Netflix reportedly considers adding always-on channels

Jay Peters is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.Netflix is thinking about adding always-on channels that would stream specific shows and movies, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move sounds like a Netflix version of always-on services like Pluto TV and Tubi, except the big hook for those is that they’re free — because of the ads you have to watch. Netflix has seen success with its ad-supported tier, which is increasingly popular, but it costs $8.99 per month after a recent price hike.Netflix is also apparently considering selling bundles that would include other streaming services, something else that competitors like Apple TV and Prime Video already offer. The company has been seeing signs of falling engagement, the WSJ says, so these new moves are ideas to try and help turn things around.The news follows Bloomberg’s recent report that Netflix has been trying to figure out why second seasons of its shows are experiencing significant viewership drops. (My colleague Charles Pulliam-Moore has a few ideas.) Netflix has been bringing on new types of content as of late, including video podcasts and videos from digital media brands like BuzzFeed and Condé Nast, that are easy to turn on and leave running in the background and don’t require the dedicated focus of a prestige series.Netflix spokesperson Adrian Zamora declined to comment.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Jay Peters