Netflix & Cable: A Happily Married Couple

With two original series and the new season of “Arrested Development” under its belt, streaming media giant Netflix has come a long way since its inception. It has become a revolutionary force in the world of television. Even cable television is taking cues from the company, a fact that could surprise many who saw Netflix’s rise as cable’s downfall.


Netflix & Cable: A Happily Married Couple

Demonstrated Success

With its first original series, “House of Cards,” Netflix proved its ability to produce quality programming. “Orange Is the New Black” and the latest season of “Arrested Development” have also begun streaming on the website, giving subscribers access to three shows found nowhere else. This success has competitors scrambling to duplicate Netflix.

The fact other streaming services are paying attention to Netflix is perhaps predictable. Its influence on cable television, though, is even more interesting.

‘The Killing’

The AMC crime drama “The Killing” appeared to suffer the same fate as countless other televisions shows. Though loved by fans AMC made the decision to ax the program, leaving lovers of the show in the lurch. In an unprecedented move, Netflix stepped in to bring the show back. The streaming provider provided an injection of funds in exchange for streaming rights a mere three months after the end of the season.

This savvy business move gives Netflix yet another draw to bring in customers, and benefits cable viewers in the process. This is a new sweep for Netflix and may point to the future behavior of the company. Many assumed the success of Netflix would be negative for cable and satellite retailers such as www.install-direct-tv.com, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

The Race for Quality

HBO revolutionized television when it began producing high-quality shows such as “The Sopranos,” and has enjoyed continued success all the way through its current hits, including “Game of Thrones.” The company demonstrated it was possible to produce movie-quality programming for television, and viewers ate it up.

The quality demonstrated in HBO programming is something Netflix wants to equal, the CEO of Netflix told GQ, in a format that gets rid of all the unwanted extras that come with cable. This race for quality by Netflix, both through producing its own programming and buying up the best of programming from others, is impacting the choices cable channels make.

The Influence of Streaming Revenue

Netflix must pay for every program it features through its service. This revenue is becoming an increasing influence in the decision-making process cable companies go through concerning their programming.

One of the most notable examples of the power of streaming revenue is Netflix’s purchase of the streaming rights to the AMC show “Mad Men.” Netflix bought the rights to “Mad Men” for a million an episode. This kind of money is significant, and it’s turning the heads of the decision makers at major television networks.

Streaming revenue is now significant enough that networks want a piece of it, and will work to get it. They’re designing shows with Netflix in mind. It seems cable networks are taking notes, and one can only assume the growth of Netflix will have even more impact on cable TV in the future.

What predictions do you have for Netflix’s interaction with cable? Tell us in the comments.

Photo by Flickr user paulino perez

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