Netflix, NBC renew contract; more shows for streaming

While everyone continues to go mad over the Netflix price hikes, at least the online rental service is holding on to some of its Hollywood studio contracts and adding more content.

However, some of that new content will likely not be enough to please subscribers who are upset over the fact that unlimited DVD rental plus streaming plans start at almost $16 now.

Netflix recently lost a whole slew of Sony-owned content from its digital library, and it's had issues with other studios and networks, namely Showtime, in the last year. Considering many subscribers and the media can now be added to its frenemy queue, Netflix can need all the partners it can get.

Enter NBC Universal. The Peacock Network and Netflix renewed their multi-year licensing agreement, which not only keeps content from that studio available online, but it also brings some new stuff along with it. Of course, that extra stuff comes with more licensing fees, so you can see why Netflix rates are going up.

Some of the film picks that will be available in Watch Instantly are top notch (at least in my humble opinion), including "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "The Motorcycle Diaries."

New episodes from the standard and generally popular NBC programs such as "The Office," "Law and Order: SVU," and "30 Rock" will also be added to the collection.

Mysteriously, The Los Angeles Times reports that new episodes of "Saturday Night Live" will not appear anymore in the Watch Instantly section, at least not for now.

Yet, more episodes of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" will become available. Those shows might not be enough to justify paying an extra $6 per month for most Netflix subscribers, but those are just a few of the many programs and movies incorporated to this deal.

This story was originally posted at ZDNet's Between the Lines