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Enemy Number One is Netflix: The Monster That's Eating Hollywood (business-standard.com)
From a WSJ report: Tara Flynn, a rising star at a TV production unit of 21st Century Fox, walked into her boss's office last August and told him she was quitting and joining streaming-video giant Netflix Inc. The news was not well-received. "Netflix is public enemy No. 1," said Bert Salke, the head of Fox 21 Television Studios, where Ms. Flynn was a vice president, according to a Netflix legal filing. When Netflix finalized Ms. Flynn's hire a few weeks later, Fox sued, accusing it of a "brazen campaign" to poach Fox executives. In response, Netflix argued Fox's contracts are "unlawful and unenforceable." The ongoing legal battle is just one sign of the escalating tensions between Netflix and Hollywood as the streaming-video company moves from being an upstart dabbling in original programming to a big-spending entertainment powerhouse that will produce more than 70 shows this year. It is expanding into new genres such as children's fare, reality TV and stand-up comedy specials -- including a $40 million deal for two shows by Chris Rock. The shift has unnerved some TV networks that had become used to Netflix's original content being focused on scripted dramas and sitcoms. Netflix's spending on original and acquired programming this year is expected to be more than $6 billion, up from $5 billion last year, more than double what Time Warner Inc.'s HBO spends and five times as much as 21st Century Fox's FX or CBS Corp.'s Showtime.
Imagine that, spend more on developing quality original content and consumers and producers will flock to you. Who would've thought... The legacy production houses had a huge leg up but never bothered, remaining content in their old, "good-enough-to-get-enough-eyeballs-for-advertisers" model. Looks like Blockbuster won't be the only giant getting taken down by Netflix.
Netflix organized themselves around innovation. The studios did not -- they organized themselves around "wall building" techniques: Net Neutrality, DRM, Anti Piracy campaigns, political lobbying and more. Now Netflix is winning and what do the studios do? Whine.
Just add {In Space!} to anything.
Every old business model fights to save itself, and accuses the new business model of some nefarious intent. Sears->Walmart Taxis->Uber/Lyft Barnes&Noble->Amazon Yahoo->Google Newspapers->Slashdot/Reddit/Blogs etc. etc. Business is best when new, healthy models overtake old, unhealthy businesses. It is called "creative destruction" and it has been going on for a long, long time.
A company whose employee retention plan is to call the lawyers likely isn't a great place to work anyways.
Once you are used to not having *everything* and realize you have *enough*, Netflix becomes the unquestionable leader.
You just have to get over the idea that it is worth paying 15x as much to get "everything". After you have had Netflix you realize you can't watch everything so why pay for it.
The problem with the networks and cable channels is that they put out really crappy "reality shows" because it's cheaper and can't understand why people quit watching their shows and cut the chord and start getting their TV from places like Netflix.
Meanwhile, Netflix, who have a much better pulse on who is watching what (they get better access. Direct access to the data) pick up shows that people actually want to watch. (it's not reality shows). Then they make sure they are done right. A lot of what Netflix produces is much better than the average from networks and cable.
If you want to fight Netflix- create shows that people want to see and stop cutting corners producing reality shows.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
Netflix's push for more original content is, partly, a result of the major studios effort to starve Netflix of content a few years ago.
Netflix decided to use the money it was no longer spending on licensing to the studios to buy or finance Netflix 'original' content. Much of the original content is even made by the TV production departments of the very studios that are complaining about Netflix. If the major studios had financed these productions, they would have made the first pass profits and then licensed re-runs to Netflix.
By breaking this model, the studios left a big chunk of the viewing (and paying) market un-served. Netflix stepped up to the plate and said "We'll take those profits that you are leaving on the table, thank you very much!"
The studios bosses need to read pogo.
The serialized shows are a double edged sword. They might encourage me to stick with a series, but they also discourage me from starting one, especially if I don't start until Episode #5.
Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
Hollywood hasn't had a new idea in decades.
You can thank the terms "Intellectual Property" and "Monetization" for that. Seriously - when creative works are locked-up tight in literal century-plus copyright term lengths, and are bought and sold like commodities under that condition? There's little wonder that Hollywood is trying to see some kind of ROI on the stuff they bought, as opposed to coming up with (or at least taking a risk on incorporating) original stuff.
Drop copyright term lengths back to 25 years (retroactively, BTW), and I bet you'll see Hollywood get their shit together again... because then they won't have a choice but to do so.
Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?