Earlier this year, it was reported that President Obama was in talks with Netflix for a potential content deal. While Apple was also reportedly in the running, Netflix officially announced today that it has reached a deal with the Obamas…
Netflix announced the agreement in a tweet, saying that it has reached a multi-year deal with President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to produce original films and series for Netflix. While the exact content efforts are unclear at this point, Netflix says their creations could include both scripted and unscripted series, as well as documentaries, features, and more:
A report earlier this year indicated that one idea being floated around was a series where President Obama “moderated conversations” on topics that were central to his presidency, including health care, climate change, and immigration. The first lady was said to be exploring shows about nutrition and fitness, among other things.
President Obama was the first guest on David Letterman’s Netflix original talk show. During that interview, Obama talked up the importance of media in today’s society, saying “if you watch Fox News, you are living on a different planet than you are if you listen to NPR.” Thus, his deal with Netflix will allow him to have his own platform to talk key topics.
In a statement to The New York Times, President Obama says he hopes the Netflix deal will allow him and the first lady to share stories that help promote greater empathy and understanding:
It’s unclear at this point as to when we will see the first of the Obamas’ original content on Netflix.
“That’s why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix — we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world.”
