Netflix Planning To Change The Way It Releases Shows
Netflix could be changing its release strategy in a big way.
This article is more than 2 years old
At a time when the huge number of TV show viewers were left with the option of waiting for episodes every week, Netflix ushered in the era of binge-watching by releasing all episodes of shows at once thus allowing viewers to watch as many episodes as they want, at whatever speed they desire. But call it following the current norm or to tackle its low subscriber intake, a report has cropped up that the streaming platform is set to stop releasing all episodes together and will be opting for a weekly episodic release for its original shows.
As reported by Small Screen, Netflix will be embracing the strategy of its rivals like Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ who have been releasing episodes of their original shows weekly. And according to the report, the streaming giant is going to employ its plans very soon. The reason for the sudden change? As per Small Screen’s insider source, Netflix’s decision is a result of how Prime Video and Disney+ shows like The Boys, WandaVision, and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier have thrived in their weekly episodes format on their respective streaming platforms.
If the report is indeed true, there are two more reasons that explain Netflix’s decision to move away from its binge-watching pattern. Currently, Netflix has to churn out a lot more content compared to its rivals to keep subscribers glued to their platform while its competitors like Disney+ and Prime Video are bringing in more subscriptions with only a few shows and films.
Also, recently Netflix released its quarterly report for 2021 and revealed that they had underperformed in terms of subscribers. In the first quarter of 2021, they have only managed to gain 3.98 million subscribers, which is way below what they had predicted- 6 million subscribers. They also shared in their report that they are going to see only 1 million new subscribers in the second quarter of the year and expecting zero growth in some countries.
While Netflix was quick to blame the slide in its number of new subscribers on the coronavirus pandemic, it is obvious the streaming platform is struggling against its rival streamers when it comes to presenting better shows. And the shows and films that do end up being successful are gobbled down by many in the span of a week, pushing viewers to expect more good content from the streamer.
If Netflix does end up going for the weekly episodes strategy, it may risk losing a hefty share of its subscribers who love the platform for its all-episodes-at-once theme. This is not the first time that news of the streamer changing its series release pattern has cropped up. Back in 2019 when the streamer decided to go for a weekly episode pattern for its two competition series, The Great British Baking Show and Rhythm + Flow, many misconstrued it as a decision that was going to apply to all the shows on the platform and a social media uproar was quick to follow.
The year 2020 saw Netflix break records with a stellar 200 million new subscribers with some of the best content we have ever seen like Money Heist Season 4, Bridgerton Season 1, Lucifer Season 5 Part 1, and many more shows. But perhaps the best idea for the streamer at the moment is not to push its limits in churning stellar content but to change the pattern of how they release it.
