Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX)
today announced new agreements that will continue to make Warner Bros.
new release DVD and Blu-ray titles available to Netflix members while
adding to the selection of direct to video titles and Catalog movies
available to be streamed instantly to TVs and computers.
New release titles on DVD and Blu-ray will be made available to Netflix
members after a 28-day window, giving Warner Bros. the opportunity to
maximize the sales potential of those titles and Netflix the benefits of
reduced product costs and significantly more units and better in-stock
levels four weeks after street date. At the same time, a renewed and
expanded license for Warner Bros. streaming content will allow Netflix
to offer its members more movies they can watch instantly.
"These new agreements build upon the strong relationship we have had
with Netflix for nearly 10 years,” said Ron Sanders, president, Warner
Home Video. "The 28-day window allows us to continue making our most
popular films available to Netflix subscribers while supporting our
sell-through product.”
"We’ve been discussing new approaches with Warner Bros. for some time
now and believe we’ve come up with a creative solution that is a
‘win-win’ all around,” said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for
Netflix. "We’re able to help an important business partner meet its
objectives while improving service levels for our members by acquiring
substantially more units than in the past after a relatively short
sell-through window. At the same time, we’re able to extend the range of
choices available to be streamed to our members.”
The agreement covering DVD and Blu-ray provides a means for Warner Bros.
to continue to directly supply Netflix with new titles while
establishing a schedule that allows Warner Bros. to get the most from
the sales potential of those titles (75 percent of sell-through occurs
in the first four weeks) and maximize VOD usage. Netflix benefits from
reduced product costs and better availability of new releases. New
releases from all suppliers account for about 30 percent of Netflix
shipments.
Warner Bros. is currently a leader in many home video categories
including total video (DVD and Blu-ray combined), Theatrical Catalog
video, TV on DVD, and Blu-ray.
About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group brings together Warner Bros.
Entertainment's home video, digital distribution, interactive
entertainment/videogames, direct-to-DVD production, technical operations
and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and
next-generation distribution scenarios. WBHEG is responsible for the
global distribution of content through DVD, electronic sell-through and
transactional VOD, and delivery of theatrical content to wireless and
online channels, and is also a significant worldwide publisher for both
internal and third party videogame titles.
About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix, Inc. is the world's largest online movie rental service, with
more than 11 million subscribers. For only $8.99 a month, Netflix
members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed to
their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly
to their homes. There are never any due dates or late fees. Netflix
members can exchange DVDs as often as they want using a postage-paid
return envelope. Members can choose from a vast selection of DVD titles
and a growing library of movies and TV episodes that can be watched
instantly. Netflix is partnering with leaders in consumer electronics to
bring to market a range of devices that can instantly stream movies and
TV episodes from Netflix directly to members' TVs. These devices
currently include Blu-ray disc players and Internet TVs from LG
Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung, Sony and Best Buy's
Insignia brand; the Roku digital video player; Microsoft's Xbox 360 game
console; Sony's PS3 computer entertainment system; TiVo digital video
recorders; and Internet TVs from Sony and, soon, VIZIO.