Building on the ridiculous Reuters story about Verizon
The alliance makes sense. Redbox promised investors a digital distribution strategy that failed to materialize last year, and it was always assumed that the cheap DVD rental kiosk operator wouldn't go in alone. Amazon.com
Verizon is a strange partner. It may be the top dog in wireless, but its FiOS broadband television service is a small player with just 5 million accounts.
However, the Redbox brand and Verizon's digital prowess will result in this being less of a failure than it would be if the telco behemoth tried to make it on its own.
I went over three reasons why Verizon would fail in this initiative earlier this week. Let me update my concerns given the possibility that it's moving in with Redbox as a partner.
1. Verizon is limiting its audience
The original Reuters story claimed that Verizon wouldn't be launching this service in markets where it's currently offering FiOS. The logic goes that it doesn't want to cannibalize its broadband television service by arming cord-cutters with an alternative.
This doesn't seem like it can play out that way now. Why would a national player in Redbox let Verizon cherry-pick the markets where this service is offered?
2. Studios aren't interested
One of my biggest concerns was that studios wouldn't want to play along with Verizon. They don't have established relationships. Redbox does, though it's not always amicable. Redbox tried to play along when it agreed to join Netflix in delaying new releases from its rental kiosks for the first 28 days that a new title is on the market last year. Coinstar isn't exactly thrilled with what that has done to its rental business.
However, studios at least have to give more respect to a Redbox-branded streaming service through Verizon. The deal will help.
3. No one can pay as much as Netflix for streaming
It's hard to pay as much for streaming content as a company with more than 20 million paying subscribers, but at least Verizon won't be starting at zero if it's joining forces with Redbox.
Digital content still isn't cheap, but at least there's a better chance now that Verizon and Redbox will be able to scale quickly as it markets its offering to Verizon smartphone owners and frequent Redbox renters.
I still don't see this potential service -- which TechCrunch's source sees launching in six months -- as much of a threat to Netflix, but at least it has a better fighting chance now.
If you want to follow this saga, track the latest news by adding Netflix to My Watchlist.
