Netflix adds short-form publisher content to its streaming service

Netflix is expanding its streaming service by partnering with several publishers to offer short-form video content. Starting August 3, the company will roll out this content to subscribers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. The publisher partners include BuzzFeed Studios, Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines, People Inc., Tastemade, and Penske Media PMX brands such as Variety, THR, Billboard, Eater, Rolling Stone, and IndieWire. This shift comes as the company’s traditional release strategy, known as the binge model, faces changing consumer habits.

The new video content will vary in length. Some videos will run just two to three minutes, while others will stretch past 20 minutes. The lineup will feature both licensed archival and ongoing series from the partner publishers. For Netflix, the partnerships represent a low-risk test of subscriber appetite for web-native formats like news, lifestyle, and how-to videos, which are cheaper and faster to produce than traditional scripted series. If the initiative succeeds, Netflix could eventually build similar content in-house, though the company has not stated that this is its definitive plan.

The strategy addresses a broader challenge for the company. According to a report by Bloomberg, Netflix is struggling to retain fans between the first and second seasons of its top shows. This retention issue reportedly stems from high cancellation rates, long gaps between seasons, and inconsistent quality. The shift also highlights how Netflix is competing with YouTube and TikTok, arguably as much as it competes with traditional television networks. To court viewers drawn to short-form video, Netflix previously introduced “Clips”—an existing feature designed to let users scroll through short snippets of its library to funnel them toward longer shows. However, these new publisher deals bring short-form content onto the platform as standalone viewing options.

John Derderian, Netflix VP of Animation Series + Kids & Family TV, is overseeing the project. Commenting on the partnerships, Derderian stated: “Members don’t just want to watch a show or film and move on — they want to keep exploring the stories and personalities they love long after the final credits roll. These partnerships help us deepen fandom and create more ways for members to carry those stories with them throughout their day.”

Why it matters

Netflix is diversifying its content library with short-form video to address viewer retention challenges and better compete with social video platforms like YouTube and TikTok.