Netflix’s Larry Tanz dismisses creative change to allow for ads, remains cool on FAST

Larry Tanz

Netflix does not want creators to change the way they write their shows despite the launch of its advertising tier, according EMEA chief Larry Tanz.

The Netflix topper told delegates at UK conference Content London that his team was “not changing the creative at all” and said that tweaking shows to provide for more opportunities to roll ads was not wanted.

Tanz said the ad tier was “really about more choice” and added that most series and films already had a “natural cadence… where ads can easily appear.”

“We are being really clear with our creative partners – tell the stories how you would with Netflix normally. No changes please,” he said.

Tanz also discussed the future of FAST TV on the streamer, admitting that the company was looking at how the tech develops.

“Let’s see how it goes with our ad tier. We’ll learn a lot about how our members interact with an ad-supported offering and learn more about that side of the business.

“Then we’ll see how FAST develops and go from there,” said Tanz, whose company is also exploring live programming via a Chris Rock special due early 2023.

The supercharged growth of FAST, mainly in the US at present, goes against Netflix’s own expectations for linear.

The company’s co-CEO Reed Hastings earlier this year said he expected linear TV to die in the next decade, while its investor page states that “people love movies and TV shows, but they don’t love the linear TV experience where channels present programs only at particular times on non-portable screens with complicated remote controls.”