March 26, 2007 3:31 PM PDT

Microsoft adds Netflix CEO to board of directors

By Ina Fried
Staff Writer, CNET News

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October 21, 2005

Microsoft said Monday that it has increased its board of directors to 10 members, adding Reed Hastings, CEO and founder of Netflix. "Reed's track record for delivering innovative and disruptive technologies to market is very impressive," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said in a statement. Hastings will be added to the board's finance committee.

At its board meeting, Microsoft directors also approved a 10-cent-per-share quarterly dividend, to be payable June 14 to shareholders of record as of May 17.

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Microsoft - Hastings, a sad mistake
by rickontime March 26, 2007 6:23 PM PDT: This is a sad mistake. Netflix was a good idea - mailing DVD's for the price of a first class stamp (minus some discount, e.g. for pre-sorting). But disruptive technology is not what gave birth to Netflix or what allowed it to have a day in the sun. The Netflix model levered the then lack of any material monetization of catalog films.

Now, Blockbuster is doing it. Wal-Mart is making 60,000 catalog titles available online for mail-order purchase starting this June or July. Imagine the price points from Wal-Mart. VOD is going through huge growth and that is very much owing to ever increasing roll in of catalog films to the VOD offerings of cable companies, etc.

It seems that all of Reed Hastings huffing and puffing has created an image of media expertise. Again, I think it is a truly a sad mistake and attests to what people say are Microsoft?s weaknesses. Of all the choices out there, why Reed Hastings? Did he know someone at Microsoft?; Reply to this comment

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