Netflix's new pricing model starts, Starz content stops

Today's the day when Netflix's new, and potentially more pricy, split DVD/streaming plans start, and also the day Starz says they've broken off talk for Netflix to carry their content.

Starz said it made the decision to “protect the premium nature of our brand by preserving the appropriate pricing and packaging of our exclusive and highly valuable content,” according to a statement issued today.

And once again I'll counter by saying when Hollywood thinks they're content is undervalued, they fail to realize it's being massively overvalued already.

Consumers have shown time and time again that they're willing to pay a fair price for the content they want to enjoy, when they want to enjoy it. Hollywood has shown time and time again that they consider customers the enemy. But if Starz isn't available where the market wants it, the market will turn to something else, or will find an alternate way to get it. Apple figured this out years ago with iTunes Music. We'll see if Hollywood ever does, or if the greed of past, artificially inflated business models blinds them to the potential of new, consumer friendly ones.

[Bloomberg via the all new, all great looking The Loop]

Rene Ritchie
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Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.