The middlemen in the industry are dying the death of a thousand cuts.

I would comment more but I need to watch 6 seasons of X-files before April 1st and they are all pulled from Netflix streaming.

First, examine who is Hollywood really? You seem to think “they” are just greedy power players. What about the majority of content that isn’t made by big studios but by indie filmmakers? But, if by “Hollywood” you mean studios and networks, they are just trying to make back their money and pay salaries. They don’t have tons of extra money these days, and are not greedy, they’ve had major layoffs and had to destroy their indie film branches due to the economy. But most of the real “Hollywood”is independent filmmakers who work without any pay for years developing and writing movies, many of which never get made, then when one does, they go out on their own and raise money from investors, family, friends etc and make a film. When they distribute these stories that they made by their will power, expertise, and lots of love, they need to make their money back and many MANY of them do not due to terribly low Netflix streaming deals and the domination of big superhero tentpole movies. Without DVD sales to recoup expenses, many indies never make a profit. Many films even distributed by Studios are Aquired after some independant artist toiled to make it on their own and the general public just assumes that because a studio’s logo is on it, that the studio created the movie from the begining, which they did not. They only bought it after it was shot and edited, and maybe even screened at festivals. These independant filmmakers deserve some compensation, but to my understanding, Netflix offers FLAT DEALS (no residuals and no extra money for extra views). This is not a fair deal. If their content attracts more viewers/ happy customers, they deserve a bigger cut! So before you attack “Hollywood” (which is a figment of your imagination as Hollywood is made of hundreds of thousands of people, businesses, studios, mom and pop shops, independent artists and etc)., please understand that itunes and netflix need to make deals that artists and creative professionals can make a living with.

The fair deal occurs if content is offered to us and we feel the price is fair for us to purchase it as we manage our own money, making our livings. If we feel it is unfair to us, we will not purchase it. If Netflix forms deals, flat or otherwise, which enable them to offer content that we deem affordable to pay for, then congratulations to Netflix. Perfectly fair. If Netflix makes deals with companies and indie producers which cause higher prices on the content they offer, then consumers can leave Netflix. And if leaving Netflix, consumers should definitely seek the content elsewhere if they want the entertainment. They can seek it through another service, which by virtue of its business model, or of the deals they’ve brokered, meets the price level the consumer wants. That is fair regardless of whether it is equitable to filmmakers or not. As they supply their content they are free to manage price levels and product quality to meet demand, but are responsible themselves if demand evaporates. And you are free to donate money to indies if you wish, or travel to attend multiple viewings of their releases. Netflix and itunes most certainly do not need to make deals that arists and creative professionals can make a living with. They will make a living if their offerings make it through the chain of distribution, are acquired by the certain quantities of consumers who choose to pay prices beneficial to the consumers, and in quantity to turn profits. Fair!