In a few short months, podcasts have gone from a non-factor in Netflix‘s library to a key element of the company’s strategy. The latest step in the SVOD hub’s plan involves original video podcasts led by celebrity hosts, including comedian Pete Davidson and Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin.
Irvin will kick off the first Netflix original podcast when The White House with Michael Irvin drops its first episode on January 19. Davidson will add his contribution to the originals lineup 11 days later when The Pete Davidson Show kicks off on January 30. Both hosts have made previous appearances on Netflix; Davidson has brought two comedy specials to the platform, while Irvin appeared in the docuseries America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys.
Between the two original podcasts, Netflix will deliver three new episodes per week. A steady stream of podcast episodes will help Netflix keep its subscribers engaged even when it doesn’t have a prestigious original series coming around the corner.
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That consistent volume will help Netflix keep pace with changing consumption habits. Big-name originals like Stranger Things once dominated Netflix’s lineup — generating hundreds of millions of hours of watch time in the process — but they are expensive and time-consuming to develop. The delays that slowed down the fifth season of Stranger Things are one reason why many fans found the show’s conclusion to be underwhelming, even if it was a financial success.
Compared to prestige TV, podcasts are cost-effective and quick to produce, making them valuable assets for Netflix. Late last year, the platform made a big push into audio programming by teaming up with Spotify to syndicate video versions of that platform’s original podcasts. A similar deal with iHeartMedia soon followed. Now, with its own slate of original podcasts, Netflix is becoming less reliant on its rivals.
With its wall-to-wall podcast schedule and new home for short-form videos, Netflix is offering a more immediate consumer experience than what it has previously been known for. If volume is going to be the name of the game moving forward, it’s safe to predict that Netflix won’t just stop at two original podcasts.
