Netflix Looking to Add Live Streaming to Its Service

The plan reportedly includes unscripted series and stand-up specials...

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Netflix has seen better days with the likes of Disney+ and HBO Max starting to eat its lunch. And so, it decided to shake things up.

From what we’ve heard, it plans to curb on account sharing and even introduce a more affordable ad-supported plan in the future. Like that’s not enough, a new report from Deadline suggests we will also be seeing Netflix launching a live streaming service.

The feature is apparently in the early stages of development and once live, it will offer unscripted shows and stand-up specials.

As a result, the company will be able to use it for live voting for competition series and talent contests such as its upcoming dance competition series Dance 100 from The Circle producer Studio Lambert.

Also, the capability could be used for the re-launch of its Netflix Is A Joke festival, which originally featured around 300 stand-up performances across LA — including Dave Chappelle, Larry David and Pete Davidson. As things could get spicy in these sorts of shows, we may see some delay but nothing that could ruin the experience.

There are also options for live reunions for shows like Selling Sunset, which just aired a reunion special for its fifth season.

If Netflix invests a lot of its (vast) resources in live programming, we could at one point see them competing with other live TV shows. For what it matters, Disney+ plans to bring ABC’s American Idol and Dancing with the Stars to its service – so why wouldn’t Netflix do something similar?

Netflix has previously experimented with different release patterns for its unscripted series and social experiments such as The Circle and Love Is Blind — meaning it has the staff to support such efforts, though in a limited fashion. Adding more resources to that part of the company could do the trick.

And finally, you may wonder – where’s sport in this? It’s one of the key live TV programs people want to watch. Disney has ESPN, while Netflix will have to build such an offering from the ground up.

One thing is clear, though. The streaming wars are heating up and soon enough, we may not be interested in live TV at all — as we will be able to enjoy it across platforms, all from a single app. Sounds cool, don’t you think?