COMMENTARY | When it comes to streaming video online, Netflix remains a priority option for many users. PCMag.com reports that one-third of new Netflix subscribers are individuals who dropped the service. Those returning customers will prove to be valuable additions for the company as it seeks to become a bona fide entertainment stop over the next few years.
The rivalry that Netflix has with one of the leading premium cable television channels, HBO, could be increased even further should HBO decide to offer HBO GO, its video streaming option, as a stand alone service rather than a feature available exclusively to subscribers, as Forbes reports. The report also mentions that a widely available streaming subscription for HBO GO could reduce piracy of HBO shows.
While Netflix stock has been taking a bit of a beating, adding new shows and reviving cancelled shows could help draw new and old subscribers back into the mix. Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports that Netflix could revive "Pan Am," "Jericho," and even "Terra Nova." By focusing on diverse shows with a dedicated fan base, Netflix could produce subscribers right out of thing air, which is an intriguing option.
Original programming would make Netflix a mini-premium cable channel, which makes a lot of sense. Of course, as Reuters reports, Netflix is not the only video streaming service looking to break into quality original programming as Amazon is also making a move to penetrate the market. All it would take is one hit that generates a lot of positive buzz to get users to jump into a monthly Netflix subscription. Apparently, Amazon sees the potential.
In a way Netflix is following in the footsteps of HBO in a new technological era. HBO once aired movies and other content that other media outlets created. Now, "Game of Thrones" and other shows have propelled the network into a major powerhouse, Netflix is trying to duplicate that feat with video streaming. Sooner or later one of the Internet video companies, be it Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, or some unknown competitor, will get the formula right, and it would seem that Netflix has a better than average chance of making it work due to the massive existing subscriber base.
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