Netflix Seeks African Shows for 2019

Published On January 8, 2019 | By Tom Huskerson | News and Analysis

Netflix announced it will commission new programming from Africa. At a recent conference Netflix executive Erik Barmack revealed the streaming service will “definitely” order new shows from Africa in 2019. Barmack did not specify what programs the service is looking for but said Netflix was “looking at opportunities” from the African continent.

Netflix’s international focus has been on Asia, Europe and Latin America. But recently Netflix has started to focus more on demographics in other parts of the world. For example Arabic speakers will get native-language programming in the form of the Netflix owned service Jinn. The effort to expand its offerings has the potential to make Netflix a global service.

The effort will change Netflix’s overall demographic. According to Barmack half of the top 10 popular shows will eventually originate outside the U.S. and the change is coming soon. Barmack said the transition will happen in “years, not decades.”

Netflix has made great in-roads into the multi-cultural market by securing the services of African-America producers and directors. Other streaming services are also bringing in black producers. CBS All Access recently announced that Jordon Peele will be producing a new “Twilight Zone” program for its streaming platform. Shonda Rhimes, producer of “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Scandal,” is also working on projects for Netflix. She has been joined at Netflix by producer Kenya Barris. Barris produced the hit comedy “Blackish.” Apple announced it has signed Oprah Winfrey to produce programming.

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About The Author

Tom Huskerson Bio Born in Richmond Virginia Tom Huskerson is a military veteran who settled in California after his discharge. Tom attended Santa Barbara City College where he began his writing career as a campus reporter. He worked as an intern news reporter for the Santa Barbara News-Press writing feature stories before moving on to San Francisco. At San Francisco State University Tom studied broadcast communications and began to focus on the Internet. He completed his graduate thesis on Internet advertising. Tom was the first student to ever focus on the Internet as a graduate student at San Francisco State University. After graduation he went to work for Zona Research in California’s Silicone Valley. As a research associate Tom supported senior analyst writing on the latest developments in the Internet industry. During the dot com boom Tom worked for several web businesses as a market researcher and analyst. As a writer and researcher Tom has authored various technical works including a training program for Charles Schwab security. Other projects included professional presentations on workplace violence and hiring security contractors. Tom has also written both fiction and non-fiction works and blogging for a travel website. He has published two books of short stories and completed two novels. Tom is the owner of Scribe of Life Literature and EbonyCandle.com. Tom is not the chief editor for the OnTechStreet. com. A news and information blog that focuses on tech news for African-Americans. The blog is the result of his desire to inform the African American community of the dangers and benefits of the cyber age. In his blog Tom reports on information security, new and analysis, scams and hoaxes, legal happenings and various topics that arise from the age of information. Tom believes that technology is a necessary tool for black people and they should know what is happening. Tom writes believing that techno speak is for the professional and that valuable information can be communicated using plain language. As a result he has embraced the motto, Less Tech, More Knowledge.

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