The body of this page will be used to keep everyone updated when there is blog news, and to ask for feedback about improvements/changes/additions, etc. Of course, your participation is always optional and voluntary.
February 8
So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you. — Willy Wonka
I've been wanting to write a little bit about what I've been doing, blogwise. First, a minor change: I'm going to begin a new Current Expiring Titles on the first of every month, instead of in the middle of the month - that's why the January post went a little long. Going forward, the date of the post will match the month of the content, whether upcoming or expired (when the post becomes the archive for expired titles after the next month begins.) The old way was kind of messy as far as post date/content date.
Next, I know in the past, I have shared plans that still have not come to fruition, but I want you to know I have not given up on them. My number one priority has always been updating the home page to be as complete, accurate, and helpful as possible. Second, is responding to Comments, when appropriate. Third, is maintaining/updating other pages on the blog, such as the Discussion pages. Fourth - and the hardest to get to - is what I call Special Projects, which include all the things I have wanted to do since starting the blog, but still haven't done. Yet. I will, eventually.
My most recent special project is one that is behind the scenes, and supports Priority number one. I want to acknowledge Larry G. for helping me to learn a faster, more efficient way to do the daily update, using an Excel tool he created. The list looks the same as it always has, but Excel is doing most of the work, so errors will be fewer, e.g., Excel's alphabetizing is more reliable than mine. Thank you, Larry!
I would also like to thank Pox Voldius for helping with Priority three by almost single-handedly keeping the We Recommend pages alive - regularly adding comments with fresh info and reviews. Thanks also to those of you who made that an almost. I read all reviews put in the Comments, and always find them interesting and helpful. So do others - the main We Recommend page gets the second most page views of all the adjunct pages, after the main Discussions page. (The Oscars page gets quite a few, too.)
By the way, thanks to everyone who contributes to Discussions. You raise some great topics, and share great information.
And speaking of page views, we just passed the 50,000 mark! Because it's Oscar season, I'll borrow from Ruth Gordon, when she won for Rosemary's Baby: I can't tell ya how encouragin' a thing like this is.
January 20 - If You Build It, They Will Come
People are finding us, and, presumably returning. Page views for What's Expiring on Netflix Soon? are up almost 30 percent in December & January from what they were in October and November. More and more page views are originating at Google. It is now the number 1 site - by far - where people are finding us. And, we're moving up the ladder of placement in search results. The search query, "expiring netflix january," shows us on page 1 of the results. Of course, there's still lots of room for improvement. The query, "movies leaving netflix," doesn't show us at all, at least not on the first 20 pages. I changed the first sentence on the main page to try to cover more searches. We'll see what happens.
The important thing is that the effort everyone makes to share titles that are leaving Netflix is valued and appreciated by a growing number of followers. I've visited a lot of sites that offer the same category of information, and many of them look very professional, but I have yet to find one that offers the quantity of titles, as much advance notice, or is as up-to-date as ours. People united for a common cause is a powerful thing, even if it's just about expiring movies. Thank you all.
January 18
This is the new January/February Discussions & Ideas page. It has a different url than the previous one, which is now archived, so if you have that one bookmarked, please replace it with this one. (This will happen every month or month-and-a-half; it is the only way I could think of to introduce a new Discussions page when Comments begin to build up.) The page tab beneath the blog title gets updated, so it will always take you to the current Discussions page.
Open Discussions from Previous Months
I made a page for discussing all things Disney as related to Netflix, and copied all of the relevant comments from the December/January Discussions page to it. The link is at the top of the sidebar.
The discussion about the new format for the Netflix "My List" is still open, with some fairly recent activity regarding Flix Plus. Is everyone settling in with the changes, including clicking on titles to open the info page? Anyone still having problems moving titles in their list? I'm starting not to mind the new design so much, but still miss some of the features of the way it used to be. The link for the "My List" discussion is also in the sidebar.
Stay Tuned
Over the next several days, I will be sharing news about blog growth, and other blog-related information (nothing bad). I wanted to get this page up, and there is a little more than I can get to all today.
Over the next several days, I will be sharing news about blog growth, and other blog-related information (nothing bad). I wanted to get this page up, and there is a little more than I can get to all today.
I look forward to a new month of scintillating comments.
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My goal: A blog that looks polished and feels complete, offering helpful content for all, without detracting from the sacred mission of giving followers as much lead time as possible to watch expiring titles.
I'm glad to see people are using this page. David assembled a terrific community - with an impressive collective knowledge base, and individuals who genuinely look out for others in the same Netflix boat. Now, as newcomers join in, it is increasingly interesting and enjoyable to read everyone's thoughts, ideas, and experiences.
"So, with this new flat-screen TV, we can watch Netflix in either portrait or landscape view."
What's on your mind?
Painting is "Conversation Piece (Portrait of Sir Andrew Fountaine with Other Men and Women)"
by William Hogarth, c. 1730-1735
I have copied the last few comments from the previous Discussions page, as they are timely, and might generate further thoughts/questions:
ReplyDeleteWellesley72 January 17, 2016 at 2:20 PM
Netflix has released a boatload of release dates for some of their series, all detailed in a YouTube video. They also announced that Jessica Jones will have a second season but did not give a release date. Don't know whether it is before or after the "Defenders" movie.
Reply:
Carol January 18, 2016 at 1:36 AM
Thanks, Wellesley72. I found this Variety article on Yahoo:
https://www.yahoo.com/tv/netflix-sets-premiere-dates-orange-black-season-4-164039398.html
It gives premiere dates and descriptions of 10 series, returning and new. The only youtube video I could find went very fast.
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New Comment from Wellesley72:
Wellesley72 January 18, 2016 at 8:10 AM
Here are release dates for the series mentioned in the YouTube video: Flaked (3/11); Kimmy Schmidt, Season 2 (4/15); Marseilles (5/5); Grace and Frankie, Season 2 (5/6); Orange is the New Black, Season 4 (6/17); stranger Things (7/15); and The Get Down, six episodes of 12 (8/12). Separately, three kids' shows were announced: Lost and Found Music Studios (4/1); Kong of the Apes (4/15); and Word Party 6/3).
Kimmy Schmidt was renewed for a third season.
There was quite a kerfuful at the Television Critics Association annual conference when NBC purported to release viewership numbers for several shows on Netflix. The technology and methodology were heavily criticized by Netflix, although they would not release their own numbers. NBC and FX in particular railed against this secrecy. Perhaps the best response was from Tina Fey who said she brought Kimmy Schmidt to Netflix because they did not release viewership numbers, even to her. She said whenever the overnight numbers came in for 30 Rock, the writing staff could not believe the low numbers and left depressed. Netflix said numbers on a particular show meant nothing to them and claimed to not even follow the sacrosanct 18-49 demographics that the TV networks use; they claim their measure of success is based on subscriptions. Netflix also claimed much higher viewership for the shows NBC had mentioned in their presentation, as well as extremely high numbers for Beasts of No Nation and The Ridiculous Six, again without specifying numbers.
FX also complained that Netflix was outbidding them on content because 21st Century Fox had to show a profit to its shareholders while Netflix did not(?). (There was no mention of the fact that Amazon has never made an annual profit since it went public.). Both NBC and FX have shown large drops in linear viewership. In particular, while The Americans and Fargo have been critical darlings, their ratings have been quite low. Maybe FX should sell their programming to Netflix where they would not have to worry about ratings.
The following comments were copied from the Home page:
ReplyDeleteTony Ramirez January 19, 2016 at 8:43 PM
Thanks Carol from the exstremist.com. I don't know where you find this great Netflix news. I use Google News which really tells me nothing but the same old news I already know.
Reply:
Carol January 19, 2016 at 9:30 PM
Hi Tony - exstreamist.com was recommended to me by followers of this site, who have been tracking such info longer than I have. It has proven to be very reliable - certainly worth taking a look at on a regular basis.
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Tony Ramirez January 20, 2016 at 8:46 AM
Thanks Carol then to the others here how do you find these links. Must be a friend of a friend.
Tony, are you looking for other sites that report content that is leaving Netflix USA or sites that show what is coming to Netflix USA or general sites about Netflix?
DeleteI learned something new today about UnOgs.com. If you limit your search to any single territory under the heading What's New, the site will nevertheless show any title released in any Netflix territory. For example, I looked at new details under What's New for the past 24 hours using a filter for the USA and Season 2 of The Returned popped up. However, when I went to Country Details using only the USA and clicked on new videos, only content recently released in the US showed up. Also, if you click on the tile for The Returned, it will show that only Season 1 is available to US viewers. The people at UnOgs are aware of the issue, but I think they may have one or two people at most tracking down new and expiring content in all Netflix territories so fixing this glitch is low on their list of priorities. So if something shows up under What's New, people should remember to also check under Country Details--New Videos. I'm glad I checked before attempting to deleate the season 2 videos from my DVR.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it with Netflix? Since ending their deal with Epix, their recent (2013 and after) movie content, with the exception of documentaries, has been pure garbage. Also, you would think if they were truly going global, they would be picking up great content from other territories as global exclusives. Yet with the exception of some TV series from the UK and from the Nordic regions, I haven't seen a lot of non-US content that has been licensed globally. In fact, there is more Indian and Korean content being shown in the US than in India or Korea. Netflix has some good original content, but Amazon and Hulu are nipping at their heels. With 600 hours of new content coming in 2006, I fear they are going to lose quality to quantity.
ReplyDeleteThe following comment has been copied from the Home page:
ReplyDeleteWellesley72 January 27, 2016 at 2:54 PM
There does not appear to be the kind of outrage that manifested itself last January when Doctor Who and a lot of other BBC content were set to expire. Maybe we have all become more fatalistic about the content on Netflix which I believe (despite its originals) has really gone downhill in the last six months, particularly in the movie department. Where are all the great new movies that were going to replace the Epix catalogue.
The lack of outrage might also be because we have had a year to watch, and hopefully, can take comfort in knowing we can go to the library when the urge to re-watch strikes us. That's no where near as convenient as firing up Netflix, but it's something. Or, it could be as you say.
DeleteYeah, content isn't what it used to be. I doubt all 75 million subscribers care (or think) about that in the same way as we movie devotees. A lot of people just want to have something to watch for a couple hours. Heck, a lot of people LIKE Adam Sandler movies. What are ya gonna do?
I guess it all comes down to price vs benefit. Even when the monthly fee goes up for all of us, it will still be fairly low-cost entertainment. If there are 10 movies/shows a month I want to see, that's about a dollar a movie. If I can find 20, that's 50 cents each. No traveling required; no due dates (unless they're expiring). Tough to beat. Since I have more than 300 titles in "My List," I'm still in, although my disgust about great stuff being taken away, and replaced with dreck often makes me feel like clicking that Cancel button.
Go on Netflix's Facebook page. There are many angry customers cancelling their accounts because Doctor Who is expiring. The new BBC streaming service will not include Doctor Who and Sherlock as of yet, which already have distribution deals with BBC America and PBS. I'm not upset because I caught up on Doctor Who two years ago. I haven't finished Torchwood although I don't see that listed as expiring.
DeleteThat's interesting, Jordan - thanks. I would be curious to know how many people who SAY they are cancelling their accounts actually do. Unless Doctor Who was the main reason they subscribed to Netflix, it doesn't make a lot of sense because it sounds like Netflix didn't really have a choice.
DeleteAnother way to continue to enjoy Doctor Who is through the DVD plan, for those who subscribe to that.
Yeah, customers are claiming they only have Netflix for Doctor Who so they have no reason to keep their account when it leaves. There are a lot of posts where people say they "just cancelled their account" although I'm not sure how many are telling the truth. One person did post the screenshot saying their account was cancelled!
DeleteWell, I have to admire their loyalty to Doctor Who. I hope the BBC, PBS, or whoever has the rights currently will make it available to stream soon, without it costing a fortune. I see Amazon.com has Season 9 to stream for ~ $30 - a few months of Netflix subscription fees. I'm sure everyone will find a way to get through this, somehow.
DeleteI won't cancel over Doctor Who I saw them all but if they drop the CW content the only thing I have not finished yet I am gone. I can't stand all the vulgar originals "Marvel I am looking at you" that Netflix is replacing it with.
DeleteI think the outrage has been replaced by despair in the sense that they don't feel that Netflix will do the right thing and renew it. I think it comes from the nonsense spouted in that memo shortly after Netflix didn't renew its deal with Epix where it more or less whine that they wanted new movies too and hinted that hey they had Adam Sandler and Chelsea Handler and all these originals on the pipeline.
DeleteWell, Ridiculous 6 was a critical disaster although a popular success and it remains to be seen whether Chelsea's humor will translate to streaming audiences (based on the trailer to Chelsea Does, I queued it this morning). But it's this air of arrogance and/or chutzpah that has rubbed me and many others the wrong way. I don't see myself leaving anytime soon (I do have 400 films/TV shows on my queue with presumably more on the way), but I've tempered my anger by also subscribing to Prime and Hulu which has gone a long way to fill my various needs for content.
As has already been pointed out, a lot of it comes down to what do I personally enjoy. I also think that many of the networks are starting to jump on the SVOD bandwagon. They feel the need to pull their shows to their platforms and put them behind a pay wall. CBS all access and BBC America's streaming service are the first two examples that come to mind.
DeleteFor me, I intend to keep Netflix. I've watched all of the new Doctor Who expect for the newest season. I can get that on DVD through Netflix or my library, so I will. I know a lot of people don't have the Netflix DVD plan but it does fill in a lot of the gaps.
I also still have plenty of things I still want to watch on Netflix. I've discovered a lot of things on Netflix I had never heard of before, things that I thoroughly enjoyed. That type of discovery still happens for me.
Couple Netflix with Hulu and maybe one or two other services and there are plenty of choices. Not to mention all the free channels on the various streaming boxes/sticks. I actually have quite a bit of trouble deciding what to watch next.
Netflix is by no means perfect. That's true for every other company like Netflix. I think if you're the kind of person who loves being able to go back and re-watch something then these services aren't for you long term. If you're someone who watches something and then moves on the next movie or show then I think they fit you better.
I think if you pay for a SVOD service for only one show you're kind of missing the point. If there comes a point where you simply can’t find anything that you like then it is clearly time to part company. Until that point happens enjoy all that you can.
If you really want to see something or you want your voice to be heard then call Netflix customer support. You can call them every day and ask for the same show. I was told that when a customer requests or suggests something it is forwarded to the people who make those decisions. If they see a pattern or enough interest in something they'll do what they can to acquire it.
Sorry for the long windedness.
For me, I intend to keep Netflix. I've watched all of the new Doctor Who expect for the newest season. I can get that on DVD through Netflix or my library so I will. I know a lot of people don't have the Netflix DVD plan but it does fill in a lot of the gaps. It's a good value for me.
I also still have plenty of things I still want to watch on Netflix. I've discovered a lot of things on Netflix I had never heard of before. Things that I thoroughly enjoyed. I think that's something Netflix has over a lot of other SVOD services.
Couple Netflix with Hulu and Acorn TV and I have plenty of choices. Not to mention all the free channels on the Roku. I actually have quite a bit of trouble deciding what to watch next.
Netflix is by no means. That's true for every other company like Netflix. I think if you're the kind of person who loves being able to go back and re-watch something then these services aren't for you long term. If you're someone who watches something and then moves on the next movie or show then I think they fit you better.
I think if you pay for a SVOD service for only one show you're kind of missing the point. If there comes a point where you simply can’t find anything that you like then it is clearly time to part company. Until that point happens I say enjoy all that you can.
If you really want to see something or you want to feel like your voice has been heard then call Netflix customer support. You can call them every day and ask for the same show. I was told that when I customer requests of suggests something it is forwarded to the people who make those decisions. If they see a pattern or enough interest in something they'll do what they can to acquire it.
Sorry for the long windedness.
The following comment has been copied from the Home page:
ReplyDeleteseth mishne January 28, 2016 at 3:31 AM
sin city, charlies angels, Armageddon and Scooby doo 1 and 2 these are decent movies that I been wanting to watch but never got around to.
Thanks, Seth. I appreciate your glass-half-full outlook. Although Netflix doesn't seem to add as many quality titles as they did in the past, they DO still bring on SOME good things for us to stream. Since we all have different preferences, we just have to sort through everything to find the ones that are right for us. It's not ideal, but for me at least, it's still worth the price of admission.
DeleteI was referring to mor recent movies (2013 and later) although I don't think the older movies they have added in December and January and those announced for February make up for the loss of quality of the older movies that have expired. If you look at whatsonprimenow.blogspot.com, you will see that about 3x as many films were added in January than on Netflix. A lot of that has to do with the Epix deal since the Epix catalogue contains about 3000+ titles. But Amazon is also getting content like The 40-Year Old Virgin, which comes from NBC Universal. In terms of recent content, they have exclusive output deals with A24 studios (Ex Machina), Music Box Films, Drafthouse Films and are taking over Netflix's deal with Open Road Films. They also have an exclusive output deal with Europa Films, which has produced the Taken movies as well as many other mainstream movies. I don't know why Netflix didn't try (or try hard enough) to get deals with these studios, but the end result is that I believe that Amazon Prime now surpasses Netflix by far in terms of the number of good movies and the quality/and or popularity of the films shown on Netflix, particularly in the case of recent films.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Also Hulu is really getting much new content now too. Netflix seems to only care about originals which I am not pleased about. It is turning into another HBO and I most likely won't keep it if they drop everything I like.
DeleteAlso added to Netflix streaming in February are Better Call Saul (1st season) and the last half of the last season of Mad Men (at last!), both from AMC. Netflix is doing a good job of streaming AMC shows, after they've finished their broadcast run, but maybe not for long, as AMC is also looking into its own streaming service. So catch these shows while you can.
ReplyDeleteI agree with NoName about Netflix's value. At first Netflix was selling itself as "you want to watch xxxx, subscribe because xxxx is on Netflix." Now, because of competition to control content, it's "you want to watch TV, subscribe because Netflix will always have something you want to watch." In fact, for me, for the last half year, what I watch on Netflix is what I have to catch because it's expiring in a few days.
In addition to the library, many episodes of Dr Who are on YouTube and DailyMotion (a French Internet site/App similar to YouTube), but they're hard to find. You have to search by episode title (4-6 episode story title for the older Dr Who's); these titles can be found on Wikipedia. I've seen only one season 9 episode (#7 I think) on YouTube so far, but they'll all probably be there eventually.
AMC and its affiliated networks (Sundance, We, BBC America) now have an exclusive output deal with Hulu. For AMC, it covers all new shows beginning with the 2015-2016 season. It does not include Better Call Saul (which I believe is a Netflix exclusive) or shows like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead or Mad Men. It does include Fear The Walking Dead, Into The Badlands and other new shows. For BBC America and Sundance, it includes new shows that are co-financed by AMC.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, I have no idea where Doctor Who is going. I have heard rumors that there could be a bidding war between Hulu and Netflix (and maybe Amazon). I have also heard that the BBC may be saving it for a streaming platform it plans to introduce in the US. (The possibility of a US BBC streaming site was talked about last year. I haven't heard much talk of it this year so who knows. When Netflix posted on its Facebook page that Doctor Who was leaving, it also stated that there would be a lot of great new content coming to Netflix from the BBC. I assume that new means new, not shows like The Frozen Planet which aired originally in 2011, but I am learning not to make much of statements by Netflix, particularly after it promised that great new films would replace the Epix deal.
For those of you who get BBC America from a cable provider, Seasons 7-9 are streaming on bbcamerica.com until about March 1. There is a statement on their site that you can view earlier seasons but the link to that page is broken. Earlier today I was able to see that the site had Seasons 2-9 but I haven't been able to find those seasons again. If anyone knows how to find those seasons on the BBC America website, please let me know.
Pending some unexpended development, I think any further comments by me about Doctor Who leaving Netflix would be like beating a dead horse. However, look for some comments from me in the future about the now-expired CW deal and its prospects for renewal; whether Netflix was really a big winner at Sundance; the disadvantages of releasing films simultaneously in theaters and on Netflix; and why Amazon may be getting substantially better recent films than Netflix in the future.
According to Decider, they're going to decide the new streaming home of Dr. Who soon. So we should know something maybe this week or next.
DeleteFor the first time, they mentioned their streaming service formally. Although they saved details about it until it's closer to launch, the BBC announced that a wide range of shows of varying genres and eras would be made available. It is possible that they decide to save the Tardis and the Sonic Screwdriver as their crown jewel. Although it's a good question about how many people would be willing to subscribe to one of these services.
It is also possible that the BBC might be dealing with a bidding war with Netflix, Hulu, and possibly Amazon Prime to determine streaming rights (presumably, the winner would get exclusivity). Although I wonder just how long it will be for the BBC to get its streaming service up and going (perhaps they'll share exclusivity with the winner?).
Anyway, the next couple of weeks should be interesting to say the least.
Source:
http://decider.com/2016/01/27/bbc-poised-to-announce-new-streaming-home-for-doctor-who/
I don't care who gets Doctor Who prefer Amazon or Netfix but it better on go on there own steaming service they butcher with ads.
ReplyDeleteWell, it looks like Doctor Who is officially not streaming today. I finished watching Torchwood in case it disappeared but it didn't. Other BBC shows like Luther and Sherlock are still streaming (for now).
ReplyDeleteI subscribe to Acorn TV, which shows a variety of non-BBC British shows, plus some Canadian, Australian and European TV series. They charge $4.99/mo. or $49.99/year. While the BBC has a much larger catalogue, I find it hard to believe that any BBC streaming service in the US would charge any more.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, eight seasons of Doctor Who stream on Netflix UK. The BBC iPlayer in the UK does not stream any episodes of Doctor Who or classic Doctor Who.
Apparently Netflix UK might be losing DW in May. http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-01-28/uk-doctor-who-fans-may-have-just-three-months-left-to-watch-the-show-on-netflix
DeleteI wonder if the current lack of Doctor Who episodes on BBC iPlayer is because they're between series & haven't aired any episodes recently (as I recall, when they did have them on the iPlayer, they had expiration dates that were like a month from the airdate, or something like that), or if BBC finally realised how many people outside the UK have been using proxy services to stream content from BBC's iPlayer without having paid UK taxes (which might also go hand in hand with that new streaming service they're rumoured to be setting up).
DeleteHi Carole,
ReplyDeleteI switched my browser from Internet Explorer to Firefox about a week ago, and 'My List' seems to be loading more frequently (the number of titles on it has remained about the same at 470). Thought I would pass this along in case it might help others.
Eric
Thanks, Eric. I think it's good to have this comment here, where most people look, but I'm going to copy it to the "My List" Discussion as well, in case others have comments about this.
DeleteWell netflix did it again. Made a way to make their site even worse. Starting at 2am on 2/9 when I click on mylist instead of it showing a list of titles with their expire dates in a list it shows up as a list of pictures like when you search for something. Now if you wanted to keep track of your list and when they expire you would have to keep a side list. Also you are not going to be able to easily tell when things are going to expire on your list you are going to have to go through each one. Not sure how to order them anymore either.
ReplyDeleteI just opened Netflix, and checked my family's My Lists. They are still the same as before. There have been a couple of times when I clicked on My List, and it gave me what you describe (which sounds like the My List that those who don't choose Manual Ordering get). Did you close Netflix, and try again? If yes, did you check to make sure you didn't somehow get changed to Netflix Suggestions Order (on the My Account page).
DeleteI'm hoping it was a glitch, and not something that Netflix is rolling out and just hasn't got to me, yet. They just re-designed My List - why trash it, and give us yet another new thing to get used to? Gee, that does kind of sound like Netflix.
I'm really hoping to hear from you that you were able to access your regular Netflix My List. Please let us know. Otherwise, aaarrrrrgggghhhhh!
Thankfully my list isn't like that (yet). When I add movies from my computer, they appear on the top of my list (I put the expiring movies here). When I add movies on my iPhone Netflix app, they go to the back of my list (I put the streaming only movies here). That's the only way I can order my list. Just delete a movie in the middle of your list and add it to the front or back. Honestly the list was fine back in 2008 when streaming started. It looked like the DVD list then.
DeleteJust a reminder: the format for MyList is different on different devices and different Apps. The list will have the same titles and in the same order, but the look will be different, as will what you can do with the list. For me and my streaming MyList, using my desktop Mac and going to the Netflix Internet site with the Firefox browser, I get columned list, unnumbered, one column showing one-week availability, a search box, and a delete/move button. With my iPad and the Safari browser, if I go to the same Netflix Internet site, I just get pictures, unnumbered, and a search box, but no way to move or delete titles--if I try to play the film I get transferred to the Netflix app. With this app, I can play, search, add or delete, but not move titles. With my Vizio tv Netflix app, I get numbered titles, a descriptive screen, two-week availability notice, but can't move titles around. I have to go to a different format depending on what I want to do with a title.
DeleteSo if you don't like the format you've got, try accessing the Internet site or the Netflix app, using a different browser or device. And keep in mind that Netflix is constantly changing these formats, so if you find a format you like, they'll soon change it.
Does anyone understand what uNogos.com is? I gather it provides access to Netflix in various countries, but then they have a list of providers and I just don't get it. Is it some illegal source?
ReplyDeleteThe “unofficial Netflix online Global Search” or (uNoGS) was created by someone named Brian so it isn't officially from Netflix but it is no more illegal than the blog we are in right now.
DeleteBut how do you get movies that are on another country's website? I understand why some movies are only available in foreign countries - licensing agreements. How do people in the US access movies only available in New Zealand, for example?
DeleteThere are (illegal) ways to get other countries streaming movies, like Hola, but Netflix is cracking down on those people.
DeleteFor anyone who is curious, uNoGS.com is simply a website that tells you what is new on Netflix, and what will be expiring on Netflix. However, it only gives information that is already available ON Netflix - new titles that have recently arrived, and existing titles that have "Available until" dates. It offers this information for various countries around the world.
DeleteIt also has a list of links to various VPN providers at the bottom of the page. You would need to check those out to see if they offer what you're looking for.
Here is the url for an exstreamist.com article about Netflix cracking down on VPNs and proxies:
http://exstreamist.com/netflix-to-start-blocking-proxies-and-vpns/
Thanks for your responses! With 500 titles on my disk list and 500 in my queue, not to mention my Amazon watchlist - I seriously am not interested in using such a site or pirating anything! I appreciate your understanding my curiosity. I also get about 10 movies at a time from my public library! Due to a disability, there are times when I am unable to walk very well. Stuck lying down, I watch a lot of movies! I also listen to a lot of audiobooks. I love to read, but holding a book is sometimes too difficult.
ReplyDeleteI have copied all recent comments about Netflix My List to the My List Discussion Page
ReplyDeleteI have also put up a screen shot of this blog's My List for reference.
If you can remember, please put additional comments about that subject on the My List Discussion page, and please look there if you're interested in comments about that topic. Any new comments there (or on any of the adjunct pages of the blog) will be pointed to daily on the What's New Around the Blog page (top link in the sidebar). Thanks!
P.S. It would also be helpful if you include what device, browser, and/or app you're using when you comment about the appearance/capability of My List. That way, we can compare apples to apples.
DeleteLast month I wiped out my list. Removed everything since 95% of what was in my list I have not even watched one episode. Also because the My List on the Netflix app keeps moving around where I can't find it and the fact I don't have to get paranoid and check the Netflix site at 3AM EST to see if anything on there is going to expire.
ReplyDeleteNow I just search or go into continue watching to watch something.
Courageous move, Tony! My List does sometimes feel like a burden. I'm not that brave, because I need help remembering everything I want to watch, even though I know I probably won't have time to get to it all. It only takes a second to add a title to My List, but a couple hours - or several days! - to be able to remove one. Thanks for reminding us that we do have an option to My List slavery. ;-)
DeleteThanks. I might do the same with Amazon Watchlist even though I only have about 10 shows there. On Netflix I had at least over 50.
DeleteThis site rules. I'm someone who keeps handy annual and decade lists for films that meet my criteria (and then separately list the ones that are on streaming services). So this site has been great because I can often notice a film expiring a month in advance, rather than the paltry week that Netflix usually gives for a heads up.
ReplyDeleteWhat does this site need? Simple. Expiring titles for Amazon Prime. Tons of people have Prime and it's basically the only other large scale movie service (Hulu is just garbage for films outside of the Criterion collection). There'd be a lot of interest if you added that feature.
The website, What's On Prime Now? has exactly what you're looking for, Anonymous. The site is currently in transition, but the expiring list is current. Here is the url for expiring titles:
Deletehttp://whatsonprimenow.blogspot.com/p/whats-expiring.html
Thanks. I had no idea that it was still active in the listing of expiring titles. Very helpful.
DeleteThe following comment has been copied from the Disney Discussion page because it has a broader topic included as well, which others might want to follow up on.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous February 22, 2016 at 10:31 AM
This is kind of a win some-lose some situation. Although I'm not into Disney myself, I can see why a lot of people would be freaking out about so many popular titles for children fleeing the service...but it's clearly all part of Netflix's main plan which is to rely less on expensive movie studio deals (and believe me that Disney one was not cheap) and become more reliant on their own content. Basically, Netflix will be producing more and more original material which they will own forever and not have to pay a dime for and saving money since they aren't spending as much on content. Basically, the idea is to become an HBO type service with a healthy selection of new movies (despite all the purges, there's a LOT of well reviewed films from the last few years on here, practically everything that wasn't a big ticket item for a major studio) and a bunch of original shows.
Of course, for movie lovers that's not the best news, but Netflix was frankly getting gouged with the initial deals they signed with the studios. Like practically every movie before 1980 is worthless to most modern viewers and Netflix themselves have suggested that ANY content from the last few years is more valuable to them than almost any older content...so it is kind of hilarious that a studio like Warner Brothers wants to charge top dollar for a pre- 1980 catalog that would make up like .1% of all the viewing hours on Netflix. In my personal opinion, the studios should eventually realize that they're in the same situation music studios are with services like Spotify...most of the content is basically worthless in the age of so many streaming options and piracy that they might as well just dump EVERYTHING on there just for the historical value.
Obviously, part two of Netflix's plan is to continue to dominate the industry to the point where they get more favorable deals with the film and television studios for content, but I guess we'll have to see how that plays out...
For everyone: there is a follow-up comment on the Disney Discussion page. Link to that page is in the sidebar, near the top.
DeleteThis just in--Doctor Who is returning in March--to Amazon Prime! I can't believe Netflix let this one get away. A BAD business decision. My Amazon Prime membership has now become invaluable.
ReplyDeleteI am no longer surprised when anything expires from Netflix. They rather waste there own money making there own meh content most of it not family friendly. Even though they are starting to make more family friendly original content like Fuller House it is still small.
DeleteWhen I click "My List," I get a bunch of thumbnails of the titles in my list, but not a list that allows me to rearrange titles. Is this another format "upgrade"? If so, like the last dozen changes, it's a complete fail.
ReplyDeleteYou should be able to move titles to the top fairly quickly. Rearranging the thumbnails can be done, but I have tried it and it takes me forever. I have complained to Netflix about this, but then I also complained about the expiration of Doctor Who. Why can't they just put numbers to the left of the thumbnails that viewers can change? I guess that is too easy (and too user-friendly).
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I'm not sure if your problem can be resolved to your satisfaction, but let's give it our best shot. In order to zero in on why your My List displays the way it does, I have a few questions for you:
ReplyDelete1. What device or devices are you using to view Netflix? For example Computer, ipad, roku, other (I'm not a techie, so don't know all the options).
2. What, if any, apps are you using?
3. What browser are you using?
4. Finally, please look at the screen shots on the My List Discussion Page. They are a little higher than the middle of the page. Which screen shot looks most like your My List? The top shot with rows of posters only? Or, the bottom shot with a list of titles?
There are a lot of possibilities why your My List is not displaying the way you want. If you can provide the above info, maybe one or more of us can offer suggestions that could fix it.
I noticed that if you expand a movie or TV show and select "Details", there is a white arrow pointing to the right. If you click that, you can see "Audio", "Subtitles", and "Availability" (which shows you when the movie/show is leaving Netflix). How long has that been there? I've been with Netflix streaming from the beginning and just discovered this!
ReplyDeleteI believe when they first rolled out the new design, the Availability info was missing from the title info page. (I still miss the little white box - so much easier!) But it wasn't long before the "Available until" message was added back in, exactly where you found it - hidden away.
DeleteEveryone here wants to know when a title is going to expire, to help us plan our viewing, so it seems like Netflix should display that info in a more prominent place - like on the "Overview" page. But I have the feeling most of their customers view more spontaneously, and just care about, "What can I watch right now?" making the expiration date a non-issue.
I'm looking forward to the documentary "My Beautiful Broken Brain" that Netflix is adding tomorrow. The trailer was fascinating. I appreciate how they add things throughout the month. For me, it keeps things from becoming stale.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if anyone has noticed HD problem. As we know netflix is getting closer to charging the rest of us for the privilege of streaming HD. My streaming setting is set to Auto in my settings for determining streaming speed. I wasn't getting HD then last year or whenever the AT&T deal with Netflix happened then all of a sudden the 2nd day after the contract I consistently got HD every movie. Don't get me started on that, that is a different story that pisses me off. Now I am back to never getting HD anymore. It seems to be consistent with them switching to the Amazon Cloud. Now all of the sudden I can't get HD anymore.
ReplyDelete2 years ago I got 1080HD frequently, then for about the last year until I recently doubled my internet speed to 30Mbps I had noticed that although I would get 720HD, the definition would increase to 1080SD and seemed to never go to 1080HD anymore. I now get 1080HD again, so maybe it is a speed problem for you as well.
DeleteI am only one in house and have had 15mbps since the beginning. So if it is considered a problem then it is because their stupid programming is deciding that it is and not because it is a problem. I have never really seen at&t giving me less than 15mbps either. Now with the new news release of Netflix throttling AT&T and Verizon to protect cell users, I am wondering if their coding sucks and it is throttling my AT&T Uverse.
DeleteI am sure this is not as exciting as the problems with "My List" (whatever happened to the nice numbered list which you could reorder very quickly) bu here goes:
ReplyDeleteAfter publicly stating that it wanted to hold back its content from Netflix and other streaming services for several years in order to maximize the value of its content, Time Warner took two actions over the past couple of weeks that clearly shows that it really wants to hold back content from Netflix (and even in the case of Netflix, primarily in the US. First, it entered into a "stacking" arrangement with ABC that allows ABC to show on cable networks VOD and on any ABC streaming platforman entire season's worth of episodes, not just the most recent five episodes, on new WB shows going forward. (Existing WB content is unaffected.). At the end of the season (unclear what the "end" of a season is--a month after the last episode? The start of a new season?), the streaming rights revert to Time Warner, which can sell them to a streaming service or warehouse them and release them at a later date. As far as I can tell, there are only two new WB pilots under consideration by ABC for next year, so this is no big deal. Netflix has stated publicly that streaming full seasons during a season reduces the value of the series to it, but it also keeps buying past seasons of Grey's Anatomy, where full episodes of the entire current season are available on Hulu, so who knows what Netflix really thinks.
Second, Time Warner has sold the streaming rights to Blindspot, Lucifer and Rizzoli & Iles to Hulu, which will stream them sometime this year after those seasons end. (Time Warner also sold the streaming rights to the underrated Southland to Hulu.) After insisting that it wanted to hold back series for at least two years from streaming services, including Hulu, this is a big reversal for Time Warner. Don't know if any of these series were offered to Netflix or if Netflix expressed any interest in buying them for the US only, but this indicates to me that Time Warner is likely to buy a 25% stake in Hulu (negotiations have been going on for some time), and it is likely that Time Warner has no real interest in selling major content to Netflix. (CNN, which is owned by Time Warner, still sells content to Netflix, but I would hardly call that "major".). Warner Horizon Television, the more upscale sibling to Warner Brothers Television, is producing several original series for Netflix, including Master of None, which shows that even the best of enemies will work together when it is mutually advantageous.
A couple of items of interest to those people who want access to "free" streaming services. Tubi TV, which is an ad-supported site, hast a host of movies that are now streaming or have recently streamed on Netflix or Amazon Prime, as well as some good British and Australian TV shows (not as good as Acorn TV, but they don't cost $4.99/mo.). The only problem with the site is that the resolution is not always great. Maybe you won't notice on a smartphone but you see the problem on an iPhone and it is even worse if you are watching on a TV through Roku.
ReplyDeleteFor those who like supporting their PBS station, a $125 contribution will give you streaming rights to episodes of current or recent PBS shows, particularly drama. As an added bonus, at least in the Boston area, my local PBS station, WGBH, is also offering these same contributors streaming access to series (or episodes of series) that have never been broadcast locally. These include Seasons 2 and 3 of Silk, a great British drama about a female barrister. (Season 1 appeared on WGBH, but not the two subsequent seasons.). There are also some British mystery series, like Case Histories, and some mini-series, most of which I had never heard of before but which received high reviews on IMDb.
Not free--but for those who subscribe to Amazon Prime, Doctor Who (at least seasons 1 to 8 of the most recent series) is back, together with a separate collection of David Tennant specials and another collection of three stand-alone episodes, both of which I found by pure accident. Torchwood has also returned. Alas, no Classic Doctor Who, which the BBC is probably saving for its own streaming service. (Like we need another streaming service.)
This is what happens when I don't proofread. Re Tubi TV, you see problems in resolution with an iPad. You may or may not have problems with an iPhone. I have never tried to watch Tubi TV on my iPhone.
ReplyDeleteWellesley72 - Thanks for your recent comments. I really appreciate the "backstage" corporate info you share about deals (or lack thereof) that ultimately might impact Netflix users, and those of us who also subscribe to other services. I don't have time to keep up with all of this, so it's good to have someone who lets us know what's going on in that ring of the entertainment circus.
ReplyDeleteAlso good to hear about other streaming options that some might not be aware of. I tried Tubi TV, and also found the resolution to be a problem - for me it was serious enough to stop watching. I paused the movie while I decided whether to give it more time to rectify, but when I pressed "play," the movie started over from the beginning. (I was watching on my laptop, btw.) I decided to wait a couple months to see if they get the bugs out. They do have a lot of movies, and some very good ones. I'm willing to put up with commercials if it's something I really want to see.
Thanks again. Always good to hear from you.
Due to our PS3 getting very old, we need a replacement. My son got Chromecast, and it works quite well with Netflix. Due to the big fight between Amazon and Google, I haven't tried the workarounds to get it to work with Amazon. Still, I would miss my PS3. The controller is far handier. For example, I have to use either my phone or computer to "cast" the movie, and then to pause it with them if I need to. Going forward or backward is also a pain. I imagine the Roku would be the same, although it would work readily with Amazon. Yet I hate to buy another PS3 or 4, because we don't use them for gaming any more. My son is into Magic now - a massive card game.
DeleteAnyhow, something like this "Tubi Tv" would also need to be "cast", wouldn't it? I like watching movies on my Iphone, makes a wait at the DMV or doctor go faster, but I still prefer my big screen TV. Does Roku have its own controller? I suspect getting a Smart TV would be the best move, but my TV still works great. Any suggestions?
Other than a Roku TV (which I have never seen), I don't think there is a Smart TV on the market that can match the abilities of a Roku plugged into a TV. Unfortunately, at some point non-Smart TVs will no longer be made, leaving Smart TVs and Rokus to compete for wifi attention.
DeleteI'm not sure what you mean by a Roku "controller". All Rokus come with a remote, and you can also use a Roku app on iOS and Android devices as a substitute remote.
If it has a remote, that would be great! I just want to be able to pause a movie, or fast forward or backwards without needing to head for my computer or get my phone. My IPhone won't show me my list, so I usually use my computer to "cast" the movie. With Roku, can you see your Netflix and Amazon lists? It would be cool to do everything with just one device. I hope I am making sense, as I am new to this "casting" bit.
DeleteOops, the above is from me, not "Anonymous"! I forgot to sign my son out and myself in on google.
ReplyDeleteYes, all Rokus come with a remote, with pause, fast-forward and fast-backwards features. Plus you can see your Netflix and Amazon lists. There is one version of Roku that comes only with HDMI hookup. While it's the most sophisticated (and most expensive) version, you need to have an open HDMI port on your TV to connect. The least expensive version gives you the option of connecting with the red/white/yellow cord or with an HDMI cord.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I appreciate the info.
DeleteWhy is Netflix showing me two stars for Mediterranea (2015) which got a a critics' score of 88 and an audience score of 76 on Rotten Tomatoes? Is it because I watched five minutes of Tactical Force so I obviously can't enjoy a foreign film with subtitles. Makes you wonder why Netflix makes such a big deal about their algorithms.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Certain adult originals still show a 5 star rating even though I rated every one of them one star.
DeleteA bit off topic but why can't the service be like Play Music. After much music listening it recommends albums to me about 90% that I love.
Exstreamist reports: "Next month, Netflix is going to increase the price of their monthly subscription from $8.99 to $9.99 and most subscribers have no idea it’s coming." One estimate is that 3-4% of its 17 million subscribers grandfathered at that price will cance.
ReplyDeleteSounds high to me. Who else offers a commercial free mainstream streaming service for $9.99? Maybe Starz, but they lost their rights to new Disney movies in 2016 to Netflix.
ReplyDeleteThe exstreamist article seemed kind of pointless, as though it was published simply to satisfy the need for constant content. I can believe that 80% of the grandfathered-in subscribers "didn't even know the price hike was coming." What's the point? That Netflix hasn't done a good enough job to keep them informed? My account is in this category, and on the My Account page, under Plan Details, this sentence appears: "Your streaming plan price is guaranteed through at least May 9, 2016." I'm pretty sure when they raised the price for new subscribers, they sent me email reassuring me of the same guarantee. What else would that mean except that there would be an increase at some point after that date? So the only valid point that one could make from the 80% statistic is that 80% of the affected subscribers aren't paying attention, or forgot. Not exactly the news story of the year.
ReplyDeleteAs far as 3-4% cancelling their subscription, the article doesn't specify that this would be 3-4% percent more than normally cancel their subscription each month, for any variety of reasons. When you're talking 17 million people, I'm sure there are some who cancel because the voices tell them to. If exstreamist is trying to make the point that people will cancel because of a relatively small increase after a long time of no increase, they're not convincing me. Are these the same people who stop eating because grocery prices go up? Oh wait, nobody does that.
I can imagine someone saying, "Netflix is going to cost more now? You know, I kinda forgot we even have it - it just comes out of the bank automatically. We hardly ever use it, let's just cancel." If there is a 3-4% increase in cancellations, I suggest it's because the price increase serves as a wake-up reminder to some of those who haven't been paying attention to their bank statements, and forgot they're paying for something they really don't want or need. More snooze than news.
W72 and Carol: All good points. A dollar a month isn't a deal breaker for me. I don't know if there'll also be an increase on the DVD rate as well, but I'll still be subscribing if it's $2 more a month. The reason I put up the post, however, is that Netflix itself has not announced the rate increase. It's just letting the news leak out. Another example of Netflix not caring enough about its subscribers (us) to tell us what it's doing. Poor corporate-consumer relations, to my way of thinking, but this is the way Netflix operates.
ReplyDeleteOne of the articles I read recently said that Netflix will notifying everyone who is being moved to the $9.99 plan by e-mail, but a fair point. Until I saw some of the articles on the price hike, I had completely forgotten about it although as Carol noted there is an expiration date for our grandfathered plans mentioned somewhere in our account information (which I never look at). On a scale of 1 to 10 of poor consumer relations, where 10 is the worst, I would give Netflix a 5. They get a 10 for letting Doctor Who go; a 10 for their Adam Sandler movies; and a 15 for not allowing me to reorder My List without going through hell.
ReplyDeleteHaving now read over a dozen articles today alone about the Netflix price hike, I have three take-always. First, you have to be living under a rock to NOT know a price hike is coming in May.. Second, almost every article I have read states that Netflix is still an incredible bargain compared to other streaming services, and it's price increase is minuscule compared to the average annual price increases for cable TV providers. Third, the 3 to 4% churn rate (which is over and beyond the regular churn rate) comes from a note and survey done by a Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) analyst. There is a separate JP Morgan analyst note out that cites its own survey of Netflix users and estimates a churn rate of 10 to 15%. The UBS note references its own survey and the JP Morgan survey and concludes that the JP Morgan estimate is wildly inaccurate. In any survey on price hikes, you get a whole host of people claiming they will not tolerate ANY price increase. UBS cites a survey it did of a proposed price hike for cable subscribers where 68% of the respondents said the would drop their service if there was a price hike. In reality, the actual incremental churn rate after the price hike was less than 1%!
ReplyDeleteNetflix reports its 2016 Q1 results in a couple of weeks, and I am sure Reed Hastings will have some comment then. My guess is that he will note the significant increase in original TV content, the large number of films to which they have bought exclusive streaming rights; the Disney deal; and Netflix's monthly cost vs. HBO. Incidentally, HBO hasn't had a major hit since Game of Thrones. Vinyl, which was supposed to be Netflix's next big hit has been a ratings disaster; recently, Terrence Winter, who was showrunner and also wrote for The Sopranos and created Boardwalk Empire, left after "creative differences". Two David Fincher pilots were not picked up as series by HBO and Fincher is now developing the TV series Mindhunters at Netflix. Finally, Westworld (a TV series adaptation of the novel and movie by Michael Crichton) was supposed to appear on HBO late last year, then this year and has now been pushed back to next year. HBO still is coming out with some great original films and documentaries, plus they have deals or first-window rights from every major Hollywood studio except Disney and Sony, but their dominance in original content is being challenged by Showtime, Starz, Netflix, Amazon and Hulu as well as from cable stations like AMC, FX, BBC America and Sundance TV. You can add in Acorn TV for some great British, Canadian and Australian TV shows and MHz Choice for Nordic noir and other excellent European mysteries. It's a brave new world out there but I think Netflix will be one of the survivors. While I have other differences with Netflix like the relatively thin list of good older titles, their affinity to padding their newer film content with direct-to-video schlock, their unwillingness to aggressively pursue output deals with independent producers (instead leaving that field to Amazon), and their unwillingness to let their customers download content and watch off-line (particularly good while flying or being in foreign countries where internet access is poor) and which goes totally against the stated Netflix philosophy of ""Watch anytime, anywhere", I don't think I will be part of the 3 to 4% churn when the price increases.
Sorry for the typo. Vinyl was supposed to be HBO's next big hit, not Netflix's.
ReplyDeleteThanks for starting this discussion, CanandaiguaNY. I’m glad you posted what exstreamist had to say about the price increase, even though I didn’t think the article was strong in journalistic integrity. I like meaty pieces, with research, background, and analysis - like what Wellesley72 has now given us. (And many thanks to you for that, Wellesley72!)
ReplyDeleteI’m curious to know the specific date of the price increase, as in, more money has now come out of my bank account. The exstreamist article says, “Next month, Netflix is going to increase the price of their monthly subscription. . .,” but, as noted in my previous comment, my “plan price is guaranteed through at least May 9, 2016.” So, the specific date of the increase is important when deciding if Netflix is giving enough notice. (Again, sloppy writing.)
I’m expecting to hear from Netflix, probably in email, about a month before my bank account is charged the higher rate. If that’s what happens, I think that is adequate notice, and nobody has any right to cry, “no warning!” Also, it would give everyone ample time to cancel if they so choose.
Netflix has a number of aggravating flaws, but they do some things right, and I can’t fault them when it comes to this particular issue - at least not yet.
I've still heard nothing from Netflix about price change. A more credible source than Exstreamist, Bloomberg, reports that there will be a $2 per month increase for grandfathered subscribers, like me, who are now paying $7.99 per month. From that article:
ReplyDelete"Netflix will boost rates by $2 a month for customers who have been subscribers for more than two years, while customers who signed up between May 2014 and September of last year will shell out an extra $1 a month. This will affect customers at different times over the course of the year.
"Just 20 percent of those users are aware of the impending price increase, while 12 percent to 15 percent may cancel their subscription, according to a survey by JPMorgan Chase & Co.
"The adjustment will have some effect on Netflix’s business, but not a dramatic one, according to JPMorgan’s Doug Anmuth. He reduced his projections for Netflix’s subscriber additions in the second quarter by 404,000.
"The price increase will have a more positive effect on Netflix’s bottom line. The company has reported higher profits from its domestic streaming business every quarter since it broke the division out in 2011."
Kimmy Schmidt will be visiting you personally to give you the news--unless you plan on cancelling. In which case it will be either Frank Underwood or Pablo Escobar.
ReplyDeleteCarol, Netflix just released its 2016 Q1 letter to shareholders. There were 6.74 million new adds worldwide, including approx. 2.23 million in the U.S. Both were above forecast. Netflix has approx. 81.5 million streaming members.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting discussion of un-grandfathering. It will happen slowly over the course of 2016, not just in May. The longer a person has been a subscriber, the later the un-grandfathering. Before a subscriber sees a price change, a dialogue box will pop up somewhere and show the various options, from the $7.99 one-screen SD plan to the $13.99 4-screen UHD plan. Presumably, if you don't like any of the options, you can cancel although whether that was an option in the "dialogue box" was not mentioned. Netflix stated that the slow roll-out on un-grandfathering is to preserve its brand integrity. It also allows Netflix to divide any churn among three quarters.
I am assuming the letter to shareholders was written prior to Amazon's revelation last night that it will offer a streaming only service for $8.99/mo. There is no mention of the Amazon stand-alone plan in the letter to shareholders, although I am sure it will be brought up on a conference call with analysts that begins at 2 PM Pacific time. The letter does mention Amazon, Hulu and HBO, among others, as competitors.
Netflix also indicated a content spend of 5% of its budget on original films (including, I suspect films made by third-parties to which Netflix has exclusive global rights). This may change according to the reception of the movies. Total content spend for 2016 is about $4.2 billion.
Otherwise, no earth-shattering announcements. Some reference to the good viewer reception for Fuller House and the second seasons of Daredevil and House of Cards. Some mention of the new Chelsea Handler show (new episodes on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays of each week), and some mention of their international original programming. One sentence on still thing about China. Also, more native languages and local programming coming for their new territories.
International subscription adds will slow down in some markets. Netflix specifically mentioned Australia, where adds have doubled over the last year. They don't expect that add rate to continue at that pace over the next year.
My own comments on Amazon's streaming-only option. Either they think that Amazon Prime has reached the outer bounds of expansion, or they are trying to chip away at Netflix subscribers who are resistant to forking over an additional $2/mo. to Netflix (actually only a $1 increase over the Amazon stand-alone streaming service) or $11.99/mo. to commercial-free Hulu subscribers. I don't think this move will have a big impact on any of the three services. I have full Amazon Prime and have enough little purchases during the year to make it worthwhile.
Thanks for this update, Wellesley72. Interesting, and it's good to get more info about the "when" of the price change. Also happy to hear about Amazon offering a monthly pay option. I think the full-year-up-front pay plan kept a lot of people from subscribing.
ReplyDeleteI have created a page for the Price Increase discussion. URL is:
ReplyDeletehttp://expiringonnetflix.blogspot.com/p/netflix-price-increase-in-2016.html
There is also a link at the top of the sidebar.
I will be starting a new Discussions & Ideas page in the next few days.
Meg said ... I was over on DavidS, now jaydro's site, and noticed the comment(s) about "links", including yours, Carol, to bring it up on this page (I think). Carol you do so much already, I can't believe you are willing to add another task. It would certainly make it more efficient to see the movie details (better than the unoGS site) by linking titles to Netflix. That's my vote! Thanks for all your efforts in keeping this blog running smoothly.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anonymous Meg :-) I appreciate hearing from you on the title links issue. Your timing is good. More on this coming soon.
DeletePLEASE NOTE: THIS PAGE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED. PLEASE LEAVE NEW COMMENTS ON THE NEW DISCUSSIONS & IDEAS PAGE. LINK IS:
ReplyDeletehttp://expiringonnetflix.blogspot.com/p/discussions.html
THANK YOU!