Bloomberg reported late last night that Netflix is in talks with DreamWorks Animation to get exclusive streaming rights to its content starting in 2013. This is a big deal, and it follows a strategy we’ve seen Netflix pursue for many months now. Rather than be a cable TV substitute, Netflix is looking to make select deals for premium content – first-run and original programming – while filling in its library with back-catalog selections. At the the $7.99 price point, that makes for a pretty compelling offering, and Netflix can hook different consumers with different bait. The potential DreamWorks deal, for example, could be catnip for parents of young children.
By being selective with its licensing decisions, Netflix can (hopefully) keep prices reasonable. And with more content in the works, maybe the company can even woo Dave back. ;)