Netflix without rethinking in-house productions despite more supply

Multiple channels instead of exclusive content: Netflix is once again being offered more films and series by studios. However, the company does not want to take the opportunity to reduce its own production.

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Netflix is not planning any restrictions on in-house productions, even though Hollywood studios are once again offering more of their films and series to the streaming market leader. "That doesn't make me change my mind at all," Netflix manager Bela Bajaria, who is responsible for content, told journalists. The service regards the catalog titles of other studios as a supplement to its own program.

In recent years, Hollywood studios have tried to withhold their films and series exclusively for their own streaming services. This was intended to entice viewers to subscribe to them. The calculation only worked to a limited extent. Most of Netflix's streaming competitors are in the red - even though Disney+, for example, has gained millions of users thanks to expensive Star Wars and Marvel series. However, Netflix remains the number 1 in streaming with around 260 million user households.

The financial situation of some Hollywood studios' streaming offerings and the continued dominance of Netflix have recently led to a turnaround in their behavior. They are once again prepared to show more series and films on the market leader, where they can find many viewers. For example, the series "Suits", which was actually completed years ago, recently became a surprise hit on Netflix once again.

Industry observers wondered whether Netflix would use this situation to take fewer risks by investing in its own programming with an annual content budget of around 17 billion dollars. But Bajaria has now rejected this idea.

Even the latest exclusive deal with the American wrestling league WWE only ties up a small part of the expenditure, she calculated. Three hours of live broadcasts per week - that corresponds to the cost of "a few films and a series or a few series and a film".

At the same time, Bajaria showed little interest in showing more Netflix-produced films in cinemas. The service will always remain focused on ensuring that its customers find films on the Netflix platform that interest them, she said when announcing highlights of the Netflix program for 2024 on Thursday. According to media reports, outgoing Netflix film boss Scott Stuber has been pushing for more films to be released in cinemas first in recent years. (SDA)

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