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Showtime’s current deal with video streaming company Netflix is up in the summer, and as part of its renegotiations, the pay cable network has informed Netflix that it will no longer make its current original series available under the new pact. Right now, all Showtime series are accessible for Netflix subscribers. Showtime CEO Matt Blank talked about the network’s plans in an interview with Crain’s New York Business, which first reported the move. “With all the options out there, we want to be sure people know they have to subscribe to see Dexter or The Borgias,” Blank said. Through a Showtime spokesperson, the network clarified that under the proposed new Netflix deal, series such The Tudors and Sleeper Cell, which no longer air originals, will continue to be available to Netflix subscribers. As for current and past seasons of Showtime’s current original series, they “will be available to our authenticated subscribers via our TV Everywhere service Showtime Anytime,” the spokesperson said.
The move is part of Showtime’s efforts to protect its on-air shows and was not connected to Netflix’s announcement last week that it plans to enter the original series arena with the David Fincher-Kevin Spacey drama House of Cards.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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I don’t think removing shows from Netflix will cause people to subscribe to Showtime.
I predict a rise in online viewing, DVD sales, or torrents.
Depends on the show. If Netflix didn’t stream the Spartacus series for free, I’d definitely feel compelled to subscribe to Starz.
When I had cable and Sat. I found Stars, HBO, and all the rest lacking and not worth the price charged !!!!!!!
Forever reruns was my pet problem. Perhaps a good movie here and there! I love veritey and not constent pepeat. As far as origenel content goes I have not found much wirth the PRICE !!!!!!! Thus, Netflix, Houlo, and perhaps not Amazon as it will cost a person by the year which is not good for US that live mounth to mounth !!!!!!!
By far streaming is the way to go, that is if you have HI-SPEED.
If all would come to one place like NetFlix for one good price ?
Wtere are you finding spartacus on netflix ? I haven’t been able to get spartacus episodes this year. It is really upsetting me. I even tried to pay for starz extra package,for myself so that my husband wouldn’t know I paid for it & they wouldn’t do it. Holy crap, IJUST WANT TO WATCH THIS SERIES!!!!!
I can’t beleive that Netflix turned down a major way to make money. It seems as if someone wants to buy a couple of months of extra package to watch a series, a great gift for anyone. I can’t beleive that they would turn away another way to make money. That just goes to show you that the customer is not of their concern.I’m going to check out our other local TV availabilities, we do not have time werner in this area.I have spent all week trying to get access to this series & cannot get it. All of the sites online that say they are showing this for free are not real or at least the ones I have tried I even paid for a subscription to watch this series & after I paid, they did not have it available. So, yes I cancelled as I have put NETFLIX on hold. SPARTACUS’s new series was the only reason I was carrying it. Do you have any suggestions.
Agreed. We pay WAY too much for tv in general
This seems like a bad idea from Showtime. I know several people that got hooked on Dexter by trying out the first season on Netflix instant watch. Having their titles on the service is a great promotional tool that spreads word of mouth.
I would never have subscribed to Showtime were it not for the writer’s strike.
CBS started airing Dexter and I found it interesting. Admittedly, I missed the first couple of season that explain his past, but I have been watching the show on Showtime ever since.
NetFlix has been an invaluable resource for getting up to speed when I am a late comer to a series. I watched the first three seasons of House on DVDs from NetFlix and have watched it on Fox ever since. The same was true for 24.
The bottom line is that the delivery model for intellectual property has to support robust profitability for the content creators or it will not be feasible to tie up investment money to produce shows.
David F. the industry stands by and waits for your next post. You are a f*****g genius!
Get over yourself troll.
Terrible, TERRIBLE mistake for Showtime.
Good Luck, Matt!
Val Pounder, I am aware. You’ll receive a press release soon announcing the timing of my next post.
Good one. Seriously do me a favor and quit posting nonsense. Get back to finishing that shitty spec you are working on.
I look forward to never reading your script and putting a sizeable coffe stain on the front cover.
Wait, so, instead they’ll make everyone snail mail it instead of streaming it? How do they think this is such a “smart” move. Just sounds like they’re worried only about internet cannibalization of television, yet Non-subscribers will still watch DVDs? And what is the value in old seasons?
Just DVDs then? Or are they going to be gone too?
Showtime has the best thing on TV right now with Shameless and I can’t really blast them for making a business decision.
And yes, I know Showtime was a UK show first. Please don’t tell me I don’t know that.
Showtime is obviously run by idiots. People want a one-stop place to get their films/shows. They don’t want to have 50,000 accounts set up with 50,000 websites when they’re used to getting it all on Netflix. That’s like milk suddenly deciding it’s too good to be made available in grocery stores. You’re going to have to get it http://www.milk.com.
Actually, Basil, it’s not at all like “milk deciding it’s too good to be available in grocery stores”.
Milk is available in a grocery store called Showtime, for what it considers a fair price. Milk took itself away from the store called Netflix, which had been selling it at such a sharply discounted price that not only was milk not getting its full value, but it also endangered the pricing of cheese, ice cream, and yogurt.
The more people feel like they’ll always have access to content on platforms like Hulu, Netflix, or other dotcoms, the less value they’ll place on linear TV delivery… and even less than that for pay services like Showtime. Outside of serving customers who don’t want to pay subscription fees to Showtime, what good does giving the milk away do for the company.
We’re not entitled to watch whatever we want, whenever we want, with no commercials (in the case of a commercialized service) or no subscription fees (in the case of a pay service). Somebody’s gotta pay for the milk.
Hmmm, I’m pretty sure Netflix is a pay service as well.
“Outside of serving customers who don’t want to pay subscription fees to Showtime, what good does giving the milk away do for the company.”
It builds a viewer base for their shows? Viewers who will buy DVDs? Viewers who might decide to subscribe to Showtime?
You sound like you work for Showtime.
“Somebody’s gotta pay for the milk.”
No, we don’t. We can always just drink something else. TV is like every other good on the planet – I can always choose not to buy it. Showtime is not entitled to compensation. it must earn it like everyone else.
And I have every right to watch whenever I want, with no commercials (in the case of a commercialized service) or no subscription fees (in the case of a pay service). If that means I can’t watch everyTHING I want, so be it.
Why would Showtime do something so daft? Don’t they pay people to tell them how to promote their shows? Like the second commenter, I too know a few people who got hooked on Dexter the very same way — watching the first season on Netflix. And these are people who would never, ever watch that show, and who ended up buying the DVDs and because of it are planning on subscribing to Showtime once the new season starts.
None of this would have happened if they hadn’t had the pressure-free ability to sample it on Netflix. I have the show queued up. But once Showtime removes it, they can rest assured no amount of money they spend on bus banners will get me to go out and buy DVDs or — jesus — subscribe to Showtime.
I’m just one person, but a dick move is a dick move. Guess we won’t be talking about Dexter at our next get togethers.
Basil, don’t give milk any ideas.
Why do the studios hate Netflix, 30 day wait etc. I’m sure you can still rent Showtime’s shows at Blockbuster.
Blockbuster stores still exist??
Looks like I’ll be illegally watching Dexter.
Good call, Showtime.
Horrible idea. Everyone here is right – people use netflix to legally catch up on current shows. You take away netflix, people will just find illegal ways to do it. Stupid move.
People don’t use Netflix primarily because it’s legal and they’re law-abiding citizens. They use Netflix because it helps them avoid subscription fees or having to watch commercials. Just see all the comments here — “can’t get Dexter on Netflix anymore? that’s cool, i’ll just go steal it.”
How is it avoiding subscription fees if you have to subscribe to Netflix?
Showtime would be on Dexter’s table about now.
Never had Netflix, and never will.
Dumb move. Instead of pulling all your current series, just put a longer lag of what seasons you put on Netflix. You’re going to miss a chance to promote. Instead of the most recent season available on DVD, put a 2-3 season gap…
Why not at least keep the first season of Dexter, Weeds, and other Showtime shows up? Hook them with the first chunk of episodes and they’ll seek out DVDs or subscriptions to see more.
It would be nice if ShowTime would offer a streaming service separate from the cable companies or even if Netflix charged a couple dollars extra for ShowTime content to the people who want it that would be okay. My purpose for using Netflix and Hulu Plus is to get away from the cable/satellite companies that charge me for 200 channels I don’t watch so I can get the 5 that I do watch. If Showtime and/or HBO offered a streaming service not connected to the cable companies I would subscribe to them, but I will not upgrade my cable to digital for an extra $30 a month just to subscribe to Showtime. Cable One does not offer Showtime on the Analog package, at least in my area anyway.
I totally agree with you!! Why cant I download an app on my smart TV for Showtime or HBO and pay a small fee to view shows like true blood or whatever.
I don’t see anything wrong with the move. Not everyone in the universe uses netflix. Showtime is right: if people want to watch certain showtime shows, then they should pay for showtime. Just like if people want to watch certain movies, they should pay for them.
Again, why are you acting as if Showtime isn’t getting money from their shows being on Netflix? People who are watching Showtime programs on Netflix ARE paying for them. Netflix costs $$$.
Netflix overpays now so they build their subscriber base and then once all the licensing deals are up from the studios, blammo – their library will go from bad to worse. Their rate card is sick.
Ever wonder why the streaming availability for ROSEBUD BEACH HOTEL is 3 years vs THE GODFATHER at 2 months?
-RnsW
Your analogy doesn’t make any sense Chad. If someone wants to watch a particular movie they shouldn’t have to buy tickets for every movie playing at a particular theater.
Oh for crying out loud … why is this industry the only one in the world that has defenders so clueless they call shopping around a thoughtcrime?
There’s no “shoulds” here. People pay the lowest price they can get for something, or they shop around for an alternative. When they have an alternative and it goes away, they’re not “thefty thieves” for being disappointed.
We bargain-hunt for cars, cereal, airline tickets, mattresses, gas and everything else. United may charge me bag fees, but it least it doesn’t waggle a finger and tut-tut me when I complain about them. Ive never been told at the pump that I was morally weak for carpooling because it deprives the content creators of income.
I’d spend more on music and movies if distributors and their defenders weren’t constantly arguing for some weird ethical entitlement to a permanent seller’s market.
Weeds is owned by Lionsgate, so this deal has no effect on Weeds being available on Watch Instant. I was very concerned about this as I am currently watching Season 5 online try to catch up.
That aside, I have little desire to pay extra for a pay cable channel, but Netflix is what turned me on to such shows as Weeds, Dexter, Lost, 30 Rock, Californication and others that I would have totally missed out on otherwise and allowed me to catch up from the previous seasons. It is a shame that Showtime is going backwards, whereas other channels like NBC have me as a watching customer for live shows that I caught up with like 30 Rock and the last 2 seasons of Lost.
Not connected Nellie? Seriously?!? LOL.
Yet another dino network that can’t see the forest for the trees. I predict the number of incremental customers who subscribe to SHO over this at under 1000. Dino networks supporting the dying cable paradigm and its attendant $100/mo pricing. Neither sustainable nor justifiable any more. Sorry dinosaurs.
Hey SHO, instead of just taking your ball and going home, maybe you should, you know, try to negotiate better pricing from NFLX. Or push the window. Pretty sure there’s a way to extract more $ effectivly. No way does it come from cable subs. That game is over. Waaaaaay over.
Showtime only allows for further cannibalization of their sub base by allowing for instant streaming on Netflix. Wait until all the other nets decide to do the same.
Matt Blank did what he had to do. Now Netflix has to step their game up and become a direct competitor. It’s just business.