Comcast Says No To Netflix Partnership

Several days after Netflix said it liked the idea of potentially partnering with cable and satellite providers to make Netflix an integrated part of their services, the largest cable operator has come forward to say, "Thanks but no thanks." The company apparently feels it's good enough on its own, and doesn't like the idea of partnering with a service that many people see as a direct competitor.

And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that Netflix and Comcast are definitely competing for viewers. But Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is trying to spin that narrative and say that both his company and companies like Comcast have a common enemy – HBO. And the old saying goes the enemy of my enemy is my friend. That's not a good enough statement for Comcast, though.

Company spokesperson Alana Davis was quoted by industry publication Fierce Cable as saying, "We have no plans to offer access to Netflix to our customers through our Xfinity TV service, no matter what device." Cable companies, including Comcast, have their own video-on-demand services. The only problem is customers don't use them. A recent study suggested only 3% of the average cable user spends his or her TV time watching the on-demand channels from their cable box.

[via NY Times]