Netflix layoffs have started • Hacker News Board

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#21

Post by arrosenberg » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:04 AM UTC

xen2xen1 wrote: post #11

rvz wrote: post #7

This sort of tech-related crash had to come someday, and out of this earthquake in terms of these FAANG companies, Netflix (NFLX) stock has cratered 40% in one week and 75% from its all time high. The most obvious name one could come up with this is The Big Tech Crash which has now spread into the private start-up markets. [0][1] As for Netflix itself, they are essentially a side-project for Disney, Apple and Amazon…

Steve Jobs told the Dropbox CEO his company was a "feature". You're saying Netflix is the same? I'm not saying Netflix is going to be Disney, but if they did their programming right they could approach that, eventually. At least an HBO.

Given the state content licensing, I actually think that is the case. Netflix cant compete financially with Apple or Amazon, or on content against Disney, Paramount or WB. HBO is an absolute best case scenario, but HBO was owned by Warner and ATT, so they had (IMO) better resources.

Netflix is a zombie unless they can either produce some very popular series or the government starts taking antitrust seriously and either divorces producers and distributors or forces FRAND licensing for all content.

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#22

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:05 AM UTC

btgeekboy wrote: post #14

xen2xen1 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Steve Jobs told the Dropbox CEO his company was a "feature". You're saying Netflix is the same? I'm not saying Netflix is going to be Disney, but if they did their programming right they could approach that, eventually. At least an HBO.

They have every opportunity to be an HBO. But they’ve got great tech combined with a collection of content missteps and excessive price hikes. When was the last time HBO’s price went up?

[deleted]

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#23

Post by lotsofpulp » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:06 AM UTC

arrosenberg wrote: post #21

xen2xen1 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Steve Jobs told the Dropbox CEO his company was a "feature". You're saying Netflix is the same? I'm not saying Netflix is going to be Disney, but if they did their programming right they could approach that, eventually. At least an HBO.

Given the state content licensing, I actually think that is the case. Netflix cant compete financially with Apple or Amazon, or on content against Disney, Paramount or WB. HBO is an absolute best case scenario, but HBO was owned by Warner and ATT, so they had (IMO) better resources. Netflix is a zombie unless they can either produce some very popular series or the government starts taking antitrust seriously and eith…

I don’t think Netflix is a zombie. It simply might not be a $100B+ company for the time being, like Disney. Which some investors may have hoped it would become by now (although I do not why they would have thought that).

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#24

Post by arrosenberg » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:15 AM UTC

lotsofpulp wrote: post #23

arrosenberg wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given the state content licensing, I actually think that is the case. Netflix cant compete financially with Apple or Amazon, or on content against Disney, Paramount or WB. HBO is an absolute best case scenario, but HBO was owned by Warner and ATT, so they had (IMO) better resources. Netflix is a zombie unless they can either produce some very popular series or the government starts taking antitrust seriously and eith…

I don’t think Netflix is a zombie. It simply might not be a $100B+ company for the time being, like Disney. Which some investors may have hoped it would become by now (although I do not why they would have thought that).

It may still be a viable business (remains to be seen), but under the current rules they will be outcompeted.

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#25

Post by ThrowITout4321 » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:30 AM UTC

Not surprising, since Netflix is to known to quickly "right size" their work force. They are quick to do it and they aren't afraid to over do it. They know that they can quickly replenish their ranks if they over do it since they have some of the best salaries in the industry. Sentimentality is never an issue with them.

Here's one of their famous quotes,

“We’re a team, not a family. We’re like a pro sports team, not a kid’s recreational team. Netflix leaders hire, develop and cut smartly, so we have stars in every position.”

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#26

Post by scelerat » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:32 AM UTC

For you kiddos and newbs to startups/corporations out there, nothing anyone says is worth anything unless it's in a legally binding contract.

When your boss says, "your department is super important to our company," that is effectively meaningless. I take it back; it has meaning: it means you should wonder why the boss has raised the issue at all.

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#27

Post by WisNorCan » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:56 AM UTC

The most perplexing thing about Netflix is that even though they have a reputation for hiring the best, I can’t think of a single way that the experience is better than Disney, HBO or Apple TV.

And this is after 25 years of investing in technology.

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#28

Post by mensetmanusman » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 12:58 AM UTC

I wonder if Netflix should leverage same day delivery and start doing more physical copies again.

Now that digital is ‘refragmenting’ it would be funny if the red disks came back to get around all these silos.

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#29

Post by dehrmann » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 1:29 AM UTC

lampshades wrote: post #2

Interesting that they're laying off writers seeing as the American public has been pretty unhappy with Netflix quality (whether the actual content or the idealogical pushes). I know a lot of people personally that cancelled their Netflix accounts after Cuties and even more for similar reasons as time continued on. I wonder how much of their subscriber-ship was impacted due to things like this and if it's a non-minor…

These seem to be blog post writers for this blog: https://www.netflix.com/tudum. They're closer to the marketing team than to being writers on shows.

Re: Netflix layoffs have started

#30

Post by dehrmann » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 1:32 AM UTC

WisNorCan wrote: post #27

The most perplexing thing about Netflix is that even though they have a reputation for hiring the best, I can’t think of a single way that the experience is better than Disney, HBO or Apple TV. And this is after 25 years of investing in technology.

Don't forget that Netflix was early to the streaming game. The others likely hired a few key Netflix people on the tech side to avoid having to relearn their lessons. The others (except for Apple) were also earlier to the content space, so their back catalogs are better.