Netflix lays off most fansite staff just months after it launched
What just happened? In another sign that things are far from rosy at Netflix, the streaming giant fired a number of editorial staff and contractors at its fan site Tudum, which launched just over four months ago. The company insists the project won’t be cancelled, but it looks like it’s another belt-tightening exercise for Netflix after losing subscribers for the first time in a decade.
Tudum, named after the first global fan event in September, launched in early December as a companion site to Netflix. It features exclusive content related to the streaming service, such as whether the series has been renewed (probably not), when it comes out, trivia about the show, and more.
But Term reports that as part of the restructuring of Netflix’s marketing department, 25 positions at the company were eliminated, most of which came from Tudum – ten employees were reportedly fired from the site.
The move may look like Netflix is preparing to shut down Tudum, but a spokesperson said it wasn’t. “Our Tudum fan site is a high priority for the company,” they confirmed.
Oh oh! Looks like I have to do this tweet again. Is anyone hiring? Netflix just fired my team (including my job). It’s been an incredible few months and I’m grateful for that, but I’m excited about what’s to come. Email is in bio.
— Josh Terry (@JoshhTerry) April 28, 2022
Former Vice culture writer Josh Terry tweeted about the layoffs, noting that he and his team had been fired from Tudum.
The news comes just as Netflix’s quarterly results showed the company has lost 200,000 subscribers since the start of the year, which it blames on password-sharing, increased competition and exiting the Russian market. But a recent report shows that US consumers may have reached a subscription peak: US households have stopped adding to their list of streaming subscriptions after nearly two years of consistent growth.
