Prediction: In 5 Years, This Will Be Netflix's Biggest Rival

Netflix’s push for creator-driven content is being framed as the streaming giant’s likely biggest rival in five years: YouTube. The article points to Netflix adding material from popular creators such as Ms. Rachel and Mark Rober, aiming to capture more traffic from YouTube, owned by Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL). It cites Netflix data that Ms. Rachel’s first season generated 37 million views in the first six months of the year and ranked as the ninth-most-watched show in that period. The central challenge is that YouTube remains accessible without a paid subscription, so Netflix would need to justify why comparable content is worth paying for. The competitive context includes Netflix raising prices and facing Alphabet’s resources, including YouTube’s expansion into live sports.