Hacking NetFlix

Is Netflix Under Investigation by the SEC?

Rocco Pendola on Seeking Alpha wonders what's behind the alleged SEC investigation of Netflix. Pendola got a "No Comment on this" from Netflix, and he wonders if this is about reporting of churn numbers or something more.

Of course, there's a chance that this is all this morning's report is about. However, Netflix's "no comment" leaves open the possibility that it's about something more. Given the myriad issues that surround this company's balance sheet, Is It Live or Is It Memorex conference calls, corporate communications or lack thereof, public discourse regarding shorts, options compensation, misguided stock buybacks and generally broken business model, nothing would surprise me.

Either way, I'm always baffled as to why the media and Wall Street picks up on one story at a particular time, but not on a similar, more specific story at another time. When Brown went public with explicit details on the SEC churn investigation in September, I was one of the few - maybe even the only - media members to follow up. Today's story basically says nothing precise other than there is some sort of inquiry and it makes repeated headlines while dinging the stock. Go figure.

Netflix Rumored to be in Talks for 'Hemlock Grove' Horror Series

Deadline.com reports that Netflix is in talks to pick up 13 episodes of a new horror series by Eli Roth.

Netflix is finalizing a deal with Gaumont International Television for a 13-episode series order to Hemlock Grove, an hourlong thriller/horror series executive produced and directed by Eli Roth. This marks the first foray into television for top horror feature writer-director-producer Roth, creator of the Hostel franchise. Hemlock Grove is based on Brian McGreevy’s upcoming gothic horror novel of the same name, which will be released by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on March 27. Set against the backdrop of our darkest myths, adolescent deceptions, ravenous relationships and rumors of a werewolf, the series re-imagines everything it means to be a monster as reflected in the struggle to be human.

Netflix is starting to act more and more like HBO.

Thanks to FearNo1 for sending this in.

NY Times on The Netflix-Supported Video Privacy Protection Act

The NY Times covers the controversy over the Video Privacy Protection Act, a bill Netflix is supporting to enable sharing of movie information on social networking sites like Facebook. There is a bit of controversy about the bill -- some are concerned that Netflix would share all of your viewing information online, but Netflix will give customers control over what they share:

Netflix, he adds, has already introduced a feature for its subscribers in Canada and Latin America who want to share the movies and TV shows they watch with their friends on the video site and on Facebook. Netflix gives these subscribers a choice of opting out of sharing an individual film or show.

“If it is determined that consumers want more control over what they share on a granular basis,” Mr. Hyman says, “you will see that being offered as opposed to it being legislated.”

Tidbit from the story: Netflix spent $325,000 in Washington on lobbying in the first 3 quarters of 2011.

Thanks to Kurt for sending this in.

 

Nook Color 1.4.1 Update Includes Support For Netflix

TechCrunch reports that the Nook Color 1.4.1 update includes support for Netflix, and will be available as a free automatic wireless download this week. If you have a Nook Color and can't wait, Barnes & Noble has posted instructions on how to download the update.

Update: I updated my Nook color via the download link, and it's not a bad viewing experience. The sound volume is pretty low, and the video is a tiny bit jerky at times, but the Nook Color Netflix app does support subtitles. 

Rumor: Verizon Latest to Be Interested in Acquiring Netflix

Update: It looks like Verizon & Netflix are exploring a partnership instead of a buyout, and The Street updated the story: "But Janney Capital Markets analyst Tony Wible finds a buyout unlikely. "Any buyer has to not only pay $4 billion for Netflix equity, but also has to pay another $4.5 billion for the content obligations that are likely debt. It is far cheaper to buy rights on your own than to buy Netflix. It is also far cheaper to buy Netflix's subscribers for $100 than to buy the company for almost $400 per subscriber." 

The Street reports that Verizon is the latest company to be looking at acquiring Netflix, which makes sense since Verizon is rumored to be looking at a deal with Redbox and Netflix is close to a 52-week low.

Netflix New Releases for December 13th, 2011

Here's the full list of new releases this week (detailed list): Kung Fu Panda 2, Larry Crowne, Daddy Longlegs, Tanner Hall, Fright Night, Monica & David, The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975, Champions, Circumstance, and Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. 

New Netflix Streaming Releases for the Week of December 9th, 2011

New Netflix streaming releases in the past week include Waiting for "Superman", Jackass 3, Peter Pan (2003), The Take, The Apostle, Ultraviolet, Fireplace for Your Home, Not Another Not Another Movie, The Pit, How Beer Saved the World, Sarah Palin: The Undefeated, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings Invests in DreamBox Math Platform

TechCrunch reports that Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and John Doerr have invested $11 million in the DreamBox math learning platform. 

Hastings said of Dreambox: “This additional investment underscores my commitment to bring the power of DreamBox Learning to every school, classroom and student across the U.S. to help motivate kids to become masters of mathematics.”

DreamBox Learning will use the new funds to expand its curriculum, fuel future product development, and expand distribution and adoption.

Netflix CCO: 'We Expect Subscriptions to Turn Positive in December'

The Wrap Senior Editor Sharon Waxman interviewed Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos, and he had some interesting responses:

On why he's optimistic: "We have deals with every major content supplier, studio and network alike. We’re in 46 countries streaming. We have technology deals in place with Apple, Google, Microsoft, Sony, Amazon. Every time that there’s a new product announced that has got the capability to deliver video from the internet, Netflix is invited in. We’ve become completely ubiquitous with this idea of internet-delivered content on the screen. Just last week we were announced on the Amazon Fire, on the Nook, every hot product that’s coming out. We’re doing great expansions of our deal with Microsoft, with Apple, we’re getting more and more devices."

On losing subscribers: "The losses are slowing. And we expect subscriptions to turn positive in December."

On the Starz deal: "The Starz deal was uniquely cheap for what it was."

On pricing: "We're not messing with prices. We're not messing with prices."

Possible Hack to Revert to Old Netflix Xbox 360 App

Tech PrOn has a hack that might enable access to the old Netflix Xbox 360 app (the one with Party mode and the old UI):

All around, Netflix is by far the most disappointing thing in the new Xbox update. Luckily, there is a way to get the old Netflix look back. And if you think you might want to go back to the redesign one day, that's okay, because the fix below allows you to use both the new and old look on your Xbox 360. After performing the steps below, it's just a matter of choosing which Netflix app you want to use in the future.

Here's the steps to find and use the old Netflix app.

via Business Insider.