Netflix has confirmed that it will launch in Spain this October, with its offering priced similarly to that in other European countries.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with El Mundo, Reed Hastings, the company’s co-founder and CEO, said that he thinks Spain will become one of its most successful markets due to the high connection rate, familiarity with electronic commerce and the interest already shown in Netflix.
He also brushed off concerns about the high rate of piracy in Spain, saying that it has created public used to viewing content on the internet and Netflix can offer a simpler and immediate alternative.
Similar piracy concerns existed in the Netherlands and Canada, and in each case Netflix has become successful. “We can think of this as the bottled water business. Tap water can be drunk and is free, but there is still a public that demands bottled water”.
Commenting on agreements with existing players in Spain, Hastings said that it has a good relationship with Telefónica, having already worked with the company in Latin America.
He also said that Spanish users of Netflix can initially expect to see the same level of content as that available during the launches in France and Germany.
The cost of the service, which will be available in both Spanish and original language, will be comparable to that in other European markets (around €8 a month).
