Netflix has been incredibly interesting to follow in 2022. The network has been constantly Teeter-tottering between smash hits like Wednesday and All Of Us Are Dead to the abrupt cancelations of Blockbuster, The Midnight Gospel, and Archive 81. It's been an unsteady journey for the once-dominant streaming network, and with upcoming crackdowns on password sharing along with the newly implemented ad-supported subscription tier, Netflix shows no signs of stopping when it comes to fighting back against its competition. This will be continued with Netflix's first-ever live broadcast, Chris Rock's upcoming comedy special which is currently slated to release in March 2023.
Since its inception, Netflix has always stuck to on-demand streaming as its business model, and for good reason: it's now one of the most common ways for people to consume media of any kind. It's convenient, it's easy, and it gives everyone the same opportunity to catch up on their favorite shows. Should Chris Rock's special prove successful for Netflix, what could future live programming on the streaming service look like?
Live Premieres Build Hype
There was a time when, after the latest episode of a hit show aired, discussion surrounding it would dominate office gatherings and workplace downtime. It's still somewhat true, though the model of releasing an entire season at once has led to a noticeable trend. A show gets talked about for a few weeks, maybe a month tops, and then it usually drops off the face of the planet. In recent years, we've seen a few different ways to keep discussion surrounding new releases consistent: scattered releases split across multiple volumes, which some have been incredibly vocal about disliking, or, traditional weekly releases.
Imagine this: if the latest episode of Wednesday were to air at a specific time and date, rather than dropping with the rest of the season, it would be an event. People would prepare for it, they'd try to find ways to make time for it, and they'd talk about how excited they are for it all the way up until it officially airs. If it were to air live, the discourse would be lit on fire. And, for those who can actively engage with the series, spoilers would become a non-issue.
Given Netflix's increasing proclivity towards immediately canceling a series if it doesn't become the next Stranger Things, live premieres would give burgeoning shows and movies a better opportunity to last against Netflix's biggest competition: itself.
What Kinds of "Channels" Would Netflix Have?
Streaming services are more regularly incorporating themed "channels" that typically air a set of programs on a loop 24/7, capitalizing on a growing audience that needs nothing more than background noise for a variety of reasons. Pluto TV in particular is an excellent example of this, offering entire channels devoted to things like game shows, legacy Iron Chef broadcasts, day-time crime shows, and nostalgic comedies. Should Netflix introduce a similar feature if live programming goes well for them, what exactly would it have to offer?
Given the wide variety of content that Netflix produces, there's more than enough to fill a daily programming schedule. Reality shows alone, from the bizarre Is it Cake? to the glassblowing competition Blown Away, can easily be played on a loop, mimicking the daytime schedules of traditional television. Given that Netflix secured the rights to sitcoms like Trailer Park Boys and Seinfeld, their ability to be played out of sequence also allows them to fill hours of time by themselves. It helps that they're both consistently hilarious on top of this.
Will Netflix Include Live Sports?
While streaming networks like Peacock and Paramount+ proudly take advantage of their ability to secure sports licenses, with HBO Max even getting in on soccer, Netflix will in all likelihood continue to abstain from airing sports. This comes straight from the mouth of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, according to a piece by Variety. "We've not seen a profit path to renting big sports... we're not anti-sports, we're just pro-profit." Sarandos would continue by stating that over 165 million separate households viewed Squid Game without needing the Super Bowl preceding it.
For reference, the most viewed episode of The Office during its original run was "Stress Relief," which garnered just under 23 million unique viewers due to airing after Super Bowl XLIII. Obviously, The Office and Squid Game are apples and oranges, but you can understand Sarandos' reasoning.
Still, sports are a universal interest for people around the world. There's an inherent audience for sports that will simply never go away, and streaming services are catching onto this. YouTube TV recently secured the highly sought-after NFL Sunday Ticket for the price of fourteen billion dollars over seven years, according to Yahoo News. It's a lot of money, but it's likely that they'll more than makeup for it in subscription revenue.
Should Netflix Commit to Live Programming?
Incorporating live programming wouldn't be the most unwelcome change to Netflix, especially considering how public opinion of the streaming service has taken a significant blow in recent months. Chris Rock's comedy special will likely serve as a way to test the waters, whether to see if future commitments to the idea are worth pursuing or outright dropping altogether. There are more than a few upsides to live programming, and hopefully, the streaming service will commit to it once it's proven to be successful.