*By Britt Terrell*
Streaming platforms are in a war for top talent, and Apple just won the latest battle with a multi-year original content deal with Oprah Winfrey. It remains to be seen, though, whether the company can compete with streaming heavyweights like Netflix.
"The Oprah deal is said to be part of a $1 billion original programming push, but that's about the same amount that Netflix is increasing its original programming spending per year at the moment," said Mike Brown, innovation reporter at Inverse. Apple does have some advantages. It has over a billion devices in the market, but Netflix is already outspending."
Netflix recently inked a $300 million deal with producer Ryan Murphy, the man behind hits like *Glee*, *The People vs. O.J. Simpson*, *American Horror Story*, to create original content. It also signed the Obamas for an undisclosed amount.
"Getting these big names board shows that Apple and Netflix are serious about taking on the established players in this field," said Brown. "If they can get those big names on-board that is absolutely a huge benefit for them."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/oprahs-big-bite-out-of-apple).
Much like all the upheaval shaking the world, the huge swings rocking Wall Street may feel far from normal. But, for investing at least, this is normal.
Joe Cecela, Dream Exchange CEO, explains how they are aiming to form the first minority-controlled company to operate an exchange in U.S. history. Watch!
A Michigan judge is putting sponges in the hands of shoplifters and ordering them to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot when spring weather arrives. Genesee County Judge Jeffrey Clothier hopes the unusual form of community service discourages people from stealing from Walmart. The judge also wants to reward shoppers with free car washes. Clothier says he began ordering “Walmart wash” sentences this week for shoplifting at the store in Grand Blanc Township. He believes 75 to 100 people eventually will be ordered to wash cars this spring. Clothier says he will be washing cars alongside them when the time comes.
