Netflix Boss Ted Sarandos Says the Streamer Can’t Have Too Much Content: ‘People Have Such Eclectic Taste … You Have to Love It All’

Netflix boss Ted Sarandos has said despite the complaint the occasional streamer is overstuffed with options, it can’t have too much content. “People often ask me if we need so many movies and TV shows on Netflix,” he said. “I always answer with an emphatic yes. People have such different and eclectic tastes that you can’t afford to program for just one sensibility. You have to love it all — prestige dramas, indie films, true crime, romantic comedies, stand-up, documentaries and reality TV.”

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The streaming boss made the remarks at the Royal Television Society conference in London on Tuesday morning, where he gave an opening speech before being interviewed by journalist Kirsty Wark.

Among the lessons he shared with the audience, made primarily of TV industry professionals, were the need to innovate and always putting the audience first.

“Think about it not as critics, not as media executives, think about it from the perspective of a fan,” he advised, a lesson he learned himself in his first job as a video rental store clerk.

“I loved recommending something new or unexpected to our customers. That experience taught me to think about putting the audience first. And that’s how I believe we need to approach programming today.”

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Sarandos, who has been responsible for content at the DVD rental company turned streaming giant since 2000, was upped to co-CEO in 2020. His fellow co-CEO is Greg Peters.

Netflix has massively expanded its footprint in the U.K., both in terms of home-grown commissions such as “Baby Reindeer,” which which won three Emmy Awards for the streamer on Sunday night, Guy Ritchie project “The Gentlemen” and the upcoming Keira Knightley-starrer “Black Doves” as well as production of U.S.-commissioned shows such as “Bridgerton” and “The Crown.” “The Crown” scored one Emmy on Sunday, having swept the board in previous years, with actor Elizabeth Debicki taking home a statue for her portrayal of Princess Diana in the epic drama.

Other speakers at this year’s RTS conference, which is hosted by Netflix this year, include footballer turned TV star David Beckham, beleaguered BBC boss Tim Davie and culture secretary Lisa Nandy.

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