Netflix Cuts 50 Staffers After Video Player Upgrade

Netflix has moved to a Web-video player based on Microsoft Silverlight for its Internet streaming service.

That means it’s easier to install and use, according to Netflix. And it also means the company will have to lay off 50 technical specialists in its customer service group, vice president of corporate communications Steve Swasey wrote in a blog post Sunday.

"It’s sad to let go of good people, but we just don’t have the technical specialist work for them to do in Customer Service because of the improvements in our streaming player," Swasey’s post said. "50 of our technical specialists will work through December, then be let go in early January after the holidays. 15 of our technical specialists will take new roles in the main CS group."

Swasey maintained that the job cuts are "not indicative of Netflix as a whole as we continue to add engineers and other positions throughout the company." He said the main customer-service group has more than 300 people and "continues to expand with the growth of our customer base."

At the end of 2007, Netflix had 1,542 full-time employees as well as 1,128 part-time and temporary employees.

Separately, Netflix and TiVo announced Monday that subscribers to both their services can now access movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix directly to their TiVo Series3, HD, or HD XL DVRs, as previously announced.