Starz Grows in Bad Economy with Streaming Deals, Online Originals
Starz has proven that putting content online can actually grow the core business.
"We were one of the first people to do a streaming SVOD deal - we did our deal with Netflix in late 2007 - and since then our subs have only grown on traditional platforms," noted Marc DeBevoise, senior vice president of digital media at Starz.
Starz got out front in the streaming space by partnering with Netflix, an arrangement that DeBevoise noted will last until the first quarter of 2012. Perhaps as a result of the positive attention that the partnership brought, Starz grew even in a bad economy.
"The notion of true cord-trimming or cord-cutting, we don't see it," DeBevoise added.
DeBevoise was taking part in a red carpet interview at the recent Streaming Media East conference in New York City. Starz wants to make it easy for partners to serve its content on multiple platforms, he said, and it wants to be packaged as a premium channel in the online video space.
Netflix hasn't been the only online effort from Starz. The network has also created free, ad-supported web series. It's a small business, DeBevoise notes, but a profitable one.
To hear more about how Starz is thriving online (in conditions that DeBevoise calls "a constant state of flux") scroll down to watch the entire interview.
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