The debut season of Netflix’s first original series “Lilyhammer” is now available on demand to all Netflix “Watch Instantly” subscribers. All eight episodes of the series’ first season can be streamed beginning Tuesday, and the show is available in high definition. Lilyhammer is the first in a string of original content Netflix is working on in an effort to create an all-inclusive online-only network that will truly pose a real threat to traditional pay TV networks. The show features Steven Van Zandt of “The Sopranos” fame, who stars as a relocated New York City gangster trying to make a new life for himself in a small town in Norway. Netflix is working on more original content that will launch this year, including a new season of “Arrested Development” and “House of Cards,” starring Kevin Spacey.

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Verizon and Redbox-owner Coinstar on Monday announced a new joint venture in which the two companies will offer a new streaming video service. The joint venture was originally called “Project Zoetrope” and initial details began to surface in December of last year. It’s still unclear what the joint venture will be called or what exactly each company’s role will be, however Verizon said that the companies will begin to offer a “video on demand streaming and download service” that will no doubt compete directly with services such as Netflix and Vudu. Verizon’s press release follows below.

Netflix on Wednesday announced its earnings for the fourth quarter of 2011. The company noted $876 million in revenue, up 47% from the same quarter last year, and earnings per share of $0.73. Analysts had pegged the company to report revenue in the ballpark of $857.4 million and EPS of $0.54, Barron’s relayed. Netflix also said it added 220,000 new subscribers, a far cry from the 800,000 it lost during the third quarter, and now serves 21.67 million streaming customers in the United States. The company has 24.4 million U.S. customers signed up for DVD subscriptions and that figure jumped by 610,000 during the quarter.

Netflix serves 1.9 million international streaming customers and added 380,000 new subs during the quarter. “We are encouraged by the strength in acquisition that we are seeing, coupled with continued improvements in retention among our domestic streaming members,” the company said in a statement. “For Q1 to date, our domestic net additions for streaming are tracking close to our net additions in Q1 2010 of 1.7 million net additions. Given this trend, we are comfortable with our ability to continue to expand our domestic streaming contribution margin.”

Investors who were upset by Netflix’s poor decision making in 2011 have filed a class-action lawsuit against the company in a U.S. District Court in Northern California. ”At the beginning of the class period, Netflix was facing increasing competition for streaming business, and content providers were exploring new ways to distribute their content and/or maximize their licensing fees,” the lawsuit reads. “Rather than fully disclose the devastating cost increases which were then threatening Netflix’s entire business, the defendants talked about [the company's] ability to grow.” Netflix lost as many 800,000 customers during the third quarter of 2011 when it decided to raise its prices and spin off its DVD rental service into a new subsidiary called Qwikster. The spin-off decision was soon reversed but customers had already left in droves. According to paidContent, investors are also suing because several of Netflix’s executives sold stock before it tanked due to poor decision making.

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Netflix on Tuesday announced that its first original series, “Lilyhammer,” will begin streaming to subscribers on February 6th in the United States. Starring Steven Van Zandt of “The Sopranos,” the series follows the life of a New York City mobster who is relocated to Lillehammer, Norway upon entering the federal witness protection program. ”I am very careful with my choices and this project was so exciting to me because of the wonderful writing, the rich characters and the fascinating culture of Norway,” said Steven Van Zandt, the show’s star and Executive Producer. “Netflix is the perfect home for such a unique show.” Lilyhammer is the first in a number of original series Netflix plans to offer its Watch Instantly subscribers. The company is also prepping an exclusive new season of “Arrested Development” and a new original series starring Kevin Spacey titled “House of Cards.” Netflix’s full press release follows below along with the Lilyhammer trailer.

A Netflix Original Series “Lilyhammer”

Steven Van Zandt of “The Sopranos” and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band is back as a Gangster…this time in Norway

All 8 Episodes of the Entire First Season Available to Watch Instantly on Netflix in the USA, Canada & Latin America Beginning February 6, 2012

Jan 3, 2012

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – ”Lilyhammer,” a gripping fish-out-of-water story set in Norway and starring “The Sopranos” mainstay and E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt, is a new Original Series premiering on Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) to watch instantly on February 6, 2012 in the USA, Canada and Latin America.

“Lilyhammer,” follows New York mobster Frank “The Fixer” Tagliano as he enters the federal witness protection program after ratting on his boss. A sports fan, Frank wants to make his new life in Lillehammer, the Norwegian town that hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics – or as he calls it “Lilyhammer.” Frank has visions of a paradise of “clean air, fresh white snow and gorgeous broads” far away from the temptations of the Big Apple and from mob hit men. Reality, of course, turns out to be spectacularly different.

All eight first season episodes of “Lilyhammer” will be available on February 6 so Netflix members can enjoy the series by streaming over the Internet to connected TVs, tablets, game consoles, computers and mobile phones.

“Lilyhammer” is a well-observed, funny and occasionally brutal story of culture clash, focused on Stevie’s inimitable portrayal of an East Coast mobster,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “We’re proud to introduce this terrific Original Series exclusively to our members. If you love the first episode, there is no need to wait until next week, or to set a DVR, to catch the next one.”

“I am very careful with my choices and this project was so exciting to me because of the wonderful writing, the rich characters and the fascinating culture of Norway,” said Steven Van Zandt, Executive Producer. “Netflix is the perfect home for such a unique show.”

“Lilyhammer” was developed by Rubicon TV AS (creator, Anne Bjornstad & Eilif Skodvin). The Writers on the Show include Anne Bjornstad, Eilif Skodvin and Steven Van Zandt. Producers include Trond Berg Nilsen and Agnete Thuland. Executive Producers include Lasse Hallberg & Steven Van Zandt. The series is a production by Rubicon TV AS.

Netflix announced on Wednesday that its streaming subscribers around the world watched more than 2 billion hours of video during the fourth quarter of 2011. The company also said it served more than 20 million streaming subscribers during the quarter. “We were thrilled to deliver more than two billion hours of TV shows and movies across 45 countries in the fourth quarter,” said Netflix Co-Founder and CEO Reed Hastings. “Netflix delights members by giving them choice, convenience and control over the entertainment they love for an incredibly low price.” The company lost 800,000 customers during the third quarter when it upset customers by raising its prices and then confused them with a short-lived attempt at a DVD rental spinoff business called Qwikster. Netflix is set to debut its original series “Lilyhammer” on February 6th and fresh content, such as Drive, Hugo, Captain America and Margin Call, will be available to customers in the coming months. The full Netflix announcement follows after the break.

Netflix Members Enjoy More Than Two Billion Hours of Movies and TV Shows in Fourth Quarter

With More U.S. Members Watching Instantly, and Aided by Global Expansion, Netflix Streaming Hours Grew Dramatically in 2011
Jan 4, 2012

LOS GATOS, Calif., Jan. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) said today its members instantly watched more than two billion hours of TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix in the fourth quarter of 2011.

With more than 20 million streaming members globally, Netflix has revolutionized entertainment by allowing people to enjoy TV shows and movies when, where and how they want with a click of a remote, mouse or the touch of a screen.

“We were thrilled to deliver more than two billion hours of TV shows and movies across 45 countries in the fourth quarter,” said Netflix Co-Founder and CEO Reed Hastings. “Netflix delights members by giving them choice, convenience and control over the entertainment they love for an incredibly low price.”

Throughout 2011, Netflix continued to add to its already expansive variety of TV shows and movies in the United States, signing new multi-year agreements with CBS, Twentieth Century Fox, Lionsgate, Miramax, Open Road Films, NBCUniversal, Dreamworks Animation, MGM and the Disney-ABC Television Group among others, and announcing the creation of the highly-anticipated Netflix original series “House of Cards,” a gripping political thriller from Executive Producer David Fincher and starring two-time Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey.

Another Netflix original, “Lilyhammer,” starring Steven Van Zandt of “The Sopranos” and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, as a New York gangster in Norway, premieres on Netflix in the U.S., Canada and Latin America on February 6.

“In the coming months, Netflix members can enjoy complete seasons of great TV series from all the major networks and most branded cable channels as well as fantastic films like Drive, Hugo, Captain America and Margin Call,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “The more great TV shows and movies Netflix adds, the more people watch.”

New data from Nielsen suggests that console owners are using their Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii game consoles to stream video content more than ever before. “Streaming now represents a reported 14 percent of Xbox 360 time, 15 percent of PS3 time and 33 percent of Wii time,” Nielsen said Wednesday. The market research firm explained that the growth in time spent streaming was driven by services such as ESPN 3, Netflix, MLB Network and Hulu, but that time spent using consoles also increased overall. Console usage during the first half of 2011 jumped 7% from the same time period last year. Nielsen said gaming is the most popular activity on Xbox 360 (34% of usage), the PS3 is most used for DVD/Blu-ray viewing (22% of usage) and the Wii is used most for offline gaming (55% of usage).

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Mediatech Capital managing partner Porter Bibb believes Verizon Communications is seriously considering making a bid for Netflix. Rumors swirled around recently suggesting that Verizon may team up with the kiosk movie rental service Redbox in 2012 to create its own streaming service to compete head-to-head with Netflix, although perhaps Verizon Communications is considering a different strategy. “I am hearing rumblings from inside Verizon that they are very serious about either Netflix or something similar,” Bibb told Bloomberg on Tuesday. Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam confirmed earlier this month that the company is looking to enter the steaming-video space in an effort to bolster its FiOS offering.

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Barnes & Noble’s previous-generation Nook slate is getting an update beginning today that will add a number of features from the new Nook Tablet to the device. “Among the new features, NOOK Color v1.4.1 now offers access to streaming popular movies and TV shows through Netflix, comics and graphic novels, new PagePerfect NOOK Books, reading NOOK Books in portrait and landscape modes, and many other enhancements through-out the device,” Barnes & Noble said. Version 1.4.1 of the company’s Android-based operating system is available immediately as a manual update on Barnes & Noble’s website and it will automatically be downloaded to devices over Wi-Fi beginning some time this week. Barnes & Noble’s full change log follows below.

The NOOK Color Ver 1.4.1 update contains new features and enhancements, including:

• Access to popular movies and TV shows streamed through Netflix
• NOOK Comics™ including the largest collection of Marvel graphic novels – with vivid colors & rich images, the action nearly jumps off the page. Your issues always in perfect condition to enjoy again & again.
• PagePerfect™ NOOK Books™ – a whole new category of NOOK Books carefully crafted to keep the precision and beauty of their stunning print versions. Zoom in on pictures, and fluidly scroll through pages of beautiful cookbooks, art books, and more.
• Over 100 enhancements, including reading NOOK Books in portrait and landscape modes, direct look-up of words in the built-in dictionary, increased font size selection, and more.

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Walmart has agreed to pay $27.5 million in damages to more than 25 million Netflix customers who subscribed to the service between May 19th, 2005 and September 2nd, 2011, as part of a settlement in a class-action lawsuit. Litigation was levied against the nationwide retailer after Walmart ditched efforts to run a DVD-by-mail business that would compete directly with Netflix. Reportedly, Walmart agreed to bail on its plans provided that Netflix pointed its customers to Walmart to purchase DVDs. Walmart has not admitted any wrongdoing and Netflix plans to continue fighting the charges during a January 23rd trial. While a tentative approval of the agreement was already granted by a judge in September, the final ruling will come during a court appearance scheduled for March 14th. Netflix members will receive payment in Walmart gift cards and cash. As MercuryNews points out, $6.9 million, or 25%, may be paid to Netflix’s lawyers while another $1.7 million will be paid out to cover legal fees. In that case, 25 million Netflix customers would have to divvy up the remaining $19 million, which means members would receive less than $1 each in damages on average.

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Netflix, compelled by the increasing number of Android tablets now flooding the market, announced a brand new user interface for tablets on Tuesday. The company explained that the revamped UI now displays twice as many movie and TV titles, with larger cover art, and that users can easily swipe through titles to find additional content. The changes are all welcome, since we found the old UI was a bit sluggish while searching for something to watch. “In the last 12 months we have seen a threefold increase in how long Netflix members are watching on their tablets,” Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt said, noting the company wanted to introduce the redesigned UI in time for the expected influx of new users from the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet. The update is free and is available in the Android Market now. Netflix said the update will be available for iPad users “in a few weeks.” The full press release follows after the break.

Netflix Unveils New Experience on Android Tablets

New Tablet Interface Improves Discovery of TV Shows and Movies

LOS GATOS, Calif., Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Coinciding with the first shipments of the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble NOOK Tablet™, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) today unveiled a new interface for Android-powered tablets that makes browsing and instantly watching unlimited TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix better than ever.

The redesigned Netflix experience is much more immersive and provides more focus on the growing Netflix catalog by displaying twice as many titles than the previous interface. In addition, through optimization for touch-enabled tablets, Netflix members can swipe through multiple rows of titles with larger artwork. As a result, it is now much easier to discover and instantly watch movies and TV shows on Android tablets.

“In the last 12 months we have seen a threefold increase in how long Netflix members are watching on their tablets,” said Neil Hunt, chief product officer at Netflix. “We’re happy to debut a new user experience coinciding with the release of the next generation of devices from industry leaders. The new Netflix interface offers a significant improvement in browsing and searching for TV shows and movies to instantly watch.”

Netflix members can enjoy Netflix on their tablets by installing the latest version of the Netflix app, available as a free download in the Android Market™ and respective application download stores for other Android-powered tablets such as the Kindle Fire and NOOK Tablet. The new tablet experience should be available for members with iPads in a few weeks.

Netflix offers convenience and value with a broad selection of Hollywood, international and local movies and TV series. Netflix has revolutionized entertainment by giving people a choice to enjoy what they want to watch, when they want to watch it, and for a low monthly price over a wide-range of Internet-connected devices.

More details on the devices that support Netflix are available at: http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices

Shares of Netflix stock plummeted more than 27% in after-hours trading as the company revealed it lost more than 800,000 customers in the third quarter. Netflix now serves 23.8 million total customers and it reported third-quarter revenue of $822 million, beating estimates of $812 million. Earnings worked out to $1.16 per share, which also beat Wall Street’s consensus of $0.96. “While we dramatically improved our $7.99 unlimited streaming service by embracing new platforms, simplifying user-interface, and more than doubling domestic spending on streaming content over 2010, we greatly upset many domestic Netflix members with our significant DVD-related pricing changes, and to a lesser degree, with the proposed-and-now-cancelled rebranding of our DVD service,” Netflix said in a letter to shareholders Monday. Netflix expects DVD shipments to decline sharply during the fourth quarter, a continuation of the company’s earlier changes, but it expects growth in weekly gross additions compared to the December quarter last year. The company said it expects global consolidated income to fall between $19 million and $37 million during the fourth quarter and EPS is expected to land between $0.36 and $0.70.

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Netflix subscribers can finally stream movies to their Android tablets without worrying about installing third-party .apks files or attempting annoying work-arounds. The company announced on Wednesday that its application now supports tablets running Android 3.x (Honeycomb). In addition, the Netflix app supports users in Canada and Latin America now. Netflix for Honeycomb is free, provided you already subscribe to the company’s “Watch Instantly” streaming service, and it is available in the Android Market now.

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Netflix on Monday announced that it will abandon its plan to spin off the company’s DVD rentals-by-mail service. The home entertainment giant announced last month that it would break off its DVDs-by-mail service into a separate company called “Qwikster,” allowing it to focus on the Web-based content that represented the future of its business. “It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings wrote on the company’s blog. “This means no change: one website, one account, one password… in other words, no Qwikster.” Shares of Netflix stock jumped more than 11% in pre-market trading on the news. Netflix lost more than 30% of its market value since the company first announced its Qwikster spin-off.

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Amazon and Netflix both recently announced large content licensing deals. Over the weekend, Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos said his company will provide Amazon Unbox customers with access to FOX content, bumping the Unbox library to more than 11,000 available movie and TV show titles. The new content includes 24, Arrested Development, Ally McBeal, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files and The Wonder Years. Amazon is expected to announce a tablet during a press event on Wednesday and it is largely expected to offer access to all of Amazon’s services, including Unbox. Hit the break for more.

In addition, The New York Times reported on Sunday that Netflix has reached an agreement to provide DreamWorks content to its Netflix Streaming subscribers. “This is a game-changing deal,” DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg told The New York Times, which noted that this is the first time a company as large as DreamWorks has decided to push its content to the web instead of to pay TV subscribers. Netflix will begin to offer DreamWorks titles in 2013 starting with a few upcoming titles including “The Croods,” “Peabody & Sherman” and “Turbo.” Other DreamWorks titles will filter in over time.

The following is Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s email to Amazon Prime subscribers alerting them to the new content:

Dear Customer,

I have big news for Amazon Prime members – we’ve just signed a deal with FOX to add a broad selection of movies and TV shows to our unlimited instant streaming service later this fall. The new additions from the FOX library include 24, Arrested Development, The X-Files, Ally McBeal, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and – available on digital video for the first time – The Wonder Years. We now have deals with CBS, NBCUniversal, Sony, and Warner Bros, and adding FOX will bring the total to more than 11,000 movies and TV shows available for unlimited instant streaming.

Since launching earlier this year, we have now doubled the number of titles available in Prime instant videos, and there’s still more to come. Prime membership remains $79 a year, and of course features our unlimited free two-day shipping on millions of products. Prime is one of the best values anywhere.

If you’re a Prime member, start watching now. If not, start your one-month free trial today.

Thanks for being a customer,

Jeff Bezos
Founder & CEO

P.S. You can also watch movies and TV shows instantly at our Amazon Instant Video Store, where we offer more than 100,000 movies and TV shows for rent or purchase, no Prime membership required.

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