HBOs first business plan was not to make shows, it was to show movies before released on home video, let people cuss on tv, and to get around NBA blackouts. It was not until the 80s it started making shows. Heck HBO means Home Box Office. I doubt anyone here can name a HBO original from the first 10 years of it. Tales of the Crypt is the first big one most people know, and that was not until 1989, almost twenty years after launch. Lets compare that to Netflix in the modern market. Netflix launched in 1997 and had its first big show, Lilyhammer, in 2012 (if you want to push and say Arrested Development that is 2013) so 15 years. Not good in a world that is four times as fast, but no one knew about Netflix in 1997. Heck most people did not know about them until 2006. HBO didnt start making Game of Thrones and Sopranos, they started with Wimbledon, boxing matches, and 76ers games. There first original content was stuff like Standing Room Only and The Seekers. They didnt make a decent series until Fraggle Rock.RCBH928 wrote:but unlike Netflix and Playstation, HBO's main business is making showsisiolia wrote: It worked for HBO, and that's what they're trying to become. When they're hits, exclusive series have resulted in solid profits for Netflix (at least), and have have attracted or maintained subscribers.
In the end, Netflix grabbing the Marvel license for new content, makes them the internet's HBO. And that's not a bad thing.
