Netflix Co-CEO Says Growth Has Slowed and Live Content Is Key to Boosting Viewership
Ted Sarandos said that Netflix’s subscriber growth slowed to just 2% in the first half of 2026 and the company is pushing live programming, like NFL games, to accelerate engagement.
During Bloomberg’s 2026 Screentime conference, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos acknowledged that the streaming platform’s growth has stalled, with viewership increasing only 2% in the first half of 2026. He explained that live programming, which accounts for about 5% of Netflix’s content budget and generates roughly 1% of its audience, is being expanded to include events such as the NFL in hopes of driving new subscriptions and reducing churn.
Sarandos highlighted that live content tends to attract many sign-ups and is favored by advertisers, though he ruled out launching a completely ad-supported free tier that could cannibalize the core service. While Netflix has recently partnered with YouTube creators, Sarandos emphasized the company will stay out of the user-generated content space and continue to focus on high-quality, professionally produced programming.
He also defended the company’s earlier bid for Warner Bros., saying the price paid was appropriate for shareholder value. Overall, Sarandos said the business is “growing fine,” but the firm is working to accelerate that growth.
Why it matters
Netflix’s slower growth and shift to live content could reshape streaming competition and affect subscriber habits.
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