Netflix shifts focus from Hollywood movies to concentrate on exclusives
Netflix is to renew its focus on home grown content after vowing to shift resources from licensing big budget Hollywood blockbusters toward more unique content such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.
As a result of the shift in focus the streaming service is set to lose a slew of big name films including ‘Hunger Games: Catching Fire’, ‘World War Z’ and ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’, licensing arrangements for which are set to expire by the end of September.
In a blog post Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos said: “While many of these movies are popular, they are also widely available on cable and other subscription platforms at the same time as they are on Netflix and subject to the same drawn out licensing periods. Through our original films and some innovative licensing arrangements with the movie studios, we are aiming to build a better movie experience for you.”
This approach stands in stark contrast to rival services Hulu and Amazon, both of which are competing directly for the same viewers against the likes of cable TV and DVDs.
It follows news that Netflix is now subject to accurate surveys of viewership numbers for the first time.