11/01/2012

Steve Hewlett presents a topical programme about the fast-changing media world including, today, Netflix and the future of TV. Netflix, the video streaming service which enables customers to watch films and selected TV programmes over the internet, launched in the UK on Monday. Reed Hastings, the company's founder, claims that 'on demand' services like Netflix represent the future of TV. For the past 70 years or so, TV viewing habits have been dominated by schedules set by TV networks. With the rise of catchup and on demand services like the BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and Channel 4's 4OD, viewers have been able to take more control over what they watch and when they watch it. So is Netflix really the beginning of the end for traditional TV? Or will it struggle to make an impact in the UK market, where several catchup and on demand services are already well established? Reed Hastings makes his case to Steve, who discusses the issues with Tess Alps from the TV marketing organisation Thinkbox and Geoff Slaughter from comparison website SimplifyDigital. Steve is also joined by broadcast consultant Stephen Price for an overview of the last year's viewing figures. Who's going up, who's going down and what does that tell us about longer term viewing trends? The Leveson Inquiry into the culture, ethics and practices of the press has resumed after the Christmas break. This week it's been the turn of the newspaper editors to have their say, from Dominic Mohan of The Sun to Lionel Barber of the Financial Times.The Financial Times' chief media correspondent Ben Fenton has been following developments. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

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