The Journal. The Man Who Wants Netflix to Save Hollywood
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Jan 8, 2026 
Joe Flint, a Wall Street Journal reporter specializing in the entertainment industry, dives deep into Netflix's ambitious $72 billion bid for Warner Bros. He discusses the growing concerns among Hollywood creatives about consolidation and power concentration. Flint highlights Ted Sarandos' transformative strategies, including the pivot to originals and a creator-friendly payment model. They also touch on the rivalry with Paramount and the implications of regulatory scrutiny, revealing a high-stakes drama that could reshape the future of Hollywood.
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From Video-Store Clerk To Netflix Content Chief
- Ted Sarandos started as a video-store clerk in Arizona and rose to regional distributor before joining Netflix in 2000.
- His early love of indie films and deal-making led Reed Hastings to hire him to run content acquisition.
Netflix Rewrote Creator Economics
- Netflix flipped the traditional TV economics by paying more upfront and buying out back-end rights to own shows outright.
- That model helped Netflix quickly secure hits by offering creators big immediate checks instead of long future reruns.
How House Of Cards Was Won
- Netflix landed David Fincher and House of Cards by offering two-season guarantees with no pilot and full funding.
- The creator-friendly, guaranteed-commitment approach became a signature Netflix tactic to win top talent.
