Showtime to pull shows from Netflix

[hugh]

CBS Corp.’s Showtime pay TV service confirmed Wednesday that back seasons of current original series such as “Dexter” and “Californication” will not be available on Netflix's streaming service as of this summer.

Instead, CBS will offer them to subscribers who pay for Showtime through Comcast Corp. on Comcast's Xfinity TV platform.

Neither of the Showtime programs are available on Netflix in Canada.

[hugh]

This doesn't surprise me.

As Netflix starts to get bigger and draws more eyeballs, the content makers are going to want to earn more from NetFlix to make up for reduced earnings from other sources.

[m3t4lw01f]

In the end all this will do is drive people to less legal means of getting the content they want to watch.

Especially in the case of stuff that can't be had *at all* in Canada.

I don't know how many times I've said, "Give me the content I want on any device I want and I'm more than happy to pay a reasonable fee for it."

I wish for once the big media companies would EMBRACE a new technology instead of setting up a half-assed "competitor" that is completely uncompelling. Netflix is a great service, would cost content companies nothing to distribute on, and gives comsumers exactly what they want. Win-win, really. Too bad they don't see it that way.

[ScaryBob]

It sounds like US cable companies are also making moves to protect their market share. If they lock up streaming rights for their own customers or services, it provides a competitive edge. It's a slightly different tactic than Canadian cable operators are taking and probably better for consumers, but not by much.

[audacity]

Showtime's current strategy of only allowing users to stream their content if they subscribe to their corresponding cable channel is a bet on the past.

Netflix' strategy is a bet on the future.

[hugh]

In the end all this will do is drive people to less legal means of getting the content they want to watch.

Pirates will steal regardless.

I'm not sure why folks seem to be blaming CBS. This has anything to do with fear of technology. With Xfinity, consumers can watch Showtime programs over internet, iOS devices, VOD and more, just like Netflix. In addition, Xfinity offers higher quality with VOD and doesn't use your bandwidth.

[m3t4lw01f]

XFinity might be a fine service...if it's available to you. It's not available for me, so I'm left out.

The message I receive from that is that they don't want me as a customer. Removing the content from the service I do use reinforces that point.

Personally, I'd say the content producer deserves quite a bit of the blame.

[hugh]

It's not available for me, so I'm left out.

It's never been available to you on Netflix. It was never offered in Canada because Astral owns the rights in this country so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

If you don't have xfinity, you can still buy the shows on DVD, Blu-ray, probably iTunes, rent from your local Video store and maybe watch it on VOD from your cable provider.

[dezzpayne]

Originally Posted by hugh

Pirates will steal regardless.

That is bit of a generalization. There are pirates who are cheap and pirates who are lazy. Cheap pirates will steal regardless, lazy pirates go for what's easiest cost be damned.