![]() "We fundamentally believe that we want to give our members the choice in how they view," Peter Friedlander, Netflix's head of scripted series for U.S. In recent years, Netflix has experimented with weekly releases for some reality shows, but has not tried this strategy with scripted series. ![]() "Once 'Stranger Things' is over and 'Ozark' is over, what now?" "With Netflix, it is super easy to join for three-to-six months and then leave for three-to-six months," said Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush. ![]() In staggering these releases, the company can entice Star Wars fans and Marvel fans to stick with the service long term. Then in December, Disney+ will release the "Guardians of the Galaxy" Christmas special. August has the release of "She-Hulk," which carries episodes through October, and then "Andor," which will wrap its first season in November. Marvel" arrived early June and will run through late July. Then in late May, it released "Obi-Wan Kenobi," which will continue through late June. Then added "Moon Knight" in late March, which ran until early May. The company released "The Book of Boba Fett," which ran from late December 2021 until early February. The company's Disney+ platform utilizes its two biggest franchises - Star Wars and Marvel - to keep subscribers coming back. Stringing content throughout the year allows services like Disney to entice subscribers to stay each month but also persuade them to pay for an annual subscription up front. It is how they are first introduced to audiences that the platforms control. Thompson noted that all shows released on streaming services eventually become bingeable. Netflix no longer has licensed content like "The Office" or "Friends," which kept subscribers coming back month after month to watch on repeat. Instead, it has several high profile shows, like "Stranger Things," "Bridgerton" and "The Witcher" - as well as an expansive library of series that haven't reached the same level of prestige or popularity. Now, however, it's a very different case." "One of the reasons they started binging was to get people talking and to really launch their new original programming. "When Netflix started it really had the field to itself," said Robert Thompson, a professor at Syracuse University and a pop culture expert. Instead, decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Still, the company has made no indication that it will transition away from releasing all episodes of scripted series at once. Netflix has toyed with different release models, mostly due to pandemic-related delays in production, and noted that splitting seasons into two parts can be a "satisfying long binge experience" for subscribers. Those familiar with the streaming space suggest more changes could come, including a stronger focus on franchise content and even a change to staggered releases of new episodic content. Co-CEO Reed Hastings said the company is exploring lower-priced, ad-supported tiers in a bid to bring in new subscribers after years of resisting advertisements on the platform. Now, Netflix is reconsidering several core tenets that once made it the king of the nascent streaming world. It also warned of deepening trouble ahead, forecasting it would lose around 2 million global paid subscribers during the second quarter. The company reported a loss of 200,000 global subscribers during its first quarter earnings report in April. The streamer's stock plummeted over the past year from $700 per share to around $160. Investors are questioning Netflix's ability to address subscriber losses and growing competition in the streaming space. "Just like they said 'no way, no advertising,' don't assume that binge viewing is forever." He added: "Binge viewing is on the table." "With Netflix, or anyone, never say never," said Peter Csathy, founder and chairman of advisory firm Creative Media. So its binge strategy is facing new scrutiny as the company looks for ways to better retain its subscriber base. Despite the success of its marquee series, however, Netflix is struggling to jumpstart subscriber growth.
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