Netflix Seeks Presence on US Cable-TV Systems to Expand

Netflix, the world’s largest subscription-streaming service, wants to attract more customers by adding its Web-based movies and television shows to US cable systems, Chief Financial Officer David Wells said.

US cable operators have had an “open offer” to add Netflix for two years, Wells said. The company is still willing to forge partnerships, he said. “We would love to reduce the friction to the end consumer, and to be available via the existing device in the home, which is the set-top box,” Wells said. Newer set-top boxes blend Internet-based programming with traditional pay television, a development that can fuel expansion if Netflix reaches accords with cable providers. The company, with 35.6 million paying subscribers globally as of June, has signed two European cable systems after relying on game consoles, Blu-ray players, smartphones and Web-TV devices like Roku for growth.