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YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    HBO stops selling DVDs to Netflix

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — HBO fired a shot across Netflix's bow this week, confirming it will no longer sell discounted DVDs of hit shows like "Boardwalk Empire" to the subscription video service.

    The move by Time Warner Inc.'s pay TV channel is more antagonistic than damaging. Netflix Inc. can maintain its mail-order movie rental offerings by buying HBO discs from other sources — even retail stores. "Netflix will continue to provide HBO programming on DVD and Blu-ray discs for our members," spokesman Steve Swasey said in a statement.

    Still, HBO's jab heightens the growing rivalry between the companies.

    In December, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told an investors conference that HBO's online viewing service, HBO GO, was "the competitor we fear the most." He noted that consumers with good incomes can afford to both services, but when money is tight they may be forced to choose just one.

    Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes has belittled Netflix, telling The New York Times just over a year ago that it was like "the Albanian army going to take over the world."

    HBO has consistently refused to license its hit shows to Netflix's online streaming service. The decision to also halt bulk disc sales to Netflix is intended to encourage those who want to watch HBO's shows to subscribe to HBO.

    "We believe in exclusivity," HBO spokesman Jeff Cusson said.

    Netflix offers online streaming of movies and TV shows for as little as $8 a month, but some content providers such as Sony Corp. have pulled movies for fear of damaging their relationships with traditional TV distributors, who offer packages of channels for $100 a month or more.

    The Starz pay TV channel, which carries movies from Sony and The Walt Disney Co., has said it will pull its movies from Netflix's streaming plan in March. That move is the result of a fee dispute between the companies.

    Netflix had about 23 million streaming customers as of September, while HBO has around 29 million pay TV customers.

     
    • El Fuego  •  4 mths ago
      Netflix may have made some big mistakes but this is exactly what the cable companies want. They hate competition and would rather have Netflix and all services like it go out of business.
      • Esteban 4 mths ago
        exactly they keep pressuring companys like starz and sony to pull from netflix and other such things so theyh can charge you 3 or 4 dollars to watch a 20 year old movie each viewing netflix is great but it probaly wont last much longer at least not for that price.
      • A Yahoo! User 4 mths ago
        There is no real competition when it comes to cable/internet provider companies. The consumer always loses. They basically run monopolies in many locations, and somehow have no run afoul of anti-trust laws.
    • Steven Track  •  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  •  4 mths ago
      OK. Goodby HBO. Your way too expensive for what you offer anyway.
    • Scrivner  •  4 mths ago
      '"We believe in exclusivity," HBO spokesman Jeff Cusson said.'

      I wonder if they also believe in bankruptcy. Blockbuster too, thought they were too big to fail.
    • Rob  •  4 mths ago
      It's super expensive affording cable, much less the rerun has-beens showed on HBO 24hrs a day. With so many cancelling cable, who's gonna be left you idiots?
    • carlos-teran  •  4 mths ago
      Well, If I have to take a pick, I'd choose Netflix, hands down.
    • JeffreyK  •  Rockville, Maryland  •  4 mths ago
      "We believe in exclusivity," HBO spokesman Jeff Cusson said.

      --Execs in the industry still don't understand the public, do they?
    • MODUS  •  4 mths ago
      the cable companies and the cable networks are scared to death of netflix, hulu, Amazon Prime... they know the future of video entertainment is streaming! With streaming I can watch what I want, when I want, don't have to monkey around with the limitations of dvr, etc Right now the cable providers and cable networks are doing everything they can to try to destroy streaming options. But personally, i think streaming is here to stay.
    • Basketcase  •  Atlanta, Georgia  •  4 mths ago
      HBO sucks. You have to pay for it, and half the movies are Breakfast Club, Goonies, and other dumb movies that you can see on TBS for free. Then they have their TV shows that aren't very good, but they get Emmys because they show boobs and use the F-word (when the other networks aren't allowed to), and every once in a while HBO shows recent films.

      Poop on HBO.
      • DJK 4 mths ago
        The Sopranos, Big Love and Boardwalk Empire are shows that deserve every award they get (or have gotten).

        Go back to watching Jersey Shore and Jerry Springer. Sounds like that's where you belong anyway.
      • Spawn32f 4 mths ago
        well i watch the sopranos on a&e i liked those reruns and i dont watch boardwalk empire cause i lost some episodes cause we had to shut hbo and cinemax and starz cause they were to expensive and also those movie channels dont show any new movies as often as they use to it takes a full year to watch any new movie from those movie channels and i rather go rent the new movie instead of waiting
      • hftbpia 4 mths ago
        2 or 3 shows is no reason to pay for HBO. 75%+ is a waste of time.
    • Chris  •  4 mths ago
      RealTime was the only HBO show I ever liked but, geez, it cost me $90 just to GET to the TIER of cable which allows me to PURCHASE HBO to finally get the once-a-week show.

      I even went to HBO's web-site with my credit-card in-hand, because I was willing to pay $15 / month for THAT one show. I was ready to give them my money but they told me I had to have a cable pay service..

      So, just forget it HBO, I've got 10K hours queued up in my streaming queue, I'll just watch that. There's actually quite a few VERY entertaining programs there.
    • FREEDOM FIGHTER  •  Detroit, Michigan  •  4 mths ago
      Time Warner says: We believe in GREED. Greed is good when we can screw Americans out of their money. That's why we are trying to kill the Satellite companies.
    • Joe M  •  Orlando, Florida  •  4 mths ago
      I have chosen and it's Netflix hands down. They offer a much better option than HBO
      • Joe M 4 mths ago
        So in order to have HBO GO, you have to subscribe to cable too....I guess I'm odd, but Netflix and Internet programs provide me with everything I need - no need for cable.
      • Spawn32f 4 mths ago
        wow sound like me joe mooney lol
    • Grant  •  Walnut Creek, California  •  4 mths ago
      I really dislike cable. I'm all about the Netflix these days.
      • Mike 4 mths ago
        I totally agree.
    • allen  •  4 mths ago
      I have no interest in HBO. But the vast library of movies in Netflix? That I pay for, and use. All HBO is doing is refusing to offer a discount for the discs to Netflix, which is fine by me. Netflix then won't buy as many HBO discs, and HBO can eat the loss.
      • dlo 4 mths ago
        Is that what's really going to happen? Netflix is sinking. I wouldn't pay for their service. And apparently, I'm not alone.
    • SeekingSanity  •  4 mths ago
      I don't subscribe to HBO, and won't...they are overpriced for the value they offer. Cable overall is getting that way...If my wife didn't watch, I'd probably drop cable altogether and live OTA.
    • Timothy  •  4 mths ago
      Bye HBO.
    • Fed Up  •  Chicago, Illinois  •  4 mths ago
      Based on what I see being shown on HBO - I have a bigger movie collection.
      HBO right now showing "the A-team" happily ever after (1995), star trek generatiions (1994)
      etc. Why would anyone waste their money on these "premium" channels, Does premium mean showing movie older the 10 years? Showtime is even worse.
    • MadJack  •  Marquette, Michigan  •  4 mths ago
      What this all comes down to is greed. Netflix wants to provide a service at a fair price. But as always Hollywood wants more money. This was the real source of all of the problems at Netflix last year. Everyone blamed Netflix for raising their rates. But nothing was said about the movie studios wanting Netflix to pay more money for movies. Greed
    • Valerian  •  Dallas, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      HBO has been an open cesspit for years.
    • concerned  •  Simi Valley, California  •  4 mths ago
      I don't have any premium channels, they show the same movies over and over and their prices are too high.
      "We believe in exclusivity," HBO spokesman Jeff Cusson said" just show how greedy they are. I prefer Netflix
    • Doug C  •  4 mths ago
      Its retarded how much money Americans spend on TV.
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