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Appearing onstage with New York Times journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin at the DealBook conference, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced tentative plans to create original Bollywood and anime-style programming.
Hastings says this decision is the result of Netflix’s commitment to produce more unique programming not being served by traditional production companies. He explained how Internet streaming has solved many of the problems presented by international distribution, which has freed creators to develop shows that can find audiences on a global scale.
Netflix is becoming increasingly more ambitious with its original programming plans; the company is set to spend $5 billion next year on content. Hastings cited the Netflix Original Series ‘Narcos’ as an example of a cross-cultural collaborative effort—the show is a Spanish-language American/French production filmed in South America—that has succeeded in attracting previously untapped audiences.
“You go beyond the normal spectrum to get quality and you really stretch to the things that you can do. On-demand and the internet really gives you that power.When you have incredible distribution, then you have to open the front end of the funnel to have incredible producers around the world. We’re hopeful that we’ll over time make a great Bollywood show, make a great anime show.It might be that it’s more segmented, but again the internet let’s you do that. I think that’s the key in that enablement.”
Hastings acknowledged that productions geared toward an international fanbase present their own unique set of challenges, but insisted that quality content will always find an audience.
We’re certainly looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Netflix viewers!
