Week 2: Media, Culture, and Economy
Netflix has revolutionized how people watch films and shows by making what once was a niche market a global streaming service. Yet, its selection differs depending on a country or area since licenses and laws can be different. From my home country’s perspective, getting to Netflix is fairly easy for any subscriber. Most homes have adopted the platform due to cheap prices for subscription services behind the streaming platform’s flexibility. However some user use experience frustration when they discover that some titles available in other countries particularly the US are unavailable in their region. To overcome these restrictions people turn to Geo-spoofing Virtual Private Network (VPN) services which allow users to appear that they are in a different nation and thus access more content.
Netflix content my home country has also both the aspect of cultural renewal and also the regional licencing strategies. Most available television and movie content is either a local Netflix commissioned show/movie or is produced within the same region, hence meeting region-specific demand and depicting regional identity. Such productions tend to reflect societal norms and, based on local storytelling, increase the show maker’s pertinence to the audience. On the same note, popular series like Stranger Things and The Crown are set on their screen, popularity being experienced cross boundary as the series depicts life and is shot with high quality. Thus, the pursued approach enables Netflix not only to strengthen its international brand image but also adapt to locality. Netflix provides a perfect example of media globalization due to its transnational nature. To address variability of needing content that will appeal to different regional audiences, the platform deliberately commissions translations so that the content is all similar, globally. This approach also shows how Netflix uses its complex algorithm to predict and set the trend across its viewers. Through the identification of user behaviour patterns, the platform then suggests content that allows the user to continue with the consumption behaviour of products corresponding to its dual-sourcing strategy.
In terms of its form, their strategy also shows the underlying nature of global media. On one side it breaks contents barrier making it possible to have local stories go round the world. On the other hand, it contributes to the elucidation of the overrunning of the global markets of media products by Western cultural discourses. Although local content is a growing trend, the general layout of the platform remains to be dictated by capital’s primary motive of making as much profit as possible. This is a typical paradox of multicultural and globalizing media culture which reflects the opportunities and risks of the current media business environment. The growth of Netflix’s part in the internationalization process will continue in the near future. Its model enlarges space of local artists and performers to advance their work on the international level, but it gives rise to criticism on the globalization process and merchandising of culture. Seeking for further expansion for local content programs and testing for new distribution models, Netflix has a potential to strengthen its position on the global media market even more.