Netflix is changing gears, getting into original programming rather than merely licensing content which has already appeared on other channels or networks. Is House Of Cards a gamble or could Netflix be about to come into its own in an even bigger way than it has already?
House Of Cards
On Tuesday Deadline reported that Netflix was bidding against several major cable networks, including HBO and AMC, for a new drama series called House of Cards starring Kevin Spacey and directed by David Fincher.
This was a major turn of events, because it suggested Netflix was making a bold move into original programming, rather than just buying up content which has already been made for and aired on other networks.
Netflix has now announced it has won the bid for House of Cards, and committed to at least two seasons (26 episodes) of the show. With each episode expected to cost between $3 million and $6 million to produce that’s between $78 million and $156 million that Netflix has shelled out for the exclusive licensing of the show.
This is the first show that will ever have originated on Netflix, and represents a big step forward for both the company and the industry as a whole.
Netflix As HBO
Buying up seasons of popular shows and making them available for streaming is an easy bet for Netflix, although it can prove costly. But funding original programming is a whole different ball game, even if the names attached to said project are of the caliber of Spacey and Fincher.
As NewTeeVee suggests, this move makes Netflix essentially the new HBO, which itself helped the transition from broadcast television to cable. The parallels don’t end there, as HBO also started out as a re-broadcaster before becoming a producer and distributor of top-notch original programming such as The Sopranos and Sex and The City.
Conclusions
Netflix has already done wonders evolving from a DVD-by-mail company to a streaming video company. And by getting into original programming it’s upping its game once again. This time it’s going head-to-head with cable channels, which means the risks are greater but so are the potential rewards.
All I can say is good luck to Netflix, because the company is about to test the waters for what could be an exciting future.
