We continue to offer a free 2-week trial of WrapPRO. If you’ve been wanting to check out our full coverage, now’s the time.Greetings!Netflix is seemingly doing a lot of un-Netflix-y things lately. The company, which has steadfastly focused on streaming, has seemingly warmed up to theaters with its screenings of "KPop Demon Hunters" and next year's release of Greta Gerwig's "The Chronicles of Narnia." It's gotten into live sports with the WWE and a deal with the NFL. The streamer has also submitted a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming and studio assets despite an aversion to big acquisitions. The latest is its push to get into the video podcast business, a break from its traditional focus on premium shows and movies and an acknowledgement that rival YouTube, which still far outpaces the streaming giant, has a lock on an audience it can barely touch. That changes in 2026, as our Tess Patton writes that Netflix is set to kick off the year with 50 to 75 original podcast shows — in addition to its Spotify partnership to carry certain Ringer video podcasts, according to a person familiar with the company's strategy. Netflix is also quietly courting top podcasts for potential partnerships — including from iHeartMedia and SiriusXM. By carrying more casual podcasts, it's expanding beyond its strategy of quality, sit-down programming and hoping to capture the moments of time when you're not fully committed to watching a show and movie. Netflix hopes video podcasts will boost engagement hours, attract younger and more diverse viewers and expand its advertising inventory, positioning it as a home for "modern talk shows" at a fraction of late night TV's cost. Right now, when you have a spare moment or need something to listen to in the background, you'll turn on YouTube or TikTok. Netflix hopes it can capture those moments in your life, as it's long said its biggest competitor is time. Roger Cheng 
Netflix has traditionally focused on show and movies, and only recently has warmed up to so-called user-generated content like “Ms. Rachel” and “Blippi”... 
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