While Netflix has made a huge move in the last two years to expand its library of streaming movies and TV shows, the company has only been able to make a few deals that give users access to recently broadcast episodes. But a report in the New York Post claims Netflix is offering networks top-dollar for access to fresher content.

According to the Post, Netflix is offering to pay anywhere between $70,000 and $100,000 per episode for shows that are currently airing. Right now, aside from some series that air on Starz, the company’s newest content comes from NBC’s Saturday Night Live; new episodes appear on Netflix the day after each show airs.

As Netflix, Google and others (including Microsoft) get into the business of first-run TV content, the Post says a war is brewing between producers and broadcasters:

The studios that supply the networks with shows argue they own the streaming rights to in-season shows. But the broadcast networks that make a profit from repeats — and stand to lose audiences, ad dollars and syndication revenue if viewers can see those same episodes on Netflix — argue they control the rights.

Would having newer TV shows on Netflix make the service more attractive to you? Or are you perfectly happy watching them on the networks’ sites or Hulu (or, heaven forbid, on TV)?

Primetime Netflix [NY Post]

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