r/technology • u/chrisdh79 • Feb 03 '23

Netflix says strict new password sharing rules were posted in error Business

https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/02/03/netflix-says-strict-new-password-sharing-rules-were-posted-in-error
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u/lanekimrygalski Feb 03 '23

Deciding to kill a premium brand associated with high quality content like HBO, in favor of the Discovery brand, seems pretty incompetent to me

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u/dratseb Feb 03 '23

It’d be like a winery converting to a beer factory to save money while expecting people that like wine to continue buying from them. Discovery and HBO are fundamentally different services catering to different people. Wine connoisseurs aren’t going to suddenly decide they like beer.

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u/CoolPractice Feb 03 '23

It’s not incompetence it’s hubris. Discovery is the CEO’s baby. He bought WB just to prop up Discovery.

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u/ABenevolentDespot Feb 04 '23

The high quality content HBO is a money loser, has been for a long time. The WB is currently not much better.

The very inexpensive to make trashy reality shows that are Discovery's bread and butter are a goldmine.

It's about the money, honey. No incompetence there.

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u/draftcrunk Feb 04 '23

Sad but probably true. Just rampant and disgusting unbridled and unchecked greed.

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u/SymbioteSpawn Feb 04 '23

Sure, but it's very short-sighted. People still want to watch The Wire and Sopranos over a decade later, I don't think anyone is going to be binging through 90 Day Fiance (or whatever, I have no idea if they make that show) in the same relative length of time.

I get that Zaslov will be gone and will have walked out with short term success, but anyone who is holding onto the company long should see this is a terrible plan.

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u/ABenevolentDespot Feb 04 '23

Products like The Sopranos and The Wire will likely be around for a long time because they are HBO financed projects that they have access to forever royalty free (although the actors and some above the line personnel do get ongoing residuals).

The stuff they're removing is stuff they have to pay ongoing fees to retain because it's someone else's product, and their metrics tell them not enough people are watching to continue paying the product owner to leave it on HBO.

Zaslov was the exact wrong person to be involved with and given control over Warner Brothers and HBO. Even worse than AT&T, who were a complete fucking disaster. Everything AT&T touches turns to shit.

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u/YouCanLookItUp Feb 04 '23

Until you realize it's an ideological posture, not a business one.