Skip to main content

Streaming saturation: Netflix to double its original content for 2016

Netflix has been getting fans hooked on its original programming, so it’s no surprise that the company plans to keep making more of it. Over the course of 2016, the streaming service’s slate of original shows will almost double, going from 16 to 31. The major push in content creation was announced by Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos today at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York.

The exec gave an update on the content currently in the streamer’s production pipeline, and subscribers can rest assured that they’ll have plenty of binge material, including old favorites, and plenty of new blood. In addition to the upcoming scripted series, Netflix will boast 10 feature films, roughly a dozen feature documentaries, 10 stand-up specials, two documentary series, and — in a telling strategy to attract young viewers — a whopping 30 series for kids all told, reports Fortune.

Recommended Videos

The streamer apparently feels confident in its appeal, given that it now plans to move away from making deals with U.S. movie studios, aside from a massive licensing agreement with Disney for future rights to multiple films, including the Marvel franchises and Star Wars franchises (though Star Wars: The Force Awakens won’t make the cut in the U.S.).

Sarandos described originals as a better investment. As Business Insider points out, by developing its own programming, Netflix doesn’t have to worry about exclusivity or global rights down the line. The strategy simplifies international expansion, which has been a major priority for Netflix in recent years, and will continue to be in 2016.

The move is also part of a larger strategy by Netflix to ween itself away from depending on acquisitions of past series from other networks and content creators, who have been increasingly reticent about striking deals with Netflix as the service has become a bigger competitor, both within, and outside of the streaming marketplace.

It helps, of course, that Netflix has been making high-quality content. Sarandos referred to its shows simply as “programming that people want to watch.” The point is hard to argue, especially since he backed it up with proof: Netflix originals were nominated for every major award last year, including an Emmy, Oscar, and Golden Globe last year. (Not to mention its multiple Emmy wins this year.) The streamer boasts hit series like Orange Is the New BlackJessica JonesBojack Horseman, House of Card, and more.

The streaming service has gone a long way since deciding to double as a full-fledged studio. In 2013, Netflix’s target was five new original shows per year, so it’s impressive and exciting to see the number ramping up to six times that number in just three years.

Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
7 most controversial Netflix shows ever
A boy looks at a girl in 13 Reasons Why.

Netflix has introduced so many shows since it began producing its own original programming. Some believe that House of Cards was the streaming service’s first original series, it was actually Lilyhammer, a Norwegian comedy crime drama. From there, Netflix shows have run the gamut with favorites like Chef’s Table and shows that have run for multiple seasons, like Grace and Frankie and The Witcher. Lately, however, Netflix has started to become more adventurous, and because of this, its shows have also become more controversial.

In fact, Netflix is behind some of the most controversial TV shows ever, each raising eyebrows for different reasons.
13 Reasons Why (2017-2020)

Read more
New My Netflix tab looks to make streaming on the go a bit easier
The My Netflix section of the Netflix app on an iPhone.

Netflix today rolled out a revamp of its mobile apps that aims to make it that much quicker to find something to watch when you're on your iPhone. The new "My Netflix" section is a one-stop shop tailored to you with easy shortcuts. The update is available now for iOS and is coming to Android in early August, the company said in a blog post.

The idea is when you're away from your home network, the My Netflix tab will give priority to recommendations for content that you've saved or downloaded. The Home tab is still there, as is search — it's just that Netflix is trying to make the former "Downloads" section a little easier to use.

Read more
5 shocking revelations from the Netflix docuseries Waco: American Apocalypse
David Koresh smiling in a black and white photo shown in Waco: American Apocalypse.

On February 28, 1993, the U.S. government attempted to enter the Mount Carmel Center ranch housing members of the Branch Davidian religious cult. They were executing a search warrant for the alleged possession of a stockpile of illegal weapons, including ones members had allegedly modified for automatic firing capabilities. They were also  seeking out the leader David Koresh in hopes of a peaceful surrender. But the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) agents did not expect the gunfight that would ensue.

The 51-day standoff that marked one of the largest such conflicts in the country's history, and the tragic end to the story, is chronicled in Waco: American Apocalypse. The three-part Netflix docuseries features never-before-seen material and interviews from law enforcement, ATF agents, FBI snipers, journalists, and survivors.

Read more