Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria

 

Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria delved into the streamer's development process at an event at UCLA on Friday.  Bajaria shot down the notion that Netflix programming is selected algorithmically, specifically highlighting unexpected, outside-the-box original series such as "The Queen's Gambit" and "Beef."  Bajaria argued forcefully in favor of Netflix's all-at-once release model, designed for binging whole seasons of TV in quick succession, noting "there is no data to support that weekly is better, and it's not a great consumer experience." She noted that the streamer's international release strategy is based around promoting content locally first, then gradually exposing successful shows to a wider audience, adding "we don't make global shows; we make local authentic shows in every country, and they're on a global platform." Bajaria declined to discuss specifics on how Netflix makes renewal decisions or how the streamer settles on budgets.