Netflix is reportedly testing the feasibility of live-streaming some shows in the future — like reality series and comedy specials.
The signs that a massive shift is underway at the world’s biggest streaming service continue to mount. A looming Netflix password-sharing crackdown, the launch of an ad-supported tier, price increases, and fan-favorite shows canceled right and left — it’s led to something of a backlash from not only Netflix subscribers. But also the media and analysts who’ve breathlessly sung the company’s praises for years. And that’s not all. The way you watch some Netflix shows might also be changing soon, in a major way. As in, you getting the ability to watch some of those shows live. The streamer is reportedly exploring the possibility of live streaming for the first time in its existence. Such a move would open up the possibility of, say, people coalescing around unscripted reality shows the way The Bachelor’s legions of fans do each week. Of course, my immediate thought upon hearing this news was whether it also sets Netflix up for something else. Namely, to let the company eventually get a bite of the biggest apple of them all in streaming: Live sports.
