Those services are free... As long as you have a cable/dish subscription to them.

They are also fairly new, so give it some time to get around.

Personally, I think the current Netflix stock crash has nothing to do with the subscription "loss" noise going around, and everything to do with the above (and other) competition.

I have less than 0 interest in picking up a separate app or service for each channel. Aggregation is just way too convenient. Whether they like it or not, I don't think of things in terms of "I want to watch an HBO show", I think of them in terms of "I want to watch x, so I will go to y which has every show I want to watch". Hulu seemed to be pulling this off, but the networks couldn't seem to make that work for them.

I agree that the cause of those services existing (networks wanting to go it alone, causing licensing problems) is also the cause of Netflix's troubles. Netflix's subscription pricing change and subsequent subscription losses is a reflection of those licensing issues, though, as the producers are no longer giving it away for a relative pittance.

How did you first find out about the next show z that you want to watch? Content distributors know that often some is introduced to their next show z while watching x on y. They want to make y one of your dedicated content discovery places.

For me, at least, it's usually from friends who mention that show z is awesome, completely disassociated from where that show appears. Why would I be loyal to HBO when I know that AMC has some great shows as well, as does Showtime. HBO doesn't have the monopoly/near-monopoly on good stuff that it would need for their version to be attractive. I'm far from a normal TV watcher, though.

> Personally, I think the current Netflix stock crash has nothing to do with the subscription "loss" noise going around, and everything to do with the above (and other) competition.

I've seen this many times before.

The way it works is like this:

1. Insiders (both inside and outside the company, anyone with non-public information) known there are serious issues at play.

2. Insiders can't just start dumping shares (due to insider knowledge rules) without exposing themselves / future repercussions (SEC, lawsuits, prison time, etc).

3. Insiders wait for bullshit noise to go around... Such as a small fraction of users canceling subscriptions, Netflix raising prices, and media reporting that Netflix is now losing money even though they are making more now. Sometimes insiders create the noise via proxy (media contacts, websites, etc).

4. Insiders dump shares while pretending they are acting purely on "public information".

This is not something that happens once in a while, but almost 99% of the time.

Think of how many stocks have lost value due to bullshit news (a completely unproportionate response), and then a year later some real bad news comes out that finishes that company.

Red flag # 1 is unproportionate downward response of stock price on not-so-bad news.

Yeah i am greatly enjoying watching live CNN and The Weather Channel online. I'm using a friend's cable TV log in to watch them. I even ditched Netflix recently because Ive found myself watching more free things such as CNN, Youtube and Justin.tv. I use to love netflix but recently got tired of the B grade stuff they're pushing.