Updated
Updated · The A.V. Club · Oct 15
Netflix Cuts Content Chief Bela Bajaria in 1,000-Job Layoff, Replacing Her With Peter Rice
Updated
Updated · The A.V. Club · Oct 15

Netflix Cuts Content Chief Bela Bajaria in 1,000-Job Layoff, Replacing Her With Peter Rice

3 articles · Updated · The A.V. Club · Oct 15

Summary

  • Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer since 2023, was ousted in the streamer’s latest cuts, making the executive behind its film and TV slate one of the highest-profile departures.
  • About 1,000 jobs—roughly 6% of Netflix’s workforce—are being eliminated as the company makes what it called focused choices after stalling engagement and slowing growth.
  • Peter Rice, a former Fox and Disney executive, is set to take over as chief content officer next week, according to a memo from co-CEO Ted Sarandos.
  • The leadership shake-up shows the layoffs are reaching beyond rank-and-file staff into Netflix’s top creative ranks as the company resets its content strategy.

Insights

After axing 1,000 jobs and its chief content officer in 48 hours, is the streaming giant facing a much deeper internal crisis?
With a traditional Hollywood veteran taking over, is Netflix secretly abandoning its disruptive streaming roots to become a conventional TV network?