When it comes to streaming services, there isn’t one that baffles me more than Netflix. The streamer was once at the forefront of the industry but now, with loads of competition from HBO Max, Prime Video, and Disney+, it seems that Netflix would have a solid strategy to fight back. But, the flagship series Stranger Things is over and there doesn’t seem to be any other major series to take its place. Sure, Wednesday is incredibly popular, but Stranger Things was a mammoth of a series. And new original films that come to the streamer are hit and miss, to say the least.
Netflix is leaning more of the weird reality competition series and documentary route, and I’m not totally sure about that pathway. The streamer also continues to increase its prices, which has some consumers wondering exactly what they are paying for. Now, Netflix is teaming up with Penske Media outlets like The Hollywood Reporter as well as People, Buzzfeed, and others to bring video content to consumers.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, these Netflix streaming videos will be anywhere from 3-20 minute episodes that subscribers can find on its homepage starting August 3. The topics will have a lifestyle slant and include travel inspo, cooking, fashion trends, celebrity profiles, home and gardening tips and viral conversations. So basically, Netflix is trying to become a pseudo version of YouTube with video content.
There will be archival content with BuzzFeed Celeb’s 30 Questions, Vanity Fair’s Lie Detector, Architectural Digest’s Walking Tour, Harper’s Bazaar’s Burning Questions, Billboard’s 24 Hrs With, Variety’s How Well Do They Know?, People’s My Life in Pictures and Travel + Leisure’s Travel Unfiltered.
I suppose it does make sense to try to bring in fans of those types of series and then perhaps recommend shows/movies that align with their interests. That’s better than introducing a bunch of new series and cancelling them after one season. We will check out these videos and see if it’s what Netflix needs to set themselves up to elevate to a new streaming level.