Amazon stayed with the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayercreated in 1924. disney phagocytized the 20th century foxfounded in 1935. And now, Netflix announced that he would buy Warner Bros.inaugurated in 1923, for 72 billion dollars.
Absorption includes quality mark HBOwhich belongs to the same group, discoverya company that has already announced its restructuring into two different companies to facilitate the sale, which sparked a bidding war for Warner that Netflix ultimately won against Comcast (CNB) and Paramount-Skydance. Now it remains to be seen who will stay in the other division, Global discoverywhich offers linear cable channels, with one of the most uncomfortable TVs for asset: cnn.
The secret is in the content. And, with this colossal investment, Netflix is ​​not just buying a production studio, it is above all ensuring a century of cultural storytelling which ranges from cinema classics from Hollywood’s golden years to Game of Thrones, Harry Potter either Friends.
Actually, the loss of Friends It was already a big blow for Netflix. The New York Friends series was among the most watched every weekend. Even above recent versions. The reason: faced with such a multitude of content, we tend to return to safe places for our memories. Re-experiencing them, we know, will not disappoint our expectations and, on top of that, We will not waste minutes and minutes of our time entangled in the paradox of choosing what we want to see.
Those at Netflix had to rearm themselves against Prime Video and Disney. They were missing a studio steeped in history and which, in the end, has assets that others cannot replace. Even associated with the joy of spending a day at the theme park. However, the fact that Netflix is ​​devouring HBO’s prestige seal is of great concern to the unions in the North American audiovisual industry, who know that This will affect the future of creative boldness in the production of new series and films. Bad times for the paternity of independent creators.
Such a concentration of power in the hands of a company that grew up on the model of encouraging collective impatience ensures, a priori, a reduction in the diversity of points of view in the audiovisual industry. The future of the investment experience of going to see a movie in theaters is also worrying. one of the few places where we can continue to isolate ourselves from the digital hyperconnection of mobile phones. The priority of on-demand service companies is another: that we find ourselves locked in the labyrinth of content on their platform, where paradoxically We remember more those series and films that we consumed before they gave us the opportunity to taste the anxiety of the series marathon. When we spent days and days imagining what the next twist in the storyline would be because we had no choice but to wait seven days to see the next chapter. When you are excited about a movie without being distracted by WhatsApp. When fiction had a narrative arc with a clear ending and did not wait to close the plot according to audience expectations.
When the creator reigned more than the algorithm. When the stories even had time to be different. Because, in general, competition was based on creative elaboration and not the fleeting nature of seeking immediate attention. AND, For all this, Netflix needs the consistency of Warner’s 102 years of memory.
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