Netflix Tipped In Launch Plans For Australia

Living in the land down under comes with some perks — or frights, depending on your preferences — but Netflix has never been one of them. Rumors that the video streaming service will be heading to Australia have been around for a while, but it would seem a launch is imminent based on talks Village Roadshow's CEO has had with the company.

According to Village Roadshow's CEO Graham Burke, Netflix is currently in negotiations with the company to include its content for Australian users in a local launch. This represents a big step towards the fabled launch in Australia: getting regional content deals in place.

Unfortunately, there's still no information on just when, exactly, the mega-popular video streaming service will be arriving in Australia. Past reports have indicated differing timelines, with one putting the launch some time next year. When it does finally come around, Netflix may bring with it a big perk: decreases in online piracy.

Piracy has been a hot topic in the nation (as with elsewhere), and a strong argument in favor of it is the relative absence of adequate legal alternatives like Netflix. Whether the service's availability in Australia will have any positive effect on illegal downloading is obviously yet to be seen, but it is a solid step in the right direction regardless.

SOURCE: ZDNet