What brought bitter media-business rivals Comcast and Netflix together to the point in which the former MSO is going to integrate the latter SVOD service into its pay-TV user interface? Analyzing a deal that would seem highly unlikely as recently as a year ago, the New York Times postulates that subscriber momentum on both sides drove the arrangement.
After adding 53,000 video subscribers in the first quarter, Comcast is finally growing its pay-TV business again after a decade of decline. Netflix will broaden the appeal of its flagship X1 platform and help keep that momentum going.
As for Netflix, analysts forecast that the service grew its North American subscriber base only by about 1 percent in the second quarter. Accessing the 11 million X1 subscribers who don't already use the SVOD service should accelerate growth.
You can read the full NYT report here.