Redbox And Xbox Live Want Original Programing To Compete With Netflix

Streaming services have re-mapped the media landscape. The Netflix streaming service grew in just a few years to become one of the dominant means of accessing film and TV content, and its first forays into original content have been a great success. House of Cards, the first show to premiere exclusively on Netflix, has reportedly done very well, though the company hasn't released official numbers to publicly tally the show's viewership.

Netflix already has other new programming in the can, such as the fourth season of Arrested Development, and the Eli Roth-produced show Hemlock Grove. It is developing more shows, but being first doesn't mean that Netflix will be able to remain the only streaming service with original content for long. Amazon is developing its own material, and now the Verizon/Redbox streaming venture and Xbox Live are both reportedly pursuing their own original content.

A Variety report on a recent panel discussion at the UCLA Entertainment Symposium sheds some light both on Netflix's success, and other companies' aspirations.

CAA TV literary agent Peter Micelli estimated to the trade that Netflix is spending around $4m per episode for House of Cards and Hemlock Grove with another new show, Orange is the New Black, coming in just under that price per episode.

He also said,

But right behind [Netflix] is XBox and Nancy Tellem.She's going in looking at it in a similar way to Netflix... Amazon is looking at it on a smaller scale, with comedies, but spending a million dollars per episode.

And without giving out specifics, he said that the Verizon/Redbox streaming venture has been looking into creating programming opportunites. Taken together, that means that within a few years we might see a purely digital set of original content providers to rival traditional TV networks.