Netflix and the Fall of Television | The Game Changer | 1

Business Wars

Wondery

History, Business, David Brown, Management

4.6 • 13.2K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 2017, Netflix stuns Hollywood by paying television producer Shonda Rhimes an unprecedented amount of money to develop shows exclusively for the streamer. The move announces Netflix as a true rival to the legacy studios and kicks off the streaming wars. But when the business takes a sudden turn after the pandemic, Netflix is forced to make some key pivots to remain at the head of the pack.

Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Wonderly Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of business wars, Netflix, and the fall of television,
0:05.2	early and ad-free right now. Join Wonderly Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
0:12.8	It's fall 2016.
0:23.6	Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos sits at a back table at Republic, a casual restaurant in the heart of Los Angeles.
0:32.1	Sarandos nods hello to producers, agents, and actors as they pass by.
0:37.4	Place is known as a hotspot for entertainment power brokers to make deals over avocado
0:42.3	toasts and oat milk lattes.
0:45.6	Sarandos spies a reporter from an industry trade magazine sitting in the corner and kicks
0:50.5	himself for not picking a more discreet place to go.
0:53.8	If this meeting does go the way Sarandos hopes it will,
0:57.5	he's going to poach one of the most successful television producers working today
1:01.2	from the network she's called home for over a decade.
1:05.1	But the producer still has over a year left on her current contract,
1:09.1	and if word of this meeting leaks, well, it could
1:12.1	scuttle the whole deal before Sarandos can even make an offer.
1:17.1	The door swings open, and a short, elegantly dressed woman walks in, her eyes flitting around
1:22.2	the room.
1:24.0	Sarando stands up and greets her.
1:26.5	Shonda rhymes. it's a pleasure.
1:29.5	The pleasure is mine.
1:31.8	Rhyme shakes Sarandos' hand and takes a seat.
1:35.3	Rhymes rocketed to fame after creating the medical drama Grey's Anatomy in 2005.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 2 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Wondery, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Wondery and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.