Netflix is more known for shows such as Orange is the New Black, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and House of Cards than family-friendly shows. But this is going to change as the world’s largest streaming service has set its eyes on a new core audience that is easy to please: children.
Netflix partners with MGA
While the video streaming giant is focused on in-house dramas such as the Golden Globe-nominated African war drama Beasts of No Nation, it has slowly started considering its family audience as well. Netflix is going one step further by partnering with MGA Entertainment, the world’s largest private toy maker. It is partnering to host a tween and teen show to coincide with show-related toys.
The streaming firm estimates that half of its 75 million users watch children’s shows regularly. If it is right, this will prove to be a smart business move. Netflix has been saying that if it is able to win over viewers when they’re young, they may be able to secure their loyalty for life.
Slowly making room for family entertainment
The Huffington Post reported that the streaming giant has made a conscious effort to come up with more educational and child-focused features in its lineup at a time when children are not in school. Netflix also had a deal with Scholastic to add shows based on popular children’s books, such as the The Magic School Bus animated series.
Last year, the video streaming giant offered a reboot of the popular ’80s children’s animated series Inspector Gadget. This spring, it also played on parental nostalgia in its resurrection of ’90s-era family sitcom Full House, called Fuller House. However, the only thing the streaming giant failed to add is something parents appeared to want the most and desperately: better controls so that kids could be stopped from watching the age-inappropriate content.
Melissa Henson, program director for Parents Television Council, told The Post, “There is a pretty vast gray area where it’s not real clear who the intended audience is.”
At 10:19 a.m. Eastern, Netflix shares were down 1% at $105.50. Year to date, the stock is down by almost 10%, while in the last year, it is up by almost 78%.
