Netflix is reportedly considering a foray into video podcasts (is a “video podcast” just a show?) as a new way to keep viewers engaged. Business Insider reports that the company has been talking to talent agents about “tapping podcasting talent to host a talk-based video show, after previously expressing skepticism that the format could work on the platform.”
The move would not come as a big surprise. Netflix is not exactly synonymous with prestige content—the company produces a couple of blockbuster movies annually to win Oscars, but the bulk of its content is low-budget, largely forgettable fare (at least Netflix acknowledges its movies are bad). Its entry into live streaming, including with WWE matches, gives it a consistent stream of material that does not cost hundreds of millions to produce.
A talent agent speaking to Business Insider specifically cited the low cost of podcasts as alluring to Netflix: “It’s a way to get an amazing volume of content at a fraction of what they pay for scripted and unscripted budgets.”
Netflix is one of those services you keep because it has endless new shows and movies to sift through, but it is not like the HBO of yesteryear where you saw that iconic HBO intro at the start of the show and knew you were about to watch something high caliber. Netflix is slop, but like pigs at the trough, the people yearn for slop. And Netflix is ready to provide.
Netflix is said to be considering different strategies for podcasts, such as signing famous podcasters to produce exclusive content for the service, or simply offering the same shows as seen on YouTube but without advertising, at least for subscribers who are not on the ad-supported tier.
Podcasts have grown in popularity in recent years, demonstrating their influence in the recent presidential election when President Trump made appearances alongside the likes of Joe Rogan and Theo Von. And YouTube, where most people watch podcasts, remains the king of watch-time; the company has said that users watched 400 million hours of podcasts on television sets in 2024. Nielsen data from 2024 showed that people spend more time watching YouTube on their smart TVs than Netflix, which has been good for YouTube as it can win advertisers who previously spent their money on broadcast TV commercials. That is likely something that Netflix wants to address, especially as it pushes its advertising tier hard. Spotify has been pushing into video podcasts for similar reasons.
A lot of what made Netflix special in the past has been thrown out the window as the company looks to show investors growth. Besides introducing advertising, Netflix for years released entire seasons of shows at once so that users could binge-watch; some shows today are released on a more traditional, staggered schedule. The infamous ability to share one account between friends and family is also, of course, dead. Cheap mobile games are offered to users as another bid to keep them engaged.
This all comes, of course, after Netflix finished “disrupting” Hollywood by killing cable and physical media, hollowing out the industry, forcing studios to try and keep up in the new streaming world with their own feeds of endless mediocrity and regurgitated IP (see: Disney+). This is what we are left with.
At least Netflix’s entry into podcasting is not a dramatic change. It is just a continuation of Netflix’s existing strategy to flood its service with endless content that can be played in the background as you go about your day. Just let us pray it does not give a deal to Mr. Beast.
English (US) ·