Tag Archives: Ryan Waniata

Netflix has a new nemesis as Hulu cuts commercials, hooks huge shows

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Netflix may be leading, but the world of online streaming moves at its own, breakneck pace. When compared to traditional TV, watching these services develop over the last few years has been like watching bamboo shoot up beside an oak tree. Two years ago, Netflix became a full-fledged TV network; today it’s a movie studio. Tomorrow? Who knows. And Hulu may well have the same growth spurt ahead. Hulu’s 9 million subscribers may seem relatively insignificant right now, but the company’s user base has grown by over 50 percent in the last year. That’s “break out the champagne and cigars” kind of growth. – Ryan Waniata, Digital Trends

What if Yahoo or Alibaba bought Netflix? Brace yourself, it might just happen

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During an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “In the Loop” Friday, [Porter Bibb,Mediatech Capital] explained that a dangerous combination of Netflix’s enticing subscriber base — which just passed 50 million globally — and an increasingly competitive online marketplace has marked the company as a prime target for acquisition. […] When asked if he thought Netflix’s outspoken CEO, Reed Hastings — the poster child media mogul for the cord-cutter crowd — would actually consider selling his precious brand, Bibb said Hastings may have no choice in the matter. […] This isn’t the first time Netflix has faced the possibility of a hostile takeover. According to The Reporter, Netflix constructed means to protect itself against a hostile takeover back in November of 2012 by drafting a shareholder rights plan known as a “poison pill,” when activist investor Carl Icahn began buying up Netflix stock in droves. However, while the poison pill wasn’t due to expire until November 2015, the company terminated it at the dawn of 2014, leaving it open to attack. – Ryan Waniata,Digital Trends
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Look out Spotify: CD-quality streaming service Tidal hopes to make a splash this fall

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When [TIDAL] launches sometime this fall, new subscribers to Tidal will be greeted by a $20/month subscription fee — twice the cost of most low-res services. For the heftier investment, Tidal users will get commercial-free access to 25 million lossless audio tracks streamed in FLAC or ALAC format, over 75,000 HD music videos, and “tailor-made editorial” from music journalists. Along with its impressive list of audio partners, Tidal will also be available for both iOS and Android devices, as well as offering Web players for Mac and PC. And the company claims its first 16 partners are just the start. Tidal will look to garner more audio partners in the future and is looking to expand to as many as 50 countries worldwide. – Ryan Waniata,Digital Trends 
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12 Best Summer 2014 TV shows on Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu | Digital Trends

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If your summer is more centered around an air-conditioned living room then a trek in the sweltering heat, the season of sun can be a great time to catch up on some good ole’ TV. But for those of us who don’t have cable – or are just tired of the same old choices on Netflix – it can be hard to find new programming to keep the entertainment popping. Luckily, TV has no off season these days, and there’s plenty of choices to explore if you know where to look. To keep you entertained, we’ve put together this list of the best new content you can access on the cheap, as well as anticipated new programming that will soon make its debut. – Ryan Waniata, Digital Trends  http://ift.tt/1jpL8b4