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Netflix has a pretty rough string of news--it angered customers by raising prices, announced that it will lose a chunk of its streaming library after its deal with Starz expires in February, and it split its brand in two. But this morning had a bit of good news for the home entertainment service: The New York Times's Brooks Barnes and Brian Stetler report that it has won rights to stream the DreamWorks Animation slate. "The Netflix accord, which analysts estimate is worth $30 million per picture to DreamWorks over an unspecified period of years, is billed by the companies as the first time a major Hollywood supplier has chosen Web streaming over pay television," they write.
With Netflix now exclusively about streaming video--the old DVD-by-mail business was split off and dubbed, hopelessly, Qwikster--but that is exactly where the company is weakest. Its deal with Starz allowed it to piggyback on the cable network's contract for access to new releases and catalog material from Sony Pictures Entertainment and Walt Disney Studios. But Starz declined to renew those terms which could mean a smaller selection at Netflix coming this February. That's why over the last few weeks, Netflix has been trying to ensure it still has content by then. Last week it announced a deal with Discovery, and in 2013 it will add the DreamWorks Animation content.