HBO doesn’t think Netflix is a competitor. Here are all the reasons that’s wrong

[Commentary] Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes doth protest too much. At an industry conference hosted by UBS in New York on Dec 9, the man in charge of the company that owns HBO attempted once again to distance the premium channel from Netflix.

“These are complimentary services. The viewing of HBO in Netflix homes is higher than your average home,” Bewkes said, adding interest in Netflix is also higher in homes that subscribe to HBO. Hm, well, we disagree. And here’s why they do compete for content. There are no fewer than 12 mentions of HBO in Netflix’s “long term view,” which its investor relations department has provided for potential shareholders in the company. HBO and Netflix compete fiercely for content, both original and from other film studios. Netflix outbid HBO for the hit show House of Cards, but HBO has outbid Netflix for other content, such as exclusive distribution rights for Universal Pictures films on TV, mobile and tablets in the US. HBO and Netflix also compete for subscribers and for international viewers.