Cable, Mobile Carriers Anxious to Topple Netflix
One of the hottest goings-on in the online video scene right now involves the clash between Comcast and Netflix, as the latter eyes a takeover in the online streaming service.
Dubbed as Xfinity Streampix, Comcast will give video subscribers a wide array of video entertainment, from old movies to recent TV shows, that they can enjoy on TV or any internet-connected device. Comcast’s also priced competitively at $4.99 compared to Netflix’s $7.99 monthly subscription.
Mobile’s an important delivery channel for any online video streaming service these days. And while Netflix has reviled in a head-start all these years, the industry titans on both cable’s and network’s sides are anxious to jump on this bandwagon. Comcast’s expanding its mobile reach with a partnership with T-Mobile, which looks similar to that of Redbox and Verizon, which combines video download and streaming from Verizon with Redbox’s array of rental DVDs, Blu-rays and video games.
Meanwhile, YouTube is looking for mainstream love, undergoing a major revamp and $100 million to sponsor 96 new video channels. The online video hub has also hired a number of Hollywood talents to develop and produce video content. Hollywood-wise, a hundred million may not be a huge amount of capital, but it’s good enough to appeal to amateur film makers trying to make it big.
“The cash has enticed some of TV’s biggest stars, including Fast Five director Justin Lin, who directs episodes of Community, CSI creator Anthony Zuiker and Nancy Tellem, the former president of CBS entertainment,” Notes New Zealand Herald.
Hulu is also making a significant move as it extends its reach to Nintendo Wii consoles. Like the rest of Nintendo Wii’s application line up, Hulu’s expected to work using the remote to access TV shows. While the app is free to download, you still have to pay a small amount for a monthly fee in order to stream content beyond computers.
Hulu’s efforts certainly are paying off. A recent comScore report trumpets Hulu and Amazon as they gain online video consumption in January, increasing by 6 percent compared to the same period last year. Top viewers are from Hulu, Amazon and NBC Universal.
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