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Tag: Netflix

  • Disney deal a huge step forward for Netflix: Sarandos

    Disney deal a huge step forward for Netflix: Sarandos

    MUMBAI: At the UBS media Conference in New York, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said the company‘s content deal with Disney is a major step forward.

    “It is going to be a huge step forward for our programming.” Sarandos also stressed the importance of getting more exclusive programme rights and developing additional original content. He also called Disney a near perfect media company.

    Sarandos also said that the children’s content on Netflix shouldn’t cut in to conventional TV viewing. “Every month we stream hours of content so you’d think we’d be cannibalising linear television like crazy”. But Disney Channel is doing well.
    Nickelodeon ratings fall has nothing to do with Netflix. “Before Netflix they used to have ratings slumps”. The company is working on its user interface to make it more kid-friendly.

    He described the relationship with Carl Icahn who bought a stake in the company as being good so far. "This relationship is pretty new, but it has been very positive,"

    Harvey Weinstein interviewed Sarandos. Weinstein asked him why Netflix let the exclusivity of a content deal with premium TV service Epix go. Sarandos explained that it wasn’t valuable relative to the premium. Epix content from Viacom, MGM and Lionsgate was already available on Epix and comes to Netflix only three months later.

  • Netflix pips Starz to acquire movie rights from Disney

    Netflix pips Starz to acquire movie rights from Disney

    MUMBAI: Leading internet subscription service provider Netflix has signed a multi-year premium pay TV window agreement with The Walt Disney Studios in the United States.

    The new multi-year licensing agreement will make Netflix the exclusive US subscription television service for first-run live-action and animated feature films from The Walt Disney Studios.

    The three-year agreement takes effect in 2016 when premium movie service provider Starz‘s deal with Disney-ABC Domestic Television ends in 2015. Starz had signed a new, exclusive long-term licensing agreement for theatrical releases from The Walt Disney Studios.

    Beginning with its 2016 theatrically released feature films, new Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios and Disney nature titles will be made available for Netflix members to watch instantly in the pay TV window on multiple platforms, including television, tablets, computers and mobile phones.

    Also included in the agreement are high-profile Disney direct-to-video new releases, which will be made available on Netflix starting in 2013.

    Separately, Disney and Netflix have reached agreement on a multi-year catalog deal that brings to US Netflix members Disney movies such as "Dumbo," "Pocahontas" and "Alice in Wonderland."

    "Disney and Netflix have shared a long and mutually beneficial relationship and this deal will bring to our subscribers, in the first pay TV window, some of the highest-quality, most imaginative family films being made today," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.

    "It‘s a bold leap forward for Internet television and we are incredibly pleased and proud this iconic family brand is teaming with Netflix to make it happen."

    "With this cutting-edge agreement, we are thrilled to take our highly valued relationship with Netflix to the next level by adding Disney‘s premier films to their programming line-up," said Disney-ABC Domestic Television President Janice Marinelli.

    "Netflix continues to meet the demands of its subscribers in today‘s rapidly evolving digital landscape, and we are delighted that they will have much earlier access to our top-quality and entertaining slate," she continued.

  • Netflix inks Warner Bros licensing agreement

    Netflix inks Warner Bros licensing agreement

    MUMBAI: A recent research reveals that there has been an explosion in UK OTT usage over the past year. Considering this, on demand cinema provider Netflix has entered a multi-year licensing agreement with Warner Bros.

    Under this agreement, Netflix subscribers will get exclusive access to complete previous seasons of American TV series such as Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, Fringe and Chuck.

    Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in the media, "We are thrilled to be the exclusive online subscription home for these incredibly entertaining shows from Warner Bros Television. We are giving fans the opportunity to relive their favourite moments from these programmes while hopefully attracting a lot of new ones who will be able to enjoy these serialised stories from their very beginning."
    Warner Bros International Television president Jeffrey R Schlesinger said, "We are pleased to be able to offer fans in the UK on-demand access to past seasons of these incredibly addictive series. Whether fans discover, catch-up or relive favourite episodes, Netflix is a terrific distribution partner and this deal demonstrates that there is now a viable new outlet for our programming after the initial telecast in the UK."

  • Netflix in content deal with Warner for Canada

    Netflix in content deal with Warner for Canada

    MUMBAI: Over the Top subscription service Netflix and Warner Bros. International Television Distribution have announced an exclusive licensing agreement allowing Netflix members in Canada to instantly watch previous seasons of dramas and films from Warner Bros.

    The first two seasons of ‘The Vampire Diaries‘, the teen supernatural drama, are now available on Netflix Canada with season three following on 1 January 2013. Complete previous seasons of ‘Pretty Little Liars‘, the mystery-thriller following four teen friends whose clique falls apart with the disappearance of their queen bee, and Fringe, the science fiction series from J.J. Abrams, will also be available in Canada on January 1.

    Also coming to Netflix as part of the agreement is ‘The Hangover Part II‘; ‘The Dark Knight Rises‘ and the comedy, ‘Horrible Bosses‘ with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, as well as other Warner Bros. titles that will be exclusively available online on Netflix Canada for a limited period following their pay television window.
    Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said, "We are thrilled to be the exclusive online subscription home for ‘The Vampire Diaries‘, ‘Pretty Little Liars‘, ‘Fringe‘ and great Warner Bros. feature films in Canada. Over the years, we‘ve learned that our members love to immerse themselves in serialized dramas and great movies, and we think that our Canadian members are going to love these latest additions to the service."

    Warner Bros. International Television president Jeffrey R. Schlesinger said, "We are pleased to extend our great relationship with Netflix to the benefit of their Canadian subscribers — giving them access to full past seasons of some of our most popular and addictive serialized dramas and blockbuster feature film titles".

  • Online will surpass DVDs in movie viewing in the US: IHS report

    Online will surpass DVDs in movie viewing in the US: IHS report

    MUMBAI: The year 2012 will see online movie viewing in the US surpassing digital video disc and Blu-ray sales for the first time, according to a report by IHS Screen Digest.
     

    Legal online viewings of films will more than double to 3.4 billion this year from 1.4 billion in 2011, the report said. Physical viewings of DVDs and Blu-ray discs will shrink to 2.4 billion from 2.6 billion, according to the forecast.

    The report highlights the price disparity between online purchases and movies sold in retail shops. Consumers paid an average of 51 cents for every movie consumed online, compared with $4.72 for physically purchased videos, IHS found.

    Last year, unlimited-streaming subscription plans, including those offered by Netflix Inc. (NFLX) and online retailer Amazon.com (AMZN)’s Prime service, accounted for 94 per cent of all paid online movie consumption in the US, the report said.
     

    Streamed movies have been replacing video discs much as streamed music is overtaking compact audio discs.
  • Ashok Amritraj’s sequel of Ghost Rider opening on 17 February

    Ashok Amritraj’s sequel of Ghost Rider opening on 17 February

    MUMBAI: Veteran tennis player Ashok Amritraj is gearing up to release the sequel of Ghost Rider titled Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance in 3D on 17 February.


    A sequel to the 2007 film, Ghost Rider has Nicolas Cage returning as Johnny Blaze. Directed by Mark Neveldine, the film also stars Ciarán Hinds and Idris Elba.


    Amritraj, a big fan of Marvel Comics, feels that the sequel is a big step forward for the franchise, especially in terms of special effects. About the current craze of filmmakers going in for making films in 3D, Amritraj has been quoted to have said, ” 3D looks terrific for certain films like Transformers where it enhances the viewing experience. However, if it is used as a gimmick, then it can get annoying. Much of the experience depends on the content of the film itself and I feel Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance fits the 3D bill perfectly.”


    Elaborating on the changes he has seen in the last three decades, Amritraj said, “The market is changing with newer distribution and production challenges. Suddenly, DVD has gone down and streaming is up.We are talking to a lot more with companies like Google, Netflix and Facebook for marketing and distribution purposes.”


    The film, made under the Hyde Park Entertainment banner, is being released under the banner of Marvel Knights.

  • Netflix shakes up marketing team

    Netflix shakes up marketing team

    MUMBAI: After months of suspense, Netflix has shakenup its marketing team.

    Leslie Kilgore, the company‘s chief marketing officer for the past 12 years, will be replaced on an interim basis by current vp marketing Jessie Becker.

    Kilgore will step down but join the board as a non-executive director, it is reported.

    On the other hand, Jonathan Friedland, a former Disney executive who joined Netflix a year ago, will become chief communications officer at Netflix.

    Both Becker and Friedland will report to Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings.

    Netflix suffered several embarrassing marketing and communications blows in the latter part of 2011 revolving around a price increase and a hasty retreat from its plans to carve off its DVD service from its streaming product.

  • TV is most popular device in the US: Nielsen

    TV is most popular device in the US: Nielsen

    MUMBAI: One in three US TV households – 35.9 million – owns four or more televisions, according to a new report on media usage from Nielsen.

    Across the ever-changing US media landscape, TV maintains its stronghold as the most popular device, with 290 million Americans and 114.7 households owning at least one. In contrast, 211 million Americans are online and 116 million (ages 13+) access the mobile Web.

    The average weekly media time for Americans over the age of 2 is 32 hours and 47 minutes (32:47). The lowest figures are with the 12-to-17 set, at 22:24, and the highest is for those age 65-plus, at 46:16.

    111 million viewers are watching timeshifted programming, and Netflix has four times the average viewing time per person, per month compared to the television.

  • BBC Worldwide holding showcase for global buyers in the UK

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide’s trade event BBC Showcase is taking place in Brighton England till 1 March 2007. 560 buyers from all over the globe are in attendance. The annual event sees BBC Worldwide generate programme sales and broker international funding deals for co productions on behalf of the BBC, other UK networks and independent producers.

    Delegate numbers the BBC says have grown as buyers from traditional television networks are increasingly joined by a new generation of buyers looking to license content for digital media platforms such as mobile television, independent video on demand services and digital extensions to traditional television networks.

    The past year has seen BBC Worldwide secure content deals around the world with major digital media platforms across Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas, including Vodafone, Orange, T-Online, Telstra, ONO, Netflix, Amazon US, Hanaromedia Korea and Telefonica. Combined with strong growth in traditional programme sales, these new markets for content are seeing BBC Worldwide’s Global TV Sales division well on target to make around £190million (US$370million) this financial year, up from last year’s £171million (US$333million).

    BBC Worldwide Global TV sales MD Mark Young, said, “We secure the best deal for our content and this involves a much wider number of viewing platforms in each ter-ritory than previously. Traditional television platforms remain a central part of our business, but there is a great deal of room to embrace new platforms alongside them. Viewing habits are changing and our business is changing with them.”

    In line with the increasing digitisation and convergence of its client base, BBC Worldwide is taking steps to future-proof its content and delivery capabilities. Already, over 1,000 hours of programming has been digitised and BBC Worldwide is now investing heavily in digitising all current and back catalogue in order to protect quality, improve delivery across a wider range of devices and move towards a tapeless business.

  • Netflix to produce and globally distribute Tony Bennett doc

    Netflix to produce and globally distribute Tony Bennett doc

    MUMBAI: Netflix in association with its Red Envelope Entertainment division has acquired worldwide rights to produce and distribute a new documentary exploring and celebrating the life and career of the legendary recording artist and concert performer, Tony Bennett.

    “Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends will be directed by Bruce Ricker. Multiple Oscar winner and nominee Clint Eastwood Flags Of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima will serve as executive producer.

    Bennett is beloved as one of the premiere interpreters of the Great American Songbook. The new documentary will follow Bennett’s more than 50 years in the music and entertainment industries against the backdrop of a changing America.

    Weaving seldom seen archival footage with never before seen excerpts of Bennett’s recent premier performance at the Monterey Jazz festival — highlighted by an on-camera interview conducted by Eastwood that explores the essence of Bennett’s artistry — the film will present an exceptional man in a rare way: a living legend through his life, times and music.
    This cinematic portrayal of Tony Bennett caps a year-long celebration of a singer who celebrated his 80th birthday last August. Bennett’s most recent chart topping CD Tony Bennett Duets: An American Classic. It won three Grammy Awards a couple of days ago.

    Netflix says that it is committed to providing consumers with access to the widest variety of films available and, in association with Red Envelope Entertainment, will fully finance the production. An innovative release plan will include DVD rental and sale, online and TV distribution, as well as an event-driven premiere and theatrical release this summer. The film is currently in production at locations around the country, including Astoria, Queens in New York City, where Bennett was born, as well as Hollywood, California.

    Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos says, “The coming together of Tony Bennett and Clint Eastwood — two enduring and iconic figures in the world of American entertainment — is a cultural flashpoint. Netflix spearheading this prestigious project showcases our abilities to bring unique content to our subscribers and, in this case, a global audience.”

    Richter says, “‘Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends is an historical record of an American icon. We wanted the film to reach the widest audience possible and Netflix achieves that goal.”