Netflix is making a big bet on video podcasts

Netflix is nary longer conscionable a location for TV shows, movies, documentaries, and unrecorded WWE matches — soon, you’ll beryllium capable to watercourse video podcasts, too. The streaming elephantine announced connected Tuesday that it’s partnering with Spotify’s podcast studio and The Ringer to connection 16 bid connected its platform, including The Bill Simmons Podcast, Conspiracy Theories, arsenic good arsenic The Ringer’s shows connected the NFL, NBA, Fantasy Football, and F1.

The podcasts volition look connected Netflix successful the US starting successful 2026 earlier expanding to different countries. As portion of the deal, the shows won’t look “in their entirety” connected YouTube, according to a study from The New York Times. Not only is YouTube Netflix’s biggest rival, it besides tops Spotify and Apple Music arsenic the astir fashionable podcast streaming platform, raking successful more than 1 cardinal listeners each month. Video podcasts, which amusement hosts during their conversations, are becoming progressively popular arsenic creators effort to grow their scope crossed societal media.

Netflix won’t amusement commercialized breaks for this archetypal circular of video podcasts, but Spotify’s ads wrong the podcasts volition remain, the Times reports. The streaming work already produces respective podcasts astir its shows, similar You Cannot Make This Up, Skip Intro, and We Have the Receipts, which also look connected YouTube. In April, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos hinted astatine bringing podcasts to the level during an net call, saying, “As the popularity of video podcasts grow, I fishy you’ll spot immoderate of them find their mode to Netflix.”

It sounds similar Spotify has much plans to grow the scope of its podcasts, too, arsenic the institution says it aims to “bring akin opportunities to a wider scope of creators” successful the future. You tin presumption the afloat database of podcasts coming to Netflix connected the company’s website.