If Netflix's exclusive deal with producer Shonda Rhimes was a brush-back pitch to the traditional TV business -- and Disney in particular -- the streaming service's latest mega-signing, with Ryan Murphy, represents a bean ball. Part of the rationale for that merger was to bulk up the studio's content business as it prepares to launch its own streaming service, taking on Netflix's dominance as a direct pipeline into homes. Netflix, however, is serving notice that it won't easily be trumped in the battle for premium content. Beyond Disney, Netflix also has its eyes trained on other deep-pocketed streaming competitors -- some still just getting their feet wet -- including Amazon, Apple and Google. "The value of elite series creators has increased, in much the same way a franchise player drives the value of an NBA team," he told CNN.

Source: CNN February 14, 2018 17:25 UTC