Topic: Netflix / Hulu removing content?

[tendoboy1984]

Why do Netflix and Hulu constantly remove movies and TV shows? This never happens with PSN, Amazon Video, iTunes, etc.

Why does this only happen with video content and not music? You don't see Spotify or iTunes removing songs from their service.

[NWR_insanolord]

It happens with video and not music mostly because video content is spread across more companies than music. Also, Apple's such a big part of the music business now that the only way to hurt them would be for everyone to drop them, and the only way for that to be at all feasible would be for them to conspire, which would be collusion, which is illegal.

As for video rights, the content owners saw what happened to music with iTunes and have thus been a lot more reluctant to hand the power over to one entity like Netflix. The deals they make only last so long, and if they can't come to an agreement they get dropped. You see this less on Amazon Prime because 1. Amazon's trying to buy their way into this market and are throwing their weight around to make deals, and 2. the content companies are trying to make Amazon into a true competitor to Netflix, which would give them more leverage in these negotiations with both of them.

[BranDonk Kong]

Money. Your $8/mo can't get you access to every movie forever. It kinda sucks, but it's understandable.

[Ceric]

Part of it is that Content Providers see Netflix as someone who needs Content Providers more than Content Providers need Netflix.  That is shifting some but, is also why Netflix is making there own original stuff they own.  Then there is the like of Funimation who has a devoted fanbase that will buy there DVDs even if its on Netflix, Broodwars, and then another that will just download them off the web.  Netflix effective turns those people into paying customers by the convenience.

[Oblivion]

They add and remove content. Comes with the territory.

[BlackNMild2k1]

It's kinda been explained but the short answer is Contracts.

for expample;
Netflix would usually score a 5 year contract with someone like Starz, allowing them to put all of Starz catalog up on Netflix. When that 5 years is up, they would renegotiate the contract. If they can't agree on a $$amount or specified content, then the contract lapses and content gets dropped. If the contract gets renewed before a lapse, nothing changes. if it get renewed after the lapse, then the content gets added back again.

[ShyGuy]

I don't know if a large portion of the record labels dumping iTunes would be illegal collusion. Maybe if another distributor like Amazon or eMusic was involved. It may be a contract violation though.

Maybe a better comparison to Netflix is a subscription music service Rhapsody. Then there are Pandora and Spotify, which are "free"

[NWR_insanolord]

It wouldn't be collusion if they all decided to do it independently of each other, but no record label will risk being the only one to drop off it. Theoretically possible, but practically impossible.

[Stratos]

I wish that Netflix would do a better job of letting you know when content will be dropped. I would prioritize my viewing if I knew certain series would be gone after a certain time. I know the website shows expiration dates but the apps on Wii/Wii U don't show this very clearly, if at all (I don't recall if the video's profile shows the expiration date).


Let me search my stuff by expiration date so I can catch it before it is gone.


I'm sure that Netflix and others track their viewers and prioritize the most watched shows. And of course their budget for these streaming contracts is finite.

[Ceric]

None of the Apps tell you well.

Also what annoys me about the mobile apps is no suggestion when your done with a series and no instant go here next.

[pokepal148]

http://appleinsider.com/articles/10/08/17/pink_floyd_albums_removed_from_itunes_after_record_contract_expires

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I didn't even think Hulu ever lost stuff I thought it was run directly by the studios, I guess I was wrong I signed up this past week and a ton of shows I used to watch with my mom are all gone.