WebTV

Netflix is getting ready for a new pricing structure, according to the company’s Q4 letter to shareholders released Wednesday. In it, CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells write: “Last April we introduced a 4-concurrent stream $11.99 option to begin our evaluation of plan tiering. Since late last year, we have also been testing 1-stream Continue Reading →

Amazon.com denied a report that it was seeking to license TV channels to launch a broadband-delivered television service. The e-commerce colossus has approached at least three unidentified entertainment companies about licensing TV channels for an over-the-top video service, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous sources. But an Amazon rep said Tuesday that the company Continue Reading →

Pay-TV channels HBO, Showtime and Starz are blasting a much-ballyhooed study from a research firm that said all were losing subscribers to digital services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. The study from NPD Group released Monday said pay-TV channels had lost 6% of their subscribers in the last two years while online services Continue Reading →

Amazon.com has approached big entertainment companies about licensing their television channels for a new online pay-TV service it is considering launching, in what would mark a significant expansion of the company’s online video efforts. The new service under consideration would offer live TV channels, such as those available now on cable or satellite TV. Through Continue Reading →

Almost one year after Intel first confirmed it was building an Internet TV service featuring a camera-sporting set-top box, telecommunications giant Verizon has confirmed it has purchased the assets of Intel Media, the business division responsible for developing Cloud TV products and services. Verizon says that the deal will help accelerate “the availability of next-generation Continue Reading →

Is Netflix putting a dent in premium cable subscriptions? A new study suggests that a growing number of consumers are opting to pay for standalone Internet video services instead of subscribing to HBO or Showtime — although the data does not prove the trend. Total U.S. households that subscribe to HBO, Showtime, Starz and other Continue Reading →

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday announced that it will hear a closely-watched dispute between Aereo, a start-up that streams over-the-air TV for $8/month, and major broadcasters — including NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox — that say the service should be shut down for copyright infringement. The news, noted on ScotusBlog, means the court will Continue Reading →

On Thursday morning, the nominees for the 86th Academy Awards were announced — and the list contains many expected names and an Oscar newcomer. Netflix continued its awards season run with its first Oscar nomination for the documentary The Square, while science fiction films made an impression as well. Continuing its recent successes, Alfonso Cuarón’s Continue Reading →

YouTube can already recommend related videos, but it doesn’t necessarily show the best videos; you have to rely on outside help to separate the wheat from the chaff. However, that search for quality clips is about to get a lot easier. The streaming giant is teaming up with DreamWorks to launch YouTube Nation, a five-minute Continue Reading →

Amazon spent much of last year focusing on original content, and is now looking to help those involved in the process of creating movies and TV. The site recently launched Amazon Storybuilder, which lets you manage ideas with virtual post-it notes and a corkboard. If you’ve ever seen a screenwriter’s workspace when they’re planning a Continue Reading →