Dear Ted Sarandos,
Congratulations on making the winning bid for Warner Bros. By directly contradicting their famous “build, don't buy” mantra, you've managed to throw the already beleaguered entertainment industry into an apoplectic crisis, and just in time for the holidays!
On the plus side, the thought of Paramount's David Ellison throwing a “but I want it” tantrum when he heard the news has given him some pretty grim delight.
I'm afraid it's not enough to assuage the overwhelming outrage and fear, currently expressed by many, that you personally will not be satisfied until all movie theaters are closed and all other networks/streaming services are consumed, forcing everyone in the world to only watch Netflix through glass embedded in their hand, like something out of “Logan's Run.” (Which isn't available on Netflix, so you may not have seen it.)
In other words, a lot of people, including thousands of people who actually make movies and television, are not happy, not happy at all, Precious. (Including the stock market, where Netflix fell after the deal was announced.)
In fact, there's a chance that its purchase of Warner Bros., which includes HBO and HBO Max, may not happen; It unquestionably gives it a monopoly in streaming and since HBO, like Netflix, is a global company, the deal will be scrutinized by domestic and foreign regulatory agencies. This will all take some time, so Netflix subscribers shouldn't cancel their HBO Max subscriptions just yet.
On the other hand, there are too many streaming platforms (as proof, I give you my credit card bill) and everyone has been saying for years that only a few can survive: Disney already owns Hulu (which it includes with Disney+), while Amazon owns MGM.
If the sale goes through, here are some thoughts from someone who, although ethics prevents him from owning shares of Netflix or any other entertainment company, still watches a lot of television and movies.
Leave HBO and HBO Max alone
I realize Netflix has spent a lot of money trying to prove, through the Emmys, that it's just as good at television as HBO, but don't make the mistake that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav made by pretending it's not special. Instead of forcing it into mass production, let it remain the self-guided couture brand that it is. And don't make subscribers pay more to access it. (Bonus points if you get rid of the “Max.”)
Likewise, let Warner Bros. be Warner Bros.
You bought a movie studio, and a successful one at that. Don't start laying off a bunch of people with the mistaken notion that Netflix's infrastructure can also handle a movie studio. For one thing, you'll have to rehire all of WB's lawyers and executives as consultants when you realize you don't quite understand how things work, and that's just embarrassing and expensive.
Don't contribute more than you have already contributed to the demise of movie theaters.
Seriously, it's time to consider your legacy. At the moment, Netflix is an innovative and successful company that has transformed the entertainment industry in ways that millions of people are willing to pay for. Are there any negatives to some of those changes? Sure. But being known as the head of the company that unleashed the streaming revolution is very different from going down in history as the man who bought a movie studio with the aim of dealing a mortal blow to the theatrical experience.
A theatrical release gives the film prestige and a better marketing opportunity; There is nothing wrong or unprofitable in acting as a secondary platform for films. Original content may attract new subscribers, but it's the library that keeps them. With little opportunity for subscriber growth, Netflix should focus on holding on to the millions it has.
Remember the Bilbao effect
Instead, we must honor Frank Gehry, who died the day this deal was announced, by remembering the Bilbao effect: offering a shining example of how greatness can drive global revitalization. Most people enjoy the opportunity to go to the movies as much as they enjoy watching it at home. I would have loved, for example, to have seen last year's excellent Christmas thriller “Carry-On” in the theater and watch it again this year on my flat-screen TV. As streamers continue to take over Hollywood, Netflix has the opportunity to provide a model that bolsters exhibitors. and home offers.
Don't expect the consumer to pay for this.
I get that Netflix wants to be the only game in town, but it's not the only game in town yet, and if you rashly raise rates or create a maddening labyrinth of add-ons, you'll lose subscribers; After all, there are a limited number of hours in a day that one can spend watching television. If you do it while laying off workers and exhausting supply at the cinema, well, that Tudum sound can be a herald, or it can be an elegy.
