Netflix loses Starz

[blondebear]

SFGate article: Talks on Starz deal unravel, Netflix stock plunges

…Starz content will be removed from Netflix’s streaming service starting in March…Starz had decided against a renewal “to protect the premium nature of our brand by preserving the appropriate pricing and packaging of our exclusive and highly valuable content.”… Starz, part of Liberty Media Corp, believes it could get more money for its content through other outlets.

Uh-oh. If Starz decides to head for greener pastures, what does that mean for the future of Netflix?

[hajario]

It looks like you can still get the DVDs so it might not hurt too badly.

What are some of the hottest properties of Starz?

[Zhen_ka]

@hajario

It looks like you can still get the DVDs so it might not hurt too badly.

What are some of the hottest properties of Starz?

Yeah, but it’s streaming content that’s key now. Personally, I’m glad if it makes Netflix rethink its business model…this whole separate pricing system is for the birds.
Hottest properties? Man, you so do not have a dad who loves the starz/encore western channel!*
*Glad to be corrected if I have the wrong channel.

[Peremensoe]

@Zhen_ka

Yeah, but it’s streaming content that’s key now.

A lot of people expect it to be, but for the time being, even with the Starz included, the DVD selection is much better.

Looks like I’ll go to DVD-only.

[blondebear]

From the article:

Starz’ library includes movies from Walt Disney Co.'s assorted studios and, until recently, Sony Corp.

I’m one of those people who ditched Netflix after the price hike, so I don’t know which specific titles or series Starz has. The Netflix DVDs I really wanted to see had been in the “very long wait” or “not available” category for a very long time, and I didn’t think they’d be coming my way anytime soon. Besides, I already have a paid Amazon Prime account, so I decided to stick with their free content and see how that works out.

[Farmer_Jane]

I have streaming only, and if it weren’t for the fact that I have a six year old who can watch Nick reruns and be completely satisfied, I’d stop subscribing. It’s not that great. The “New Arrivals” section is a joke.

[elfkin477]

@blondebear

Uh-oh. If Starz decides to head for greener pastures, what does that mean for the future of Netflix?

There will be an even more pathetic streaming selection?

[AlsoNamedBort]

From Netflix:

While Starz was a huge part of viewing on Netflix several years ago because it was some of the only mainstream content Netflix offered, over the years Netflix has spent more and more licensing great TV shows from all four broadcast networks and many cable networks, and we have licensed 1st run movies from Relativity, MGM, Paramount, Lionsgate and others. Because we’ve licensed so much other great content, Starz content is now down to about 8% of domestic Netflix subscribers’ viewing. As we add even more content in Q4, we expect Starz content to naturally drift down to 5-6% of domestic viewing in Q1. We are confident we can take the money we had earmarked for Starz renewal next year, and spend it with other content providers to maintain or even improve the Netflix experience.

So basically, they’re losing Starz but they’re getting other stuff. Although really, I don’t get the people who complain about the lack of new releases, because that’s really not what Instant Watch is for. Sure, every once in a while I’ll go, “Hey, that new movie is available,” but that’s not what I signed up to get.

[Red_Barchetta]

@AlsoNamedBort

but that’s not what I signed up to get.

You didn’t sign up to get moves you wanted to watch? :dubious:

[JThunder]

If Netflix were in better shape overall, this would be a pretty good time to jump on some needlessly undervalued Netflix stock shares. IMO, at least.

[Tabby_Cat]

I’m wondering when, if ever, big media will “get” streaming. Napster did internet distribution for music (resulting in iTunes), when will the same thing happen for TV?

Almost no music label nowadays would think of pulling shit like this with iTunes. Is getting more money that abhorrent?

[Joey_P]

@Tabby_Cat

Almost no music label nowadays would think of pulling shit like this with iTunes. Is getting more money that abhorrent?

Didn’t Apple (records) hold out until just recently (well, I guess it was about 6 or 7 years ago, but it still took them along time to come around)?

Could this just be a play for more money?

[Yllaria]

@Red_Barchetta

You didn’t sign up to get moves you wanted to watch? :dubious:

I mostly watch TV series (series-es?) of one kind or another.

[Bartman]

@Red_Barchetta

You didn’t sign up to get moves you wanted to watch? :dubious:

I for one have got literally thousands of hours of TV shows and movies queued up right now. I watch maybe 5 hours of Netflix a week. And I’m in no particular rush to see anything in particular. So the streaming works great for me. And it works well enough that I don’t bother with cable… although with football starting back up I’ll have to get the antenna out and fire up the broadcast digital tuner (it hasn’t really been turned on since last winter).

[SeaDragonTattoo]

I have avoided Starz content because the streaming quality of Starz material has been sub-par. A lot of Netflix streaming is in HD, and even if it isn’t it’s at least DVD quality. Starz is not even DVD-grade, IMO, on Netflix. It’s only been the Starz stuff that my TV has a hard time upscaling.

So I won’t miss it, I didn’t watch it anyway.

[obfusciatrist]

I’ve actually been ok with the titles available for streaming. Sure, most of it is crap, but that is true of everything, but I mostly watch old movies (I go to the theater so often that I’ve no interest in recent titles at home) and could always find something to watch.

But Starz was a big part of that. I’ll wait and see, but I’m not going to go back to mailing discs (when the price hike was announced I finally switched to streaming only as the discs I had at home had been here for almost 8 months) and I don’t know that anybody else really has a good library either and I don’t want to go a la cart.

[AlsoNamedBort]

@Red_Barchetta

You didn’t sign up to get moves you wanted to watch? :dubious:

I didn’t sign up for brand new movies. Not saying I wouldn’t like brand new movies on Netflix, but that’s not what I pay $8 a month for.

Also, apparently Starz turned down 300 Million Dollars from Netflix.

[VinylTurnip]

Okay, I’m beginning to think I made the wrong choice in dumping the 1-DVD-out and keeping streaming-only.

[Larry_Borgia]

Dang, i’ve been meaning to watch Gods of the Arena on streaming.

[Skammer]

@CitizenPained

I have streaming only, and if it weren’t for the fact that I have a six year old who can watch Nick reruns and be completely satisfied, I’d stop subscribing. It’s not that great. The “New Arrivals” section is a joke.

Same here. We also watch some TV shows on it, but the movie selection - even older movies - is crap. I caught a piece of the original “Karate Kid” on TV the other day and wanted to watch the whole thing – not available for streaming. And that’s a 25 year old movie.