Netflix will add video programming from some of the world’s highest-profile magazine and digital publishers to its streaming service, the latest effort by the company to expand beyond traditional TV and film while giving subscribers more reasons to stay on the platform between marquee releases
Beginning Aug. 3, Netflix will carry a curated lineup of entertainment, lifestyle, food, travel and celebrity-focused videos from publishers including Penske Media’s PMX division, BuzzFeed Studios, Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines, People Inc. and Tastemade. The programming will be available to subscribers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand
The move represents yet another step in Netflix’s strategy of broadening its content mix beyond exclusively scripted and unscripted originals. In recent years, the company has expanded into live sports and events, video games and podcasts as it looks to deepen engagement among its subscribers
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“Our members don’t just want to watch a show or film and move on — they want to keep exploring the stories and personalities they love long after the final credits roll,” Netflix VP of animation series and kids and family TV John Derderian said in a statement. “These partnerships help us deepen fandom and create more ways for members to carry those stories with them throughout their day.”
The licensed programming will range from brief two- or three-minute videos to longer episodes running more than 20 minutes. Netflix said the collection is meant to help viewers discover travel inspiration, cooking ideas, fashion trends, celebrity interviews, home and gardening tips and other lifestyle content that complements its existing library
Among the Penske brands participating in the agreement are Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Rolling Stone, IndieWire and Eater. Netflix will feature Variety’s celebrity interview series “How Well Do They Know?”, which challenges actors, musicians and other personalities to identify dialogue or lyrics from their previous work
Other series joining the platform include Vanity Fair’s “Lie Detector,” People’s “My Life in Pictures,” Harper’s Bazaar’s “Burning Questions,” Architectural Digest’s “Walking Tour,” Billboard’s “24 Hrs With” and Tastemade’s “Struggle Meals.”
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The partnership also includes content from BuzzFeed brands including A*Pop, Cocoa Butter, Pero Like and Tasty; Condé Nast titles including Vogue, Teen Vogue, Wired, Bon Appétit and Glamour; Hearst brands such as Cosmopolitan, Elle, Good Housekeeping and Delish; and People Inc. publications including Entertainment Weekly, InStyle and Food & Wine
For publishers, the agreement extends the reach of their video businesses to Netflix’s massive audience of more than 300 million paid memberships worldwide. As for Netflix, the deal adds a steady stream of recognizable programming at a relatively low cost while further positioning the service as a broader entertainment destination rather than simply a place to watch exclusively movies and TV shows
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