Netflix, Amazon ink video streaming deals with Disney
Interwebulator Walt beams up 'money for old rope' line
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Netflix and Amazon have extended existing content deals with Walt Disney Company in a clear sign that the meeja world wants online video streaming to become big business Stateside and, presumably, beyond.
The separate agreements also open up Disney's access to a nascent marketplace, allowing the media firm to sell licences to stream old TV shows and films to the likes of Netflix and Amazon.
Under the deal with Netflix, telly episodes from ABC Studios, Disney Channel and the ABC Family will be added to its current library of content.
It will also continue to provide its subscribers with access to every episode of ABC shows, which include Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and Lost.
Meanwhile, Amazon's content extension agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group will gift its $79 per year Prime customers in the US with instant streaming of a large collection of shows from ABC Family, ABC Studios, Marvel and Disney Channel.
On this side of the pond Amazon-owned Lovefilm has been experimenting with its own video-streaming offers to subscribers who currently received their movies and TV boxsets via snail mail.
Netflix is coming to the UK in early 2012. Like Lovefilm, the company bundles video streaming and DVD rentals together in the US. Whether the same service will be offered here is yet to be revealed.
It would be a brave move indeed if Netflix pursues subscribers with an online-only stream of content. Arguably such a move could be a bit, well, Mickey Mouse. ®
COMMENTS
Personally, I'm waiting for a streaming only service. An hour round trip to Blockbuster to rent a Blu-Ray is too much effort and time. By the time I get back, half the time available to watch the film has gone.
Would be alot happier waiting 10min or so to buffer the download.
The media companies are catching on... slowly
I don't waste much money on Disney stuff, in fact we try to waste as little as possible. But do love Netflix streaming-only. If Disney stuff gets loaded onto Netflix then we'll probably be watching a lot of it at my house, and I would assume that Disney would get a few coins from it. That is an increment to Disney's revenue, although not nearly as much as they want (but aren't getting.)
I actually do get Lovefilm to post me DVDs now and then, but by and large it's far too slow and cumbersome for me. Requiring a detour on my way to work to return the films is more effort than I want to give, especially when watching TV series where you're lucky to get 5 episodes on one disk.
A streaming only service with a wider selection would definitely make me sit up and take notice. If netflix had a PS3 service and a wider range than Lovefilm, I'd switch quite happily.
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