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'Netflix Is the Most Intoxicating Portal To Planet Earth' (nytimes.com)
Instead of trying to sell American ideas to a foreign audience, it's aiming to sell international ideas to a global audience. From an op-ed: In 2016, the company expanded to 190 countries, and last year, for the first time, a majority of its subscribers and most of its revenue came from outside the United States. To serve this audience, Netflix now commissions and licenses hundreds of shows meant to echo life in every one of its markets and, in some cases, to blend languages and sensibilities across its markets. In the process, Netflix has discovered something startling: Despite a supposed surge in nationalism across the globe, many people like to watch movies and TV shows from other countries. "What we're learning is that people have very diverse and eclectic tastes, and if you provide them with the world's stories, they will be really adventurous, and they will find something unexpected," Cindy Holland, Netflix's vice president for original content, told me.
The strategy may sound familiar; Hollywood and Silicon Valley have long pursued expansion internationally. But Netflix's strategy is fundamentally different. Instead of trying to sell American ideas to a foreign audience, it's aiming to sell international ideas to a global audience. A list of Netflix's most watched and most culturally significant recent productions looks like a Model United Nations: Besides Ms. Kondo's show, there's the comedian Hannah Gadsby's "Nanette" from Australia; from Britain, "Sex Education" and "You"; "Elite" from Spain; "The Protector" from Turkey; and "Baby" from Italy. I'll admit there's something credulous and naive embedded in my narrative so far. Let me get this straight, you're thinking: A tech company wants to bring the world closer together? As social networks help foster misinformation and populist fervor across the globe, you're right to be skeptical. But there is a crucial difference between Netflix and other tech giants: Netflix makes money from subscriptions, not advertising.
The strategy may sound familiar; Hollywood and Silicon Valley have long pursued expansion internationally. But Netflix's strategy is fundamentally different. Instead of trying to sell American ideas to a foreign audience, it's aiming to sell international ideas to a global audience. A list of Netflix's most watched and most culturally significant recent productions looks like a Model United Nations: Besides Ms. Kondo's show, there's the comedian Hannah Gadsby's "Nanette" from Australia; from Britain, "Sex Education" and "You"; "Elite" from Spain; "The Protector" from Turkey; and "Baby" from Italy. I'll admit there's something credulous and naive embedded in my narrative so far. Let me get this straight, you're thinking: A tech company wants to bring the world closer together? As social networks help foster misinformation and populist fervor across the globe, you're right to be skeptical. But there is a crucial difference between Netflix and other tech giants: Netflix makes money from subscriptions, not advertising.
Someone help me. I can't parse the issue here.
Instead of trying to sell American ideas to a foreign audience, it's aiming to sell international ideas to a global audience.
So what? It's a business strategy, not a social agenda. If it works and that's what people want, bully for them.
Is there a German or Argentinian version of 'Game of Thrones' that would be equally enjoyable but we just don't know about it because it's not broadcast outside of their home countries?
I mean, GoT is a fantastic show but is it equally enjoyed by people in China for example? I'm an avid subscriber of Netflix but I must admit, I skip over any show that isn't made in Britain, Canada, or the US... but maybe it sounds like I'm missing out on some awesome TV
"As social networks help foster misinformation and populist fervor across the globe, you're right to be skeptical."
Yes, if you're so blind that you can only extrapolate the present into the future. You know, at one point, social media platforms really did bring the world closer together. You're no more "right" to be skeptical now than you would have been to believe that social networks would remain nothing but sweetness and light.
Instead of a rotating cast from 100 famous actors there have been movies with just about anyone in them from all over the world. Something Hollywood should've done long ago but didn't because they think they can't make 300-800 million off no names. I don't think it's a social justice thing. I just think they want grab the international market and just make it better. If you start bringing movies from different areas to others it increases exposure and creates more demand. It also introduces different film making techniques across the globe to people who might not ever see them.
n/1
Er, fine, but what's Netflix-y about this?
I watch (English subtitled) Russian versions of Sherlock Holmes stories on Amazon, and there's all sorts of other international stuff on there too.
a pity party for GOP Incels to whine about women?
A country asserting it's borders and national pride helps keep that culture alive.
Keeping a culture alive means more interesting and diverse stories to tell. I don't see the problem :)
I hardly ever watch videos in any form. I have access to a friend's Netflix account and I watch maaybe 2-3 videos per year. I'd be surprised if I watch even 10 videos a year, be it television or movies or whatever. But I guess I'm the weirdo.
As an American, I enjoyed watching Occupied.
a pity party for GOP Incels to whine about women?
Stop this madness right here.
News flash, for most people what being a "nationalist" means is enjoying and celebrating the uniqueness of your culture. It doesn't mean they want everyone and everything else to be like them - quite the opposite.
Anyone who enjoys travel and visiting people across the world is inherently a nationalist, someone who would not welcome all cultures being ironed out into one boring mass.
So of course people are interested in watching shows that explore other cultures around the world, even if that is secondary to the purpose of the show...
I really like some of the foreign shows Netflix for a unique cultural perspective they bring - my favorite of those is "3%", a show from Brazil that anyone would enjoy. Others like Babylon Berlin are really interesting...
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Despite a supposed surge in nationalism across the globe, many people like to watch movies and TV shows from other countries.
Thinking your nation should be distinct from other nations, and preferring your nation over others, doesn't mean you don't like other nations, too.
Is there a German or Argentinian version of 'Game of Thrones'
No, but there is a British one on Netflix called "The Crown". However nudity is limited to the occassional ankle, violence is just seemingly polite but extremely biting remarks, weddings are white not red and Hadrian built the wall in the north but once they get to the Brexit era UKIP are will be just like the white-riders that threaten to destroy the kingdom. Try it out - it just might be your cup of tea!
Isn't about "fuck everyone else" - it's more diverse in essence than globalism in basically every way. Nationalism seeks to preserve nations while globalism seeks to stick everyone in a single nation. Lack of appreciation of other cultures is not ingrained in anything but globalism.
Bad news: It is Netflix.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
It's not that we want to watch blended foreign films ... it's because they are pushing that content. And with no ability to filter selection based on language, they are pushing society towards their ideal of Globalism ...
I don't find their content entertaining. Specially their stand-up comedy "specials" are boring from scared comedians who doesn't dare say anything slightly edgy or controversial in fear of offending anyone. bleh. Cancelled my subscription.
It is possible for a show to get an International Following even in places it has never been legally licensed.
This worldview is shaped by a small group of people in San Francisco who have an agenda to push. I canceled my account sometime after the Amy Schumer special and before the show about drag queen kids.
I watch all the foreign language stuff with subtitles, the 3% actors were generally excellent so I'm sad to hear the dub was so bad. It held up really well even through season two and had a solid ended, so it's worth trying that out and see if you can grow to like the subtitles...
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Trump is white AND a traitor to his own country, but pretends to hate globalists even though his daughter is one. I bet that has you thoroughly confused. Here, suck Putin's cock a while, you'll feel richer I bet.
Cup the emoluments.
Because no one ever watched movies and TV shows from other countries before Netflix. /sarc
E.g. Australia made "Skippy" specifically to sell in global markets in 1968. Jackie Chan built a global cult following in the seventies. FFS, Clint Eastwood's first starring role was in a movie shot in Spain by an Italian director and was released in Italy before the US.
"Despite a supposed surge in nationalism across the globe, many people like to watch movies and TV shows from other countries." This is either utter ignorance or an attempt to rewrite history.
Netflix Canada has what, all of three movies?
Netflix is like a ghost town, with the odd tumbleweed blowing down the main street.
Netflix is absolutely terrifying.
The Netflix catalog continues to blow chunks. It's literally nothing but OLD C-grade content and self-made content that barely rivals the dreck on the Hallmark channel.
I continue to be incapable of understanding what the hipsters see in NetFlix.
This article again reminds me that I have a NetFlix subscription and that I have not watched ANYTHING on it for 6 months or more. Well, beyond time for me to cancel that shit.
All titles not in your native language is labelled with an english title and you won't find out it is in some language you never even heard off untill you start playing it, after which Netflix counts it as a click and a success.
The ammount of dissappointment is getting too much.
Know what they call that useless skin and bone around the vagina? The woman. Learn to cook or be a useless gash for life. Hope you like cats!
A good movie or series is a good movie or series, no matter where it's being made.
who would have thought?
On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.