Netflix Acquires Initial Original TV Series

You are here: Home Page » News » Netflix acquires initial original TV array

Mar 19, 2011 1:09 PM, By Michael Grotticelli

Netflix , the Internet TV service that has line companies jolt in their boots, is creation the next large leap. The firm mentioned final week that it has purchased the streaming rights to "House of Cards," a 26-episode series, before it's shown on network TV.

The treat outlines a risky new step for Internet TV and propels Netflix in to a absolute new aggressive citation with normal media outlets. Most of today's Netflix calm has formerly aired on TV or is comparison film content. The New York Times reported that the treat "astonished radio attention management team since it effectively creates Netflix a network similar to ABC or HBO."

"House of Cards" is a new array starring Kevin Spacey, who is moreover senior manager producer. It is not nonetheless in prolongation and will entrance in 2012.

Netflix is flourishing swift in an period of connective tissue cutters melancholy line TV. It began 2011 with 20 million subscribers. Some analysts are presaging that by the finish of the year, it will next to the size of HBO, that has about 28 million subscribers.

Netflix has turn the principal aim for line companies fighting the loss of profitable subscribers who are migrating to the Internet for cheaper TV options. HBO, owned by Netflix contestant Time Warner, has refused to sell the Internet service the streaming rights to its original programming, such as "The Sopranos" and "The Wire," since it doesn't think the additional allowance from chartering fees would cancel out the cost of assisting a rival.

"House of Cards" is a high-profile plan corroborated by the prolongation firm Media Rights Capital II LP. Besides featuring Academy Award-winner Spacey in the starring role, the array commander will be destined by filmmaker David Fincher, whose credits add "The Social Network," an Oscar hopeful for most appropriate photo this year. The uncover is formed on a novel of the same name about a British statesman who wants to come after Margaret Thatcher as the important apportion of Britain. It is set in the United States.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has been vigorously behest is to disdainful streaming rights to more calm in new months. In its greatest streaming treat so far, Netflix final year concluded to pay scarcely $1 billion in a five-year treat is to initial rights to uncover cinema and TV episodes from the pay-TV duct Epix, that is owned by Viacom, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Lions Gate Entertainment.

Netflix has refused to criticism publicly on the draft deal.