Hacker News Reader

Comment by bambax | Hacker News Reader

At the end of the post there's this quote:

> Simply put, content owners who can deliver quickly and without error are getting more licensing revenue from Netflix.

Really? Can Netflix afford to be picky with content owners? It seems their main problem is the limited size of their online catalog...? They should take anything they can get!

I just finished watching "Elite Squad 2"; it's such a great movie (really, it is: see http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1555149/) that I wanted to watch the first one, but it's "only available on DVD".

Why, why, why?

View on HN

Really? Can Netflix afford to be picky with content owners? It seems their main problem is the limited size of their online catalog...? They should take anything they can get!

Let me put it to you this way: If it ain't on Netflix, I ain't watching it. Now, I don't consider myself typical; usually I'm willing to do research, dig into things, I know multiple ways to "access" content, etc, etc. But at the end of the day, I'm tired (and lazy), and when it comes down to it, I'm browsing Netflix, which is full of stuff, so I almost never notice if something is missing. In this respect, I'm willing to bet I'm typical.

Content owners: either get on the bandwagon (and that means distributing to everyone, not just Netflix, who doesn't require exclusive deals, I might add), and make your stuff available easily, else you will be left behind and rightfully forgotten.

I do also have Amazon Prime, but that has enough crossover with Netflix that I mostly use the shipping benefits. If I'm looking for something, I will check CanIStream.it (aka, Don'tMakeMeFuckingPirate.It), and if it's not available on Netflix/Amazon, I'll wait. Sooner or later it will be.

I think you misinterpreted.

We have $X to spend. We have $Y left at the end of the year ($Y < $X). We go though our system and say "who can deliver us the quickest, most error free, content? Ok, give them $Y for whatever they have that our customers might enjoy.

The reason you only see Elite Squad 2 is the same reason that you only see a lot of stuff -- because the price they wanted for the other one was too much.

Thanks for the clarification.

(I'm not sure that the technical quality of transmitted files is the best criterium to select content, though, even when it's the end of the year and we're talking about "leftover money").

Exactly. When The Pirate Bay has an infinite catalog, they can't afford to be picky.

The Pirate Bay doesn't have everything, but yes, it helps... ;-)

Because it's a way to upsell you.

That's not correct. It's because licensing movies on DVD is monumentally cheaper than licensing content for online streaming. One requires a deal with the studio, the other just requires picking up a DVD somewhere (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine).

The studio is upselling you - not the middleman - because you'll have to go out somewhere else and spend more money to buy the first version.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com