Netflix Courts YouTube Stars To Feed Its 'Hungry Audience Waiting To Be Entertained' — Co-CEO Ted Sarandos Hints At Premium Platform Edge Amid Creator Gold Rush
On Thursday, Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) said that it will be interested in partnering with top YouTube creators—but only if their content aligns with the company's premium streaming standards and monetization model.
What Happened: During the company's second-quarter earnings call, Wells Fargo analyst Steve Cahall asked whether Netflix sees an opportunity to bring YouTube stars exclusively to its platform, especially as YouTube currently leads in U.S. TV viewership share.
YouTube is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google.
In response, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said, "We want to be in business with the best creatives on the planet, regardless of where they come from," adding that some are in Hollywood, others in Korea or India and some are creators on social media platforms.
Sarandos went on to add that while not all YouTube content is a fit for Netflix, certain creators are already finding success.
See Also: Netflix Q2 Earnings Preview: ‘Squid Game' Lift Is Clear—But What's The Next Blockbuster?
Creators like Miss Rachel had 53 million views on Netflix in 2025, he said. "We're really excited about the Sidemen and pop the balloon and a wide variety of and video podcasters that might be a good fit for us."
Netflix, he added, offers unique advantages for creators: "phenomenal distribution, desirable monetization, brilliant discovery in our UI, and a hungry audience waiting to be entertained."
Co-CEO Greg Peters added that while competition is fierce—from streamers to video games to free content—Netflix is focused on quality. "Not all hours are created equal," he said.
"It is worth remembering there is about 80% of total TV view share that neither Netflix, Inc. or YouTube are winning right now," Peters added. To which, Sarandos followed up, saying, "The vast majority of our money and attention is focused on that 80%."
Why It's Important: Netflix posted second-quarter revenue of $11.08 billion, marking a 16% year-over-year increase. The figure surpassed the Street consensus estimate of $11.04 billion, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Netflix provided third-quarter guidance projecting revenue of $11.526 billion, a 17% increase year-over-year, and earnings per share of $6.87 — both topping Street expectations.
Additionally, the streaming giant raised its full-year revenue forecast to a range of $44.8 billion to $45.2 billion, up from its earlier estimate of $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion.
Price Action: Netflix shares have risen 43.69% year-to-date and are up 96.80% over the past 12 months. On Thursday, the stock advanced 1.91% during regular trading but dipped 1.86% in after-hours trading.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that NFLX continues to show consistent upward momentum across short, medium and long-term periods. While its momentum score remains strong, its value rating trails behind. Additional performance insights are available here.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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