Netflix is reportedly looking to expand into news coverage, starting with a weekly news magazine show that looks at political issues from both sides. If Netflix does indeed make this plan a reality, one can bet that it'll be greeted with rage by a good segment of their subscriber base. America has arguably never been more sharply divided along political lines than it is currently. Whether one supports the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, or neither, politics truly seems like a blood sport at this point, with surveys showing that political differences on their own can be enough to damage relationships between close friends, family members, or romantic partners.
Between 24-hour cable news, talk radio, and the internet, there has also never been as much readily available political news content as there is today. For the most part, people tend to naturally gravitate toward programs or news sources that support and validate their already held views, and look at stories from a perspective mirroring their own.
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According to a report by Market Watch, that is one reason Netflix wants to enter the fray. According to their anonymous source, Netflix sees "a hole in the market for a current affairs TV show encompassing both sides of the political divide and are seeking to fill it." Market Watch admits that Netflix has yet to respond to their request for comment on the story, but says that their source recently worked with the streaming giant on the creation of a documentary series. Thus, that person would presumably be in a position to know insider info.
While the goal of producing a more balanced take on TV news is certainly an admirable one, lots of people occupying the conservative end of the political spectrum will likely be quick to balk at the above report, due to another recent report that Netflix was in talks to collaborate with Barack and Michelle Obama to produce shows. In all fairness, it would indeed be difficult for Netflix's fledgling news division to try and project an air of being unbiased while the company as a whole actively works with the most recent democratic president and first lady, just as that would be the case if Netflix had announced plans to work on shows with the Clinton, Bush or Trump families.
Despite these concerns, Netflix's potential jump into the news business only further solidifies the company's clear aspirations to be a one stop shop for entertainment. Netflix currently offers original scripted comedies and dramas, original reality series and documentaries, original movies, original stand-up comedy specials, and weekly original comedic talk shows starring the likes of Joel McHale, David Letterman, and (soon) Norm Macdonald, Hasan Minhaj, and Michelle Wolf. Adding news programming to that line-up is a logical move, although one sure to come with some controversy.
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Source: Market Watch