Sunday, October 03, 2010

Block busted

Blockbuster Video is run by Blockbuster Inc. Some would say "ruined by." Using several different online employment classified search engines, we finally found one result for Blockbuster. CareerBuilder.com lists a full time job opening at Blockbuster in Los Angeles for a "Content Operations Coordinator - Digital." And what are the duties on that one? "Manage the flow of content ingestion for the Blockbuster OnDemand catalogue. Coordinate content-related matters with vendors and the internal team."

Hey, if you need a job, it's a job. But we'd advise you against believing the hype ("We're a dynamic company where people who have a passion for movies and games really shine.") Most importantly, we'd advise you not to get too comfortable there because Blockbuster has serious issues when it comes to planning and vision.


Last month, Blockbuster went the Chapter 11 route. And there's no indication that they've learned a damn thing. Redbox and Netflix now outperform Blockbuster. And you hear that Netflix comes straight to the house which, honestly, sounds like so much whining.

Last month, Ruth hit upon the reason for Blockbuster's problems, the red tape required to get a membership. Once upon a time, when videotapes with new films on them sold for $70 and above, there might have been a need to treat a video store membership like a small loan. Those days are long gone. And too many people don't want the hassle and a lot of people can't meet all the requirements.

Or the heavy-handed Blockbuster tactics. September 25th on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update, Seth Meyers waived a videocassette around and declared, "Blockbuster Video on Thursday filed for bankruptcy protection. Well, Blockbuster, seems our eight-year tug of war over Tango & Cash has reached its conclusion."

Blockbuster

While not addressing that problem, Blockbuster continues to meander along. One thing they've apparently learned is that it's cheaper just to post signs in store windows and skip advertising clerk store positions.