blockbuster

Netflix is dead if it listens to Wall Street

A correction was made to this story. See details below.

Here's hoping that Netflix managers have the confidence to carry on with a plan that isn't just necessary for growth, but is essential to the company's survival.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is being second guessed by Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities. According to a story in Portfolio (via Wired.com), Pachter "would prefer that Netflix stick to selling movie-rental subscriptions."

Like many on Wall Street, Pachter can't see past the next quarter. He crunched the numbers and argues that Netflix is … Read more

The 404 109: Where we do it doucement...do it slowly...

Fat kids jump (all right, just shout) for joy--this episode is dedicated to you and your far-reaching obsession with foodstuffs. Oh and speaking of fat, today we talk about Michelle Malkin and take an in-depth look at the miracle of personal deep frying, kooky Japanese space beer, the marketing morons at Blockbuster, and Sex and the City AGAIN! One of these days, we're finally going to admit that we're SATC fans. EPISODE 109 Download today's podcast

Your Blockbuster movie download is just a drive away

In the opening scene of The Player, Tim Robbins' character is meeting with writers who are pitching movie ideas they hope the Hollywood producer will agree to make. One idea is pitched to him as, "It's Pretty Woman meets Out of Africa, without stars."

Applying that Hollywood approach, the latest idea from Blockbuster can best be described as "Netflix meets YouTube, without the convenience." That's basically the pitch Blockbuster Chairman and CEO James Keyes made at his first annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday when he unveiled an in-store kiosk he hopes consumers will use … Read more

Activist investor says Circuit City could be sold in two months

If Circuit City gets sold anytime soon, it probably won't be to its chief suitor, Blockbuster, according to one of the electronics chain's most vocal investors.

In an interview with TWICE magazine Friday, Jim Wattles, owner of Wattles Capital Management, which owns 6.5 percent of Circuit City shares, said a sale could happen in the next two months. Wattles also said that Blockbuster, which bid roughly $1 billion for Circuit, isn't the only interested party, and in fact, the likely future buyer will be a private equity firm.

So, essentially, the company has options. It was … Read more

So what is Blockbuster, exactly?

In yet another vexing move by the ill-fated Blockbuster execs, the company announced today that it would be going retail and start selling video game consoles, games and accessories in all of its corporate locations. Some have said that this is a good move for the company and could jump start sales. I think it's crazy.

What is Blockbuster, exactly? Is it a rental chain? Is it a retailer? Is it both? It certainly looks like the company wants to be all things to all people, but not only is that plan foolhardy, it flies in the face of reason.

Whatever happened to the concept of a corporate identity? You know, that old idea you were probably taught in business school where your professor told you about the need for companies to find and solidify core competencies and stick to those. And once you found that, it was your job to be unique in that space and maintain a lead in the industry through price leadership or differentiation. Whatever happened to that idea? Did Blockbuster execs skip that class?… Read more

Circuit City told Blockbuster can't finance an acquisition

Blockbuster sure sounds like it wants to buy Circuit City, but is it able to?

The financial advisers to Circuit City told company officials Wednesday that they think Blockbuster, which has offered $1 billion for the consumer electronics retailer, doesn't have the proper financing to make good on its bid, according to a Reuters report.

In a statement, the company said, "Circuit City awaits a viable financing structure that is predictably executable by Blockbuster given its current constraints of size and capital structure before it would be appropriate to allow further due diligence."

Blockbuster's CEO said earlier this week … Read more

Report: Blockbuster could unplug Circuit City bid

Blockbuster seemed to have no qualms about offering roughly $1 billion to buy up Circuit City stores, but it may not have the stomach for a protracted acquisition fight.

James Keyes, the CEO of video-rental giant Blockbuster, told The Wall Street Journal that his company would proceed with its takeover effort only if conditions are right and that it is loath to go through with a hostile bid. The threat of hostilities is looming, apparently, because Circuit City is not allowing easy access to its books.

"The heart of the matter is that we still need further facts," … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 706: 'U can't haz Internet,' sez AT&T

AT&T threatens that the Internet is going to run out by 2010, and apparently, it's because everyone's watching Gossip Girl online. Luckily, The CW has caught on to the danger and is pulling Gossip Girl offline so the hordes won't keep watching it on their Web site. Because that would be just plain dangerous. Also, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony are all number one! Just ask them! Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 706

PayPal plans to ban unsafe browsers http://www.eweek.com/index2.php?option=content&task=view& amp;id=47667&pop=1&hide_ads=1&page=0&hide_js=1… Read more

Blockbuster sued over role in Facebook's Beacon ad program

As if troubled movie rental company Blockbuster didn't have enough to deal with already: an angry Facebook user has taken issue with its participation in the social network's controversial Beacon advertising program, and is pursuing legal action.

Cathryn Elaine Harris, a Texas resident, filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for eastern Texas on April 9, claiming that it's a violation of a federal statute for Blockbuster to participate in Beacon, which shares rental history on Facebook members' "news feeds" unless they manually opt out. She is seeking class-action status, hoping to eventually … Read more