EPIX will be available in standard definition on channel 395, in high definition on channel 895, and on FiOS TV Video on Demand (VOD). In addition, more than 150 movies will be available every month for EPIX subscribers online at www.epixhd.com. To access the content, customers must subscribe to both FiOS TV and FiOS Internet.

“We’re taking the lead in delivering the richest and best entertainment to movie-lovers, on whatever platform they choose,” said Terry Denson, vice president of content strategy and acquisition for Verizon. “On TV, on VOD and online – FiOS TV subscribers are the first to enjoy the incredible quality and variety of EPIX that’s available only from Verizon.”

Verizon FiOS is the first provider to launch the new channel, and has been offering a free preview of EPIX on-demand since August. FiOS TV customers will get to check out the EPIX HD and SD channels free of charge, from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1. EPIX will be available for sale starting November 2, for $9.99 per month. The easiest way for customers to get all that EPIX has to offer is by tuning to EPIX on FiOS TV and clicking the remote to subscribe, using Verizon’s unique on-screen ordering. EPIX also can be ordered either online by visiting www.verizon.com/fiostvcentral or by calling Verizon at 888-553-1555.

“Verizon FiOS pushes technological boundaries to deliver the very best service and programming to its subscribers, which is why an EPIX-FiOS partnership comes so naturally,” said Mark Greenberg, president of EPIX. “Home entertainment is undeniably changing, and by partnering with EPIX, FiOS will deliver feature films, original series and comedy and music events to the next generation of premium viewers on TV, on demand and online at EpixHD.com.”

EPIX is the new premium entertainment joint venture formed by Viacom Inc., its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate. The channel will showcase dozens of recent releases from Paramount, Paramount Vantage, MGM, United Artists and Lionsgate, along with thousands of classic films.

Upon launch, the EPIX programming lineup will include the worldwide television and online premieres of an exclusive two-hour special concert event: Madonna’s “Sticky & Sweet: Live from Buenos Aires.” In addition, customers will get to see Marvel’s blockbuster film “Iron Man;” the exclusive comedy special “Eddie Izzard: Live From Wembley;” and more than 15 world television movie premieres including “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Madea Goes to Jail,” “Pink Panther 2,” “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” and more.

Verizon’s FiOS TV offers a broad collection of programming, with more than 500 all-digital channels including more than 123 HD channels and more than 18,000 monthly VOD titles, 70 percent of which are free. In addition, FiOS TV VOD includes more than 2,400 HD titles. FiOS TV also provides next-generation interactive services including an advanced interactive media guide; news, entertainment and social TV widgets; remote DVR management; multi-room DVR; and more. Verizon FiOS Internet is a leader in providing the fastest broadband connections, delivering Internet access with downstream connection speeds of up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) and upstream connections of up to 25 Mbps.

With wideband, Comcast has introduced a new echelon of Internet speed tiers, which will redefine the customer experience online and create a platform for Internet innovation in the years ahead. Comcast now offers some of the fastest speeds available today in Central California, including the Extreme 50 tier with download speeds of up to 50 Mbps. Wideband also enables Comcast to double speeds for the majority of existing high-speed Internet customers.

“Wideband utilizes our existing fiber-optic network in neighborhoods across our footprint. With this next generation of service, our customers’ online experience is dramatically enhanced,” said Steve White, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s California Region. “And this is just the beginning. Wideband, combined with our fiber-optic network, gives us the capability of meeting the needs of our customers for many years to come by offering even faster speeds in the future.”

Beginning October 29th, Comcast’s new services will be available to residential homes, and beginning November 5th to all businesses, so its customers will soon be conducting business, surfing the web and playing online games even faster.

As part of the wideband deployment, Comcast is launching two new premium speed tiers to its residential and business class customers. Both new services are ideal for households or businesses simultaneously using several computers or Internet-connected devices. They also will appeal to those who simply want some of the fastest speeds available today:

New Residential Tiers
> Extreme 50, offering up to 50 Mbps of downstream speed and up to 10
Mbps of upstream speed at $99.95/month.*

> Ultra, offering up to 22 Mbps of downstream speed and up to 5 Mbps of
upstream speed at $62.95/month.*

With Extreme 50, Comcast customers will be able to download a high-definition movie (6 GB) in about 16 minutes, a standard-definition movie (2 GB) in about five minutes and a standard-definition TV show (300 MB) in a matter of seconds. Customers with Extreme 50 also will be able to download digital photos, songs and games faster than ever.

In addition to the new speed tiers, Comcast will also increase speeds for its existing Performance tier customers, who will now benefit from doubled downstream and upstream speeds – offering up to 12 Mbps and 2 Mbps, respectively. Plus, with PowerBoost® technology, customers are able to enjoy even faster speeds to download and upload files such as videos, games, music and photos.

Business customers will benefit from wideband with increased efficiency and productivity. Customers can sign up for the Deluxe 50 Mbps / 10 Mbps tier for $189.95/month, which includes a full suite of features and support. As part of their service, Comcast Business Class customers receive Microsoft Communication Services, providing corporate-class e-mail, calendaring and document sharing, as well as additional benefits such as firewall protection, static IP addresses, multiple e-mail addresses and business class 24/7 customer support.

Existing business class customers also will receive complimentary speed increases – speeds on the Starter tier will be doubled to up to 12 Mbps / 2 Mbps and a new Premium Tier also will be introduced, offering speeds up to 22 Mbps / 5 Mbps for $99.95/month.

The notes will be senior unsecured obligations of Netflix. Interest will be payable semi-annually. The interest rate, offering price and other terms will be determined at the time of pricing of the offering.

Netflix intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to repay all outstanding amounts under, and terminate, its Credit Agreement, dated as of September 16, 2009, and for possible future stock repurchases and general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures, working capital and potential acquisitions and strategic transactions.

This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the foregoing notes, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements.

Viewers can tune into MySpace at www.myspace.com/circleof8 now to watch the first three episodes of the series. Episodes four and five will be available on November 3, and each week following one of the remaining five episodes will be available to viewers on MySpace through the finale on December 8.

Circle of Eight tells the story of a young woman who moves into an historic building, The Dante, where she encounters an assortment of neighbors harboring a mysterious secret that unravels in a chain of deaths and supernatural interactions. Multiple levels of interactive content enhance the audience’s connection with Circle of Eight, including hidden clues, an online and mobile game, and exclusive material that can be unlocked through game play.

“Circle of Eight shows our ongoing commitment to launch studio-quality entertainment on digital platforms,” said Thomas Lesinski, President of Paramount Digital Entertainment. “With strong, mutually beneficial relationships with brands such as MySpace, Mountain Dew, Adobe and Blockbuster, we can launch premium quality content in the digital window and continue to monetize Circle of Eight on additional platforms, multiple windows and in international territories.”

Along with distributing the series, MySpace’s social-networking features allow viewers to share and embed the content, interact with the series through social gaming and content, and broadcast their thoughts via forums and commenting.

“MySpace’s exclusive distribution of Circle of Eight speaks directly to our goal of providing content to our users in an innovative and interactive manner,” said Jason Kirk, VP of Video and Entertainment. “The program matches up nicely to our strengths within multiple areas of entertainment and with a younger demographic. We’re pleased to be working with Paramount Digital Entertainment and all companies involved to bring the series to such a large audience through both online and offline routes.”

Following the online run on MySpace, Circle of Eight will be available for rent exclusively at participating BLOCKBUSTER® stores, as well as by mail and through BLOCKBUSTER On Demand®. The full-length film will have additional scenes and a surprise alternate ending.

“We are thrilled to bring such an innovative entertainment experience to our customers,” said Bill Lee, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Blockbuster. “This is one more indication of Blockbuster’s continued commitment to deliver exclusive content to consumers on as many screens as possible, whether that’s through our stores, by mail or through our on demand service.”

All sponsoring companies are heavily involved in marketing Circle of Eight to raise awareness for the series and its multiplatform experience.

Mountain Dew plays a critical role in the Circle of Eight storyline. One of the characters in the series joins the Green Label Art community and creates a unique, custom-designed Green Label Art bottle. The bottle is also featured in the online game where it unlocks deeper mysteries in the Circle of Eight storyline. Green Label Art is Mountain Dew’s limited edition series of collectable aluminum bottles designed by a select group of artists from the world of contemporary art and culture.

In addition to its organic product integration into the story of Circle of Eight, Mountain Dew is promoting the series at stops on the Dew Action Sports Tour, in movie theaters and on television.

“From the start of our collaboration on this project, it’s been essential that Mountain Dew has an authentic purpose within the Circle of Eight storyline and provides value in the interactive experience,” said Frank Cooper, SVP and Chief Consumer Engagement Officer, Pepsi-Cola North American Beverages. “Paramount Digital Entertainment and Milchan/Van Eyssen shared our vision and the final result is innovative digital content that we believe is engaging and entertaining.”

“Working with Mountain Dew, Adobe and MySpace enabled us to create a richly textured story that takes advantage of the multiple media and resources they made available to us,” said executive producer Alexandra Milchan. “Viewers can decide what they want their Circle of Eight experience to be, from passive viewing to passionate involvement.”

Circle of Eight creators produced a unique interactive experience for viewers across operating systems and devices using the Adobe® Flash® Platform and Creative Suite® 4 software. Adobe tools and technologies were used in the majority of the workflow stages for both the filmed entertainment and interactive production, including a mobile application and gaming widget. PDE is able to deliver the multiple interactive elements of Circle of Eight to viewers across devices using Adobe Flash Player and Adobe® AIR®, because of efforts by the Open Screen Project, an industry-wide initiative led by Adobe and supported by PDE and close to 50 other industry leaders, to enable people to engage with rich Internet experiences across any device, anywhere.

“Creating and delivering an interactive digital Web series requires a powerful set of tools, and the Adobe Flash Platform combined with Adobe Creative Suite offered PDE a complete end-to-end solution,” said Jim Guerard, general manager and vice president for Dynamic Media at Adobe. “Circle of Eight is a highly engaging and interactive viewer experience, and because it will be viewed using Adobe Flash Player, which is on more than 98 percent of Internet-connected desktops worldwide, fans everywhere can easily participate in each new online episode.”

A Milchan/Van Eyssen production, Circle of Eight, stars DJ Qualls (Road Trip, All About Steve) and rising stars Austin Highsmith and Ryan Doom. Milchan/Van Eyssen is the collaboration between producer Alexandra Milchan (Righteous Kill, Street Kings) and director David Van Eyssen (BMW Film Series The Hire). The company is located at Paramount Pictures with a first-look producing deal for digital media with PDE, the first of its kind for the studio.

Circle of Eight is directed by Stephen Cragg (Reaper, ER, NCIS), written by Dave Brewman and Brian Horiuchi, produced by Alexandra Milchan and David Van Eyssen and executive produced by Jamie Boscardin Martin (production supervisor for Bruno, Borat). Michael Lohmann (Boston Legal, The Guardian) served as director of photography and April Webster (Star Trek, Mission Impossible 3) and Scott David served as casting director. Interactive creative producer is Sean Naughton, who has served as cinematic director for Microsoft Games Studios and executive producer on Sony’s Quantum of Solace interactive site.

PDE also enlisted one of the most talented film composers working today, Mark Mothersbaugh (the upcoming film Ramona and Beezus, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou), to provide original music for Circle of Eight.

The Motorola CCE EAMS platform is designed to allow video service providers to scale their on-demand catalogs to “infinite catalogs” by solving the operational and capital expenditure challenges involved in storing and processing the multiple multimedia asset formats required for growing subscriber demand. It is the tool video service providers need to help them evolve beyond traditional VOD content to the next generation of value-adding assets–music, games and enhanced TV applications–delivered across multiple screens. CCE EAMS is designed to support and grow with the operator’s increasing on-demand needs–from expanding new asset types to growth in web and mobile network extensions. CCE EAMS is positioned “in front” of TV, web and mobile systems, and acts as the aggregation point for all asset types. Deploying CCE EAMS enables operators to increase their marketing flexibility while improving operational processes, reducing costs and increasing subscriber revenue with a differentiated on-demand business model.

“Motorola’s CCE EAMS platform is a critical solution for realizing multi-screen on-demand services,” said Alan Lefkof, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Broadband Home Gateways and Software Solutions Group. “Video service providers will benefit from Motorola’s highly scalable and automated CCE EAMS platform that supports TV, web and mobile asset types while enabling consistent consumer experiences across multiple screens–and supporting millions of subscriber transactions.”

By providing a single point for TV, web and mobile on-demand asset ingestion and preparation, CCE EAMS enables service providers to deliver video and multimedia services to consumers regardless of location or access device. Its workflow logic simplifies and optimizes content acquisition, validation, transformation, localization, storage and migration to reduce operational costs while producing operational ROI validation reports.

Today’s announcement pairs two of the most popular and fastest growing home entertainment brands in the U.S. The PS3 system’s installed base has reached close to 9 million units in the United States, and Netflix recently reported 11.1 million U.S. subscribers as of September 30.

The partnership further solidifies the PS3 system as the most complete home entertainment hub on the market today, enabling consumers to play high-definition games, watch Blu-ray movies, listen to music, view photos, browse the Internet, and download content from PlayStation®Network – from exclusive games to blockbuster movies and popular TV shows. PS3 system owners will soon enjoy an unparalleled experience watching their favorite movies and TV shows streamed instantly from Netflix, downloading from the PlayStation Network or watching Blu-ray/DVD media. The Netflix offering expands on the entertainment experience delivered to PS3 system owners via PlayStation Network.

For only $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and computers via Netflix ready devices such as the PS3 system and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes.

“The PlayStation 3 system has always been about more than just gaming, and it will soon be the only platform in the industry to offer consumers such a variety of convenient options for enjoying movies and TV shows,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. “Whether you want to watch content on Blu-ray disc and DVD, download it from the PlayStation Network’s video delivery service, or stream videos instantly from Netflix, the PS3 system is the only solution that offers it all.”

“As instantly watching movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix becomes an increasingly popular way to enjoy the Netflix service, our goal is to rapidly expand the devices that stream to our members,” said Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings. “As a leading game console and Blu-ray disc player, bringing Netflix to the PS3 system is a real win for both Netflix members and PS3 system owners.”

Initially, watching movies instantly streamed from Netflix via the PS3 system will be enabled by a free, instant streaming Blu-ray disc that is being made available to all Netflix members. The free instant streaming disc leverages Blu-ray’s BD-Live(TM) technology to access the Internet and activate the Netflix user interface on the PS3 system, which must be online via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Netflix members simply slide the disc into their PS3 systems to reveal movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly. These titles are conveniently organized into a variety of categories based on members’ personal preferences, popular genres, new arrivals and members’ individual instant Queues. Members can use the Netflix Web site or navigate directly on their PS3 systems to add movies and TV shows to their Queues. With the PS3 system’s Wireless Controller, members can choose a movie to watch from their instant Queues or just play directly from any of the lists. They also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream via the Wireless Controller.

Netflix members and PS3 system owners can now reserve a free instant streaming disc for PS3 systems by going to www.netflix.com/ps3. Upon availability, the instant streaming disc will be delivered for free by first-class mail, generally one business day after members request it.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® game consoles, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system and its digital services which include the PlayStation®Network and the PlayStation®Store.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one® game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, and the PlayStation 3 and PSP systems for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is the world’s largest online movie rental service, with more than 11 million subscribers. For only $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. There are never any due dates or late fees. Netflix members can exchange DVDs as often as they want using a postage-paid return envelope. Members can choose from a vast selection of DVD titles and a growing library of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly. Netflix is partnering with leaders in consumer electronics to bring to market a range of devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly to members’ TVs. These devices currently include Blu-ray disc players and new Internet TVs from LG Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung and Best Buy’s Insignia brand; the Roku digital video player; Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console; TiVo digital video recorders; and, soon, the PS3 computer entertainment system and Internet TVs from Sony and VIZIO.

PlayStation 3 owners will soon be able to stream movies and TV shows from Netflix to their TVs using the gaming console, just as Xbox 360 owners have been able to do for a year.

Sony Corp. and the DVD rental company planned to announce the service Monday and launch it next month. It will be available for free to PlayStation 3 owners who have a Netflix subscription that starts at $9.

Netflix streaming is already available on a broad range of devices, such as the Roku digital video player, Internet-connected TV sets (including Sony’s) and Blu-ray players — and the PlayStation 3’s archrival, Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360. On the Xbox, however, the Netflix streaming is available only to Xbox Live “Gold” members, who pay $50 a year mainly to play games online with friends in other places.

For Netflix Inc., the deal brings millions of potential new customers, to add to the 11.1 million it already has in the United States. About 9 million PlayStation 3 systems have been sold in U.S., and more than 25 million worldwide.

Movie streaming is an increasingly important service for Netflix even though it says it expects to keep renting DVDs until 2030. And Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has said he would like the streaming service to be available on all three of the major gaming platforms — the Xbox, the Wii and the PlayStation. Until now, however, the company had an exclusive deal with Microsoft.

“The PlayStation 3 is an amazing video platform,” Hastings said in an interview.

This leaves the Wii as the last console without Netflix streaming. But even without it, the Wii is the top-selling console.

Netflix has about 17,000 movies and TV shows available for streaming, though few of them are new releases. This will expand the movies Sony already rents and sells through the PlayStation 3, and will give the company another feature to tout as it markets the PlayStation as a diverse entertainment device.

With a TV ad campaign whose slogan is “It Only Does Everything,” Sony is targeting men and women between 18 and 49 and playing up the console’s capabilities beyond gaming. Last year, its aim was still younger men, the gamer demographic.

“I think we always knew we made a significant investment in the PS3 and we were ahead of the time in terms of technology,” said Jack Tretton, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America. “But technology that was mystifying to the consumer three years ago is being coveted now.”

To access the Netflix streaming service, PlayStation 3 users will have to pop in a Blu-ray disc that Netflix will mail out. The disc will access the Internet and activate the Netflix system so people can find movies to stream.

At this point, who could begrudge Reed Hastings and his Netflix management team from celebrating, from performing the corporate equivalent of an end-zone dance?

Wall Street and Netflix subscribers appear overjoyed with the direction that Netflix’s CEO has the Web’s top video-rental store pointed in. The only people who don’t seem pleased with Netflix’s success work in Hollywood.

Just days before Netflix reported third-quarter earnings that jumped 48 percent from a year ago and subscriber growth of 28 percent during the same period, two executives from different studios told me they aren’t getting their fair share.

“The thing with Netflix is that people are taking notice that they keep reporting these big quarters,” said one studio exec. “We aren’t participating in that and that’s going to change.”

Another entertainment executive told me Netflix contributes less to the studios’ bottom line than other distribution modes, such as DVD sales. In addition, Netflix and other digital rental stores, including iTunes, may also be luring customers away from these more profitable outlets. He said that the film industry is just like any other supplier–it wants to see the partners who pay most for its product fare the best.

The problem here, of course, is that Hollywood’s best partners are ailing. DVD sales are in decline. Cable providers are seeing customers drop their subscriptions and turn to the Internet for entertainment. Theater revenues are up but that’s due to rising ticket prices.The more important statistic is the number of moviegoers and that’s shrinking, according to one of the studio execs.

As this Hollywood tearjerker plays out, Hastings and his Netflix crew continue to report knockout earnings. In addition, Apple CEO Steve Jobs is growing iTunes’ video-rental business as well as its download-to-own sales, according to multiple studio sources.

In this environment “there’s a lot of jockeying for position,” said Tom Adams, the principle analyst and founder of Adams Media Research, a company that has provided market data to Hollywood for 25 years. “The studios don’t love the rental market as much because the focus has always been on sales. They’ve had Wal-Mart and Target, stores that are willing to take slim margins for the traffic-generating capability that comes with selling DVDs.”

Look at the situation from the eyes of a studio chief: Netflix charges $9 a month and that enables a subscriber to watch all the movie titles Netflix offers online. Compare that with the money the studios get when a consumer pays $14.95 for a single DVD.

The lords of tinsel town would be wise to keep an eye on Hastings. It was just a couple of years ago that many predicted the company he co-founded in 1997 would be crushed by digital-distribution services.

But Hastings is turning out to be the John Elway of digital entertainment. Like the famed former Denver Broncos quarterback, the Netflix CEO has a knack for executing better than competitors and leading his troops out of jams. Plenty of pundits wrote not long ago that online-video services would eclipse Netflix’s DVD mail-order business–with its profit-chomping warehouses, big postage costs, and inability to provide instant gratification. Customers who rent discs must wait until the mailman arrives to watch a movie.

But Elway engineered “The Drive” and Hastings’ engineered the strategic partnerships with Microsoft’s Xbox, Roku, LG, Sony and other set-top makers that enable Netflix users to watch streaming video on their TV sets.

Under Hastings’ stewardship, Netflix has staked out prime turf. By bridging the so-called “last 10 feet” from the Web to the TV, Netflix promises users a viewing experience that rivals the one provided by traditional cable and broadcast stations. Apple can’t do this (who owns an AppleTV?). Ad-supported Web video services, such as Hulu or YouTube, aren’t hooked up to the TV yet in any important way.

As for Hollywood’s concerns that Netflix is hurting more profitable outlets, there appears to be room for negotiation.

Hastings suggested during Netflix’s third-quarter earnings call (PDF) on Thursday that he is willing to share more with the studios once more customers opt for streaming content, which will reduce the costs of shipping DVDs.

“In the long-term, as we license more and more content for streaming and as consumers use streaming more, that enormous and growing postal expense will start to flow to content owners and we will become one of the studios’ and networks’ largest customers,” Hastings said. “The rate of evolution for this depends both on how much streaming content we can license and how many homes have a Netflix-ready device or enjoy watching video on a laptop.”

Hastings appears to be sending Hollywood a message here by saying that Netflix’s streaming service will help turn it into a much more profitable partner, provided the studios give the video store greater access to films and TV shows.

Adams said that Netflix has enjoyed a “grace period” with the studios because the success of Netflix’s steaming service caught many in Hollywood by surprise. (Note: Adams credited Microsoft’s Xbox with fueling much of the speedy growth and said that his research shows Xbox households are watching 17 hours of Netflix streaming content a month, a number he called “significant”).

Adams said he thinks a deal will get done that benefits the studios and Netflix.

Maybe, but Hollywood has a history of going to war with companies like Netflix when negotiations don’t go its way, according to Hastings.

“Occasionally, a studio tries to find ways to restrict a rental firm’s ability to buy at retail,” Hastings said during the earnings call on Thursday. “But retail is so big and diffuse, this strategy has never worked. Four years ago, Blockbuster, in an attempt to have an exclusive in rental, paid the Weinstein Company to block all purchases of their films by Netflix. This attempted blockade continues today but we’ve never had a problem buying Weinstein DVDs.”

One thing to keep in mind is that the “blockade” he was talking about was for physical discs. Part of the reason why it wasn’t successful is that as long as a video store can find someone to sell it a DVD the law allows them to do pretty much anything it wants with the disc.

This doesn’t apply to streaming movies, however. To distribute films online, Netflix needs to reach an agreement with the studios. The studios could conceivably stifle the growth of Netflix’s streaming business by holding back content.

Here’s something else: Hastings said there’s talk the studios may attempt to create a brief “sales-only” period. He didn’t provide many details, but he also didn’t sound too worried.

“If some studios choose to support a sales-only window and delay rental, it would shrink the rental market a bit, but it would grow sales revenue for those studios,” Hastings said. “If we can agree on low enough pricing for delayed rental, it could potentially increase profits for everyone…A short sales-only window would be a benefit to DVD sales and therefore, to the health of the whole DVD ecosystem. Plus, it would allow us to spend less on discs and more on streaming content. ”

What this means to me is that the studios may protect DVD sales while making Netflix even stronger in the rental sector. We’ve seen what Hastings can do when the odds are against him.

How do you think he will fare when he’s out in front?