Audio Video News

Online streaming outfits are turning themselves into studios, bankrolling movies and TV series. Before you scoff, did you watch Netflix’s House of Cards? We did, blasting through all 13 episodes in the first month of availability. The series, with Kevin Spacey as a Machiavellian congressman, has made 86 percent of Netflix subscribers less likely to cancel, says a Cowen and Co. survey. We can’t wait for the second “season.”

The latest trend is for streamers to take over series that made their debuts on broadcast or cable networks. Arrested Development won’t be renewed by Netflix past the initial single season. However, the Fox series made history as the first to migrate from broadcast TV to streaming.

Now the involvement of Netflix has saved The Killing from an early grave. Originally, the Fox Television Studios series was ready for a dirt nap after season two on AMC, but Netflix co-financing changed the network’s mind. Season three will join the first two seasons on Netflix as soon as it finishes its run on AMC.

Xbox 360’s first movie is Pulp, a British comedy. The Xbox Live Video app has the potential to command an audience of 77 million gamers/viewers.