (not to mention YouTube) – the prime competitor to Apple’s App Store.

    Either way, it looks like consumers are going to have more and more options for renting streaming movies from various devices, including the desktop, moving forward. Facebook movie rental appears to be on the rise as well.

  • Netflix Earnings Released

    Netflix released its earnings report for the second quarter today, as well as a 75% year-over-year increase in subscribers, having added 1.8 million in the quarter. The company has 25.56 million subscribers globally.

    As far as the financials, the company reported $789 million in revenue for the quarter, up 52% year-over-year.

    Netflix numbers

    “We are happy to report that Q2 was another great quarter for Netflix,” the company told investors in a letter. “Streaming is continuing to grow rapidly, and with the recently introduced price changes, we’ll be able to further increase the scope and quality of our streaming content. At the end of the quarter, Netflix had over 25 million global subscribers, up 70% from 15 million just one year ago.”

    “We’ve spoken frequently of how we are directing savings generated from declining DVD demand into additional streaming content and marketing. During the quarter, we substantially increased sequential spending on streaming content as titles from our new content deals (discussed below) became available for streaming. At the same time, though, we maintained a disciplined approach to what content we license and at what price, spending somewhat less on streaming content than we budgeted for in the quarter. Also, DVD shipments came in even lower than forecasted, in part due to the popularity of our streaming only plan.”

    Here’s the picture of what Netflix is expecting for the third quarter, in terms of the subscriber mix between streaming and DVD services. The recently announced price hike will obviously impact this.

    Netflix Subscriber Mix

    Netflix’s results were apparently not up to shareholders’ standards, as stock is down in after hours trading.