Netflix CEO tries to make up for insulting Americans by proposing a cheaper plan

Maybe it's an act of contrition on Netflix CEO Reed Hastings' part after he told The Hollywood Reporter that Americans are so "self-absorbed" that they wouldn't even notice that they pay $1 more than Canadians do for their monthly fix of Netflix movies. Hasting recently announced that, in the coming months, Americans may be able to enjoy the savings that our neighbors to the North do by opting for a streaming-only plan.

Currently, Americans pay $8.99 a month to rent one DVD at a time through the mail and get unlimited video streaming. If Netflix offers the same deal to Americans as it does in Canada -- $7.99 a month for unlimited streaming video -- it's a buck saved and no trips to the mailbox. But that $1 savings might not be enough to stop subscribers from canceling after Reed Hastings spoke with The Hollywood Reporteron Thursday as Netflix launched in Canada.