Netflix, Fungible Creators, and the Shrinking Pie for Everyone Else
Netflix’s new move into video podcasts isn’t just about diversifying formats. It’s about owning the next frontier of social commerce—and doing it in a way that cuts traditional creators out of the value chain.
The premise is smart. Build podcast-style shows around known hosts and IP. Keep it in-house. Add shoppable integration. Suddenly, you’re not just watching a show—you’re buying the mic, the hoodie, the supplements in real time. Frictionless commerce, driven by trust and affinity, inside a closed ecosystem.
This is not TikTok or YouTube. It’s not a content free-for-all or an algorithmic popularity contest. Netflix isn’t looking for creators to build the next big show—they’re hiring the show.
And that’s the point.
The age of the fungible creator is here
In a recent draft, I wrote about how platforms increasingly treat creators as fungible—interchangeable parts of a content machine. If one burns out or moves on, just plug in the next.
What we’re seeing now is a more polished version of the same idea. Platforms don’t need 10 million creators. They need 100 who deliver reliable content, commerce potential, and audience trust. The rest? Background noise.
Social platforms started the creator economy by offering reach in exchange for content. But as ad markets tighten and discovery becomes pay-to-play, that bargain has eroded. Monetization is down. Creator funds are shrinking. And revenue share? You’re lucky if it covers a coffee.
Meanwhile, Netflix is building a system where creators don’t monetize their audience—they get folded into the platform’s monetization strategy.
Fewer creators. Tighter control. More upside—for the platform.
What this means for the rest of us
If you’re a social media creator, the window to build a sustainable business on-platform is narrowing. The old playbook—build an audience, wait for ad revenue—is broken.
The new path is full-stack:
- Own your audience.
- Control your distribution.
- Monetize through commerce, community, or IP—not just ads.
That’s where distllr comes in. We help founders and operators partner with experienced executives who’ve lived this transition firsthand—from monetizing media to building ecosystems that scale.
The creator economy isn’t dead. But it is changing. Fast. The smart ones aren’t just creating content anymore—they’re building businesses.
Let’s talk if you want to build one too.
