NetFlix hits 81.5 million subscribers worldwide

The shares may have fallen @15% in trading on weaker forecasts but it is a big win for NetFlix to hit 81.5 million subscribers for an internet only streaming service.

In the USA Netflix has more than twice the number of subscribers as Comcast and it makes Sky in the UK on 12 million subscribers look like a tiddler.

With Amazon launching monthly subscriptions the battle is well and truly on but NetFlix would be a very attractive merger partner for an old style media company who missed the boat initially on the digital age. Good news for the internet streamers but there are bound to be more casualties in the traditional TV world.