- Netflix explores potential agreements with video podcasters while examining its next growth phase.
- YouTube’s success with video podcasts has shown that they are not only for listening.
- Podcasts could provide cheap content and Netflix advertising revenue growth.
Netflix has spent the last two decades upsetting the television sector. Could video podcasts be the next ones?
The company explored agreements with podcasters, four initiates from familiar industry with Netflix’s strategy, told Business Insider. The effort comes as The climb and the power of podcasting has Intimate interest of Netflix in the content of the creator.
Last year, Netflix sought to conclude an agreement with Alex Cooper from “Call Her Daddy”, two people familiar with talks told Bi. Cooper ended up hitting a Treat with Siriusxm, which was worth up to $ 125 million.
Netflix refused to comment.
A talent agent said that during the conversations in recent months, Netflix initiates have warned the idea of typing podcasting talents to organize a video -based video program, after having previously expressed the skepticism that the format could work on the platform.
“More recently, they explore: is it feasible? Which would make sense to us? They ask questions about specific names,” said the agent. “It is an incredible volume of content to a fraction of what they pay for scripted and not scripted budgets.” This person, as well as other initiates of the industry, spoke of the state of anonymity to protect trade relations; Their identities are known to bi.
Netflix sought to conclude an agreement with Alex Cooper from “Call Her Daddy”, two people familiar with talks told Bi. Antony Jones / Getty Images for Spotify
Netflix’s past incursions in Talk style shows have generally revolved and have often been short -lived. However, the streamer did not abandon this approach. Last month, Netflix announced that it Signed John Mulaney At a 12 -week show, “Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney”. This follows the “John Mulaney presents six weeks: everyone at” and other projects that Mulaney had with the Streamer.
The effort to sign podcasters, however, is an indication of the general warming of Netflix to the idea of working with creators, declared the initiates of the industry to Bi. In recent months, Netflix has welcomed creators born on YouTube, including artists The Sidemen and the Children’s educator Ms. Rachelto its platform.
Video podcasts could be a natural extension of this effort.
“I could see a world in which audio and vodcasts are broadcast on Netflix so that they can offer an all-in-one place to keep users on their platform for everything,” said Jessica Cordova Kramer, CEO and Co-founder of Lemonada Media, which works with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Meghan Markle on their podcasts.
Video podcasts can appeal to Netflix and other streamers because they are cheaper than traditional television emissions, their regular release hours can get a habit, and they can increase advertising revenues by adding an additional inventory.
“We have spoken with several banners who seek to associate with us for approved content,” said Cordova Kramer.
Podcasts are more and more monitored
Netflix undoubtedly sees how YouTube has become the main platform for podcasts. He beat Spotify and Apple since the fourth quarter of 2024, Edison Research found. Creators such as Tana Mongeau and Logan Paul, in turn, are in turn Dressing the Podcast boom By creating their own shows, which helped extend their business through tours, merch, etc.
Many podcasts, especially those of the variety of discussion, also have video components. In an Edison report based on interviews and surveys, 89% of weekly podcasts Gen Z auditors said they had watched (or listened to) podcasts with a video at the end of 2024. YouTube said People watched 400 million hours of podcasts on televisions in 2024 via its platform.
This trend has compared the format of the day and the end of the evening that has been on television for decades, said Ray Chao, main vice-president and general manager of Vox Media for audio and digital video .
Chao said that television companies other than Netflix had already looked for talk shows that had started in the digital field. He underlined Pat McAfee in ESPN and “Hot Ones” in Hulu. Chao refused to comment on the active commercial opportunities of Vox Media in space.
The “Smartless” podcast – hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes – generated a lap document on Max. Images Cindy Ord / Getty for Siriusxm
The initiates of the industry said that more banners entering the fray could be a boon for the podcast industry.
“The podcasting has somehow went through many things in the past 18 months,” said the founder of Pave Studios, Max Cutler, citing the iOS 17 update of Apple, who changed the Podcast downloads and the affected advertisements. “Bringing someone like Netflix will really help develop the overall listening and audience pie.”
What does Netflix want?
The initiates of the industry said they saw Netflix offers go in several ways. Netflix could concede by conceding existing podcasts and giving up exclusivity, as he did with “The Amazing Digital Circus”, a popular YouTube program that came to Netflix in October.
Netflix may also want to have something unique, three people familiar with their efforts said. In the case of Cooper, Netflix expressed interest in creating original programs around the star, said one of the people familiar with talks. A model could be something like “Smartless: On The Road” by Max, a program based on Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and the popular Podcast by Sean Hayes.
Netflix could even want shows to itself – or at least exclusively for a certain period before being available on YouTube. It could also offer subscribers a version without advertising as a way on the YouTube version, or search for auxiliary content among hosts beyond the basic Podcast property.
None of the initiates who spoke with Bi thought that Netflix was about to challenge YouTube anytime soon. But some have seen one day when Netflix could offer a section directed by creators or a free version of its service, which could eat in the domination of YouTube.
A short -term challenge: Netflix will probably want to enter the Podcast sector with the greatest creators, and there are not many.
Notables like Cooper, the guys “smartless” and Dax Shepard have already been taken in breathtaking agreements. A candidate is Kylie Kelce, the wife of Jason Kelce, who at one point Past Joe Rogan Like the most popular on Apple and Spotify. Or Netflix could turn to those who could rely on his vertical comedy, like Tony Hinchcliffe, who hosted the “Netflix comedy festival is a joke” from Netflix.
However, the initiates of the industry generally said that they thought it was only a matter of time before more of these transactions were concluded.
“If the first cycle of the expansion and acquisitions of the podcast came from the Spotify, the Sirius, the Amazons of the world, the next round will probably come from banners,” said Cutler.
Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of the mother company of Business Insider, is a member of the board of directors of Netflix.