DO EXCLUSIVE PODCASTS BELONG ON NETFLIX?

James Klusener

@jamesklusener

 

Recently Netflix announced that several popular YouTubers would be joining the platform to create exclusive content and media for the streaming platform. 

 

According to The Wrap, the Stokes Twins signed a deal with Netflix to begin bringing some of their content to the platform. Popular podcaster Jay Shetty also signed a deal with Netflix, valued at $100 million. His video podcast “On Purpose” would be distributed on Netflix, with the audio version coming to Spotify. 

 

This comes after some other previous deals Netflix made late last year and throughout this year. Popular YouTubers include Ms Rachel’s child-centric content, Mark Rober’s science and experimentation content, and Rhett and Link’s talk show-style videos. It creates an interesting dynamic where Netflix is seemingly trying to imitate some of what YouTube has been able to capture so well: personal creators who have deep relationships with their audiences. 

 

It’s easy to understand why Netflix may want to do this. It’s cheaper to produce, as opposed to a more traditional series or movie. In addition, Netflix needs to increase its engagement amongst viewers. TV Insider wrote that many shows on Netflix saw a drastic difference in viewership between seasons, with shows such as Beef seeing a 70% drop between season 1 and 2, and One Piece seeing a 30% drop. 

 

These metrics may not matter as Netflix subscriber numbers remain stable, but it will matter soon as Netflix starts introducing more ads into more regions. Ads require engagement and consistent viewership, something Netflix seems to be struggling with. 

 

This makes even more sense when you consider that podcasts are long-form, cheap-to-produce pieces of content that many people consume for hours on end, day after day. Podcasts have some of the highest levels of ad engagement for any digital medium, according to Ad Results Media, one of the leading ad agencies for digital content. 

 

This is because listeners develop trust with the hosts, forming parasocial relationships that make them more susceptible to marketing. Listeners tend to also be more focused on the podcast they’re listening to, unlike social media, where they easily scroll through ads without even noticing. All this sounds great for Netflix, especially if it works. But it begs the question, do podcasts belong on Netflix, and if they do, are they even podcasts anymore? 

 

Many may argue no, podcasts are built on an open platform called ‘Really Simple Syndication’ (RSS). This is a standard that allows audio podcasts to be distributed anywhere and everywhere. Whether it be Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, or Pocket Casts. The phrase “wherever you get your podcasts” is more than just a catchy slogan most hosts use to share their podcasts; it’s a powerful standard that means something: freedom to listen anywhere and non-platform-specific distribution.

 

A podcast is ultimately an audio show distributed freely via RSS, and when it becomes exclusive to a platform like Netflix or Spotify, it forfeits this core aspect.

 

Various video podcasts now available to stream on Netflix (Source: TUDUM).

 

Edited by Isabel Burgers