The cord cutter’s best friend is Netflix. Dumping cable? Then chances are Reed Hasting’s cable killing company is at the top of your shopping list. But that could be about to change if a pilot program that turns Netflix into just another cable channel proves successful.
If a new rumor is true, three regional US cable operators — RCN, Grande Communications and Atlantic Broadband — will soon add Netflix to their regular cable channel lineups.
“The entire cable television market is in the process of reinventing itself,” said Jeff Kagan, an independent telecom analyst. “Watching television on TV used to be the entire pie. Now it’s just one slice of it.”
“We’re making Netflix a channel on our lineup and in our channel guides,” said David Isenberg, chief marketing officer, Atlantic Broadband. “Literally, watching Netflix is as easy as changing the channel.”
Assuming Netflix does indeed become just another channel, there will be no need for a separate set top box (ie Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV) or smart TV, which is about as counter intuitive as one can get.
Netflix: Lost in Translation
How’s that? One of the biggest and longest running problems facing traditional cable TV is that the user interface is complete crap. While set top boxes, like the Roku and Apple TV, have interface issues for their own, they are generally considered to be greatly superior to cable.
So, why on earth would Netflix agree to be just another channel on these small regional US cable operators? Sometimes innovation seems like crazy idea that could never in a million year succeed.
However, some crazy ideas aren’t crazy at all — they’re just stupid ideas.
Call me crazy, but Netflix as ‘just another cable channel’ seems pretty dumb to me…
What’s your take?