Netflix Secures Streaming Deal With DreamWorks (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

The New York Times ^ | September 26, 2011 | Brooks Barnes and Brian Stelter

[abb]

DreamWorks Animation, the company behind successful movie franchises like “Madagascar” and “Shrek,” said it had completed a deal to pump its films and television specials through Netflix, replacing a less lucrative pact with HBO.

The Netflix accord, which analysts estimate is worth $30 million per picture to DreamWorks over an unspecified period of years, is billed by the companies as the first time a major Hollywood supplier has chosen Web streaming over pay television.

It is also a bet by Jeffrey Katzenberg, the animation studio’s chief executive, that consumers in the near future will not distinguish between the two. “We are really starting to see a long-term road map of where the industry is headed,” Mr. Katzenberg said in an interview.

Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, added: “You’re seeing power moving back into the hands of content creators. When a company like DreamWorks ends a long-running pay TV deal — when a new buyer in the space steps up — that’s a really interesting landscape shift.”

The DreamWorks contract comes as Netflix is trying to navigate a dense thicket of challenges. Competition from the likes of Apple, Amazon and Vudu, a streaming service owned by Wal-Mart, is increasingly fierce; Dish Network, which plucked Blockbuster out of bankruptcy earlier this year, on Friday announced a Blockbuster-branded streaming and DVD-by-mail service.

As a “tidal wave” of Netflix competitors enter, said Michael Nathanson, a media analyst for Nomura, “in the short term it will probably be good for the price of content,” because more bidders mean that media companies can charge more for the rights to stream movies like “Avatar” and shows like “Modern Family.”

More important, “in the long term it may accelerate changes in consumer behaviors,” Mr. Nathanson said, as more people choose to watch more video online.

snip

[abb]

The means of distribution for information continue to proliferate.

[abb]

ping

[abb]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/26/business/media/pew-media-study-shows-reliance-on-many-outlets.html
Pew Media Study Shows Reliance on Many Outlets

http://people-press.org/2011/09/22/press-widely-criticized-but-trusted-more-than-other-institutions/
Press Widely Criticized, But Trusted More than Other Information Sources

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=159223&nid=131476
Dish, Blockbuster Positioned As The New Netflix

http://newspaperdeathwatch.com/rocky-veteran-finds-hyperlocal-happiness/
Big-City Journalist Finds Small-Town Happiness

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=159201
Internet, Mobile Compete With TV As Key Local News Sources

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/09/obama-nominate-pilot-publisher-hud-deputy-secretary
Obama to nominate Pilot’s publisher for HUD post

http://www.mpbn.net/News/MaineNewsArchive/tabid/181/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3475/ItemId/18177/Default.aspx
Maine’s Two Largest Newspapers Reduce Staff

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cover-dvd-future-20110925-1,0,6516807.story
Hollywood downloads a post-DVD future

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/09/citizen-kane-you-tube-orson-welles.html
YouTube’s Rosebud moment

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204422404576593410081464864.html
YouTube Prepares to Launch Scheduled Channels

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/amc_ya_later_mqTnEEoIpNzLdwmlzDYOmK
‘AMC’-ya later - Veteran soap signs off on ABC — Web series next?

http://adage.com/article/mediaworks/conan-s-ratings-huge-online/230031/
Conan’s Ratings Are Down, but He’s Huge Online

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15059765
Mark Thompson: Journalism entering a ‘dangerous period’

[netmilsmom]

And in the meantime, on Amazon Prime....

“Dear Customer,

I have big news for Amazon Prime members - we’ve just signed a deal with FOX to add a broad selection of movies and TV shows to our unlimited instant streaming service later this fall. The new additions from the FOX library include 24, Arrested Development, The X-Files, Ally McBeal, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and - available on digital video for the first time - The Wonder Years. We now have deals with CBS, NBCUniversal, Sony, and Warner Bros, and adding FOX will bring the total to more than 11,000 movies and TV shows available for unlimited instant streaming.

Since launching earlier this year, we have now doubled the number of titles available in Prime instant videos, and there’s still more to come. Prime membership remains $79 a year, and of course features our unlimited free two-day shipping on millions of products. Prime is one of the best values anywhere.

Prime instant videos can be played on more than 300 HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and set-top boxes.”

It’s a good time to be a customer.

[rabscuttle385]

Prime membership remains $79 a year, and of course features our unlimited free two-day shipping on millions of products.

Amazon has been nudging me to join with an offer of $39/year.

Meanwhile, Netflix jacked my price by sixty percent, and its CEO told me openly that I have to enjoy the price hike.

What do you think is going to happen here?

[abb]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cover-dvd-future-20110925-1,0,6516807.story

Hollywood downloads a post-DVD future

The movie studio business model is poised for its biggest shift in years as Hollywood turns to Internet delivery as the only way to boost home entertainment revenues.

[nikos1121]

I paid 39 last year. It’s a great service. Everytime you order something thru prime there is not shipping charges. Still no tax. Add to that streaming videos. If you order anything online thru Amazon it’s a must. Williams Sonoma has something similar.

[USMCWife6869]

I’m waiting on Amazon’s tablet announcement. It is rumored the price will include Prime. I did, however, cancel my Netflix after the price hike and all the arrogant emails from Netflix that followed.

[netmilsmom]

How do you get the 39.00 offer?

I would do that in a heartbeat. Right now I’m paying for the streaming Netflix and GBTV. No cable.

For 39.00 I would drop the Netflix and go Amazon.

[the invisib1e hand]

i can't say i place much value on anyone who does business with hbo so, yawn.

The means of distribution for information continue to proliferate.

the means of distribution of sewage marketed as entertainment...

[GeronL]

I keep joining Netflix for a month once or twice a year and keep finding that I don’t really like the crap Hollyweird spews.

[TomGuy]

That $39.99 Amazon Prime is/was for students.

IIRC, someone posted that they were discontinuing it for renewals.

[netmilsmom]

Thanks!

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Every new announcement by Netflix makes me happier and happier I dropped it.

[mel]

Right now I am watching Upstairs, Downstairs and since it has 68 episodes, i will be on that awhile. Great show

[GeronL]

I never got into that. The title sounds like gay propaganda. lol.

[mel]

oh dear ha ha

[GeronL]

Actually I think I saw some of that on PBS way back when, it seemed okay but maybe I should have started that the beginning.

[rabscuttle385]

That $39.99 Amazon Prime is/was for students.

I got one year of free Prime with a .edu e-mail address. Then, after that ended, that's when Amazon.com started pushing the $39.00/year offer.

I might very well take it, and I've been a Netflix customer for 5+ years.

[netmilsmom]

If you could send me a link to that offer, I would greatly appreciate it. :)