COMING TO CABLE: NETFLIX WITHOUT ANOTHER BOX

Several major cable operators are in discussions with Netflix and other online video services about making them available to subscribers via their cable boxes instead of the other settop boxes that are required for Internet-to-TV viewing, the New York Times reported today (Tuesday) following a similar report in the Wall Street Journal on Monday that Netflix was in discussions with the No. 1 cable provider, Comcast. That report sent Netflix shares rising 8 percent. The Times report, which said Netflix was also in talks with Charter Communications and Cox Communications, did not have a similar effect. Netflix shares were down 2.2 percent at midday trading on the Nasdaq. Also on Monday Netflix made its first major deal with a Hollywood studio, announcing that Sony Pictures Television would produce a thus-far-untitled psychological thriller from Damages creators Todd Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler.