Interesting Netflix Tidbits from the Facebook IPO Filing

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, a Facebook (and Microsoft) board member, stands to do very well when Facebook goes public. From Home Media Magazine:

Hastings holds 20,000 shares of “restricted stock units” (RSUs), which allow him to receive cash or stock value of Class B common stock shares upon satisfying a vesting period, according to the filing. Hastings’ vesting condition (which could be a period of time or based on job performance) is not expected to occur before March 31.

Hastings earned more than $610,000 in total compensation from Facebook in 2011, which included $16,667 in board fees and $593,400 in stock-based compensation.

The Wall Street Journal discovered that Netflix bought some ads on Facebook, despite not being able to share ratings and reviews on Facebook due to the VPPA.

Meanwhile Netflix, another company led by a Facebook board member in Reed Hastings, purchased $3.8 million in ads on Facebook last year, well above the $1.6 million it purchased the year before and $1.9 million it purchased in 2009.

For Netflix, where expenses have been under a microscope, that’s less than 1% of its $400 million in marketing expenses for 2011.

Comments

[S]

Don't forget that Netflix went with Microsoft Silverlight for its streaming when that choice left others scratching their heads. The reason was pretty obvious - Hastings sits on the Microsoft board.

I assume that the company's dealings with Facebook follow a similar pattern...

[Erik]

I have never and will never have a Facebook account. If I want to keep in touch with friends or let them in on what I am up to I will send them an e-mail or give them a call. I feel no need to tell the entire world what I am doing all the time. I really do not think anyone is really that interested to start with. People post far too much personal information on the internet. They are only making it that much easier for identity thieves to rip them off or for people to use phishing techniques to gather the personal information needed to steal their bank accounts. People seem to have lost all sense of personal privacy and feel this need to tell the world everything about themselves. In addition, many have found that what they post on sites like Facebook can have a major impact on their professional lives. Employers regularly look at the Facebook sites of prospective employers. That picture of you getting drunk with your buddies at the superbowl party may seem great when you are in college, but a prospective employer may decide that it does not reflect well on you as a potential member of their staff. What you post can cost you dearly in terms of getting that dream job and can wind up having an effect on the entire course of your career. It is best to maintain some level of privacy about your personal life if you do not want to be judged by it in your professional life.

[the troll]

facebook is more evil than Bush and Cheney

[Crow550]

Facebook lets you share as little or as much as you want.

My profile is pretty blank but I do keep up with the News feed.

It's all in how you choose to use it.

[Netflix free month]

facebook is more evil than Bush and Cheney

[free netflix trial]

facebook is more evil than Bush and Cheney

[Free MW3]

I share really little on my facebook.. only let friends see anything and that anything is pretty little of my private stuff.

[Anon-e-mouse]

Facebook is extremely valuable for marketting just simply because of the number of users. Netflix also advertises on cable, radio and in magazines. Do you draw any parallels there?

[Rocketboy_X]

Erik.. Cool story Bro.