“HBO Go” the pay-service channels online streaming service (free to HBO subscribers) has been a bit… lackluster… to put it bluntly but have recently made some major announcements.
I’m halfway on the computer-as-a-media-device bandwagon these days. While, yes, I enjoy sitting at my desk “working” with a great Netflix or Hulu program streaming… aside from Netflix movies, I haven’t really bridged the gap to full-time viewing at home, and still kick on the local cable provider for my network stuff. Granted, I have dropped all but my local 2-15 channels thanks in huge part to Netflix (and soon Hulu)… I haven’t found the perfect set-up yet for completely pulling the plug.
Anyhow, back to HBO Go… they announced to Bloomberg’s Ronald Grover that:
HBO intends to stick with its own plan to make shows and movies available online through HBO Go, Kessler said. The cable channel, which has more than 29 million subscribers, generated operating profit of $1.2 billion on $3.9 billion in revenue last year, according to a presentation by Time Warner on May 27. The sister channel Cinemax has about 12 million.
The combination of a DVD mail-order and online service makes Netflix both a customer and “potential competitor,” Jeff Bewkes, CEO of New York-based Time Warner, said on an Aug. 4 conference call with analysts before the Netflix-Epix deal. “Although so far it’s been more of a complementary service to HBO than a competitor.”
In six months, HBO Go will be available to the channel’s paying subscribers at no additional cost through all major cable systems, on Apple Inc.’s iPad, on mobile devices and elsewhere, Kessler said.
HBO Go, which provides 800 hours a month of the channel’s movies and TV shows, has agreements to offer online programming to customers who get pay-TV service through Comcast Corp. and Verizon Communication Inc.’s FiOS.
Sadly this means we will likely not see any of your favorite HBO series on Netflix (for now), but hey… there is so much great stuff there already, and with the recent Netflix/Epix deal… I say screw HBO. I’m moving on, how about you?
