News

Netflix Doubles Down on Podcasts Challenging YouTube’s Dominance

Published

7 months ago

January 17, 2026

Streaming giant Netflix is ramping up its push into video podcasts, announcing a series of partnerships aimed at stealing market share from YouTube’s massive audience.

The latest moves include adding select Spotify video podcasts—like sports, culture, and true-crime titles from Spotify Studios and The Ringer—starting in early 2026 in the U.S., with global expansion planned.

Netflix has secured an exclusive deal for over 15 iHeartPodcasts, bringing new episodes and library content to the platform. Kicking off this week, The Pete Davidson Show launches exclusively on Netflix January 30, with weekly episodes, signaling more original programming ahead.

These steps form part of Netflix’s broader strategy to mimic YouTube, which boasts 2.5 billion monthly active users compared to Netflix’s 300 million subscribers.

YouTube now surpasses Netflix in TV viewing time, prompting the streamer to diversify with cheaper, personality-driven content, live sports like Christmas football, and creator signings such as kids’ educator Ms. Rachel.

Yet, podcast consultant George Witt argues Netflix’s approach has flaws. “They treat podcasting as a genre, not an industry,” he said, criticizing the platform’s “gated community” model that isolates podcasts rather than embedding them in genre rows—like placing a sci-fi film podcast alongside Alien movies or a rom-com analysis show (Love Factually) in the rom-com section.

Witt also notes that many video podcasts are consumed as audio—minimized on screens while users multitask—questioning the appeal of firing up a TV for them.

Finally, he faults the focus on celebrity-driven shows from big networks, which capture less than 1% of listens, ignoring niche hits like Beef with Bridget Todd on historic rivalries or The Secret Life Of Songs.

While competitors like Disney+ tie companion podcasts to hits such as Only Murders in the Building, Netflix leads in innovation.

Services like HBO Max (with Game of Thrones fan pods) and Paramount+ (Star Trek coverage) have yet to follow suit. Analysts see this as Netflix fortifying against YouTube, much like its streaming pivot crushed Blockbuster.

Related Topics:Challenging Dominance Netflix Podcasts YouTube's

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1 Comment

Lama Godoz

January 17, 2026 at 11:49 am

YouTube would still retain it’s customers regardless of Netflix’s new venture’s success…

Reply

News

2027: Only Atiku can match Tinubu, opposition will die if steps down – Aide

Published

6 hours ago

August 18, 2026

Preport

The Senior Political Assistant to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Demola Olarewaju, on Tuesday said the momentum of the opposition would die if the former vice president stepped down from the presidential race ahead of 2027.

Olarewaju insisted that Atiku is the only candidate showing the capacity to match President Bola Tinubu locally and internationally.

Posting on X, he wrote: “Atiku steps down now and opposition momentum dies totally – an election with the incumbent as contestant is a different ballgame from a transition election.

“2027 is beyond Atiku. Atiku himself is the bridge for us to build and hold an opposition core, post-2027.

“Atiku is the only candidate showing capacity to match Bola Tinubu locally and internationally in 2027.

“Every election is unique and different and everyone should get ready.

“2023 went the way it did because Buhari wasn’t too invested in Tinubu’s victory, that’s why APC lost Lagos and communal rigging was allowed in many states.”

Business

Alleged Criminal Conversion: EFCC Recovers N4.4bn Worth of AGO in Lagos

Published

7 hours ago

August 18, 2026

Preport

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, August 17, 2026 recovered 2.3 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, valued at N4.485 billion from Mamemo Ibru of Ibafon Oil and Gas, during an investigation into an alleged case of stealing and criminal conversion.

The recovery followed a petition submitted by Prudent Energy and Services Limited, alleging that petroleum products entrusted to Ibafon Oil and Gas for storage had been unlawfully converted, resulting in a significant shortfall in the company’s stock.

The petitioner also alleged that periodic withdrawals were made from the stored products until the outstanding balance stood at 2,574,031 litres.

However, during a subsequent physical measurement and reconciliation exercise, only 206,761 litres remained in the storage tanks, leaving a deficit of 2,367,270 litres.

Investigation revealed that Ibafon Oil and Gas is involved in the purchase and sale of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and also stores its petroleum products at the same depot alongside products belonging to its customers.

It was further revealed that Ibru allegedly used his position as the owner of Ibafon Oil and Gas to truck out petroleum products in excess of the quantity owned by the company, thereby converting the petitioner’s products for his own use.

Following the Commission’s intervention, the suspect handed over the recovered products to the petitioner, Prudent Energy and Services Limited.

The post Alleged Criminal Conversion: EFCC Recovers N4.4bn Worth of AGO in Lagos appeared first on Business Today NG.