Netflix Gives Obamas Global Reach, Local Responsibility
*By Britt Terrell and Max Godnick*
Netflix's international distribution can help Barack and Michelle Obama reach a wide audience for whatever programming they decide to create, according to TV critics and media analysts.
"They are a power couple and this is a power move," Natasha Alford, the deputy editor for TheGrio, said in an interview with Cheddar.
Netflix and the Obamas announced a multi-year deal Monday for the former first couple to produce scripted and unscripted shows, series, features and documentaries for the streaming service by way of the Obamas' Higher Ground Productions.
Neither Netflix nor the Obamas have shared the specifics of exactly what kinds of content they will make under their new production company, Higher Ground Productions. [The New York Times] (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/us/politics/barack-obama-netflix-show.html) reported that the former president does not plan to make content that directly attacks President Donald Trump or conservative media outlets like Fox News.
"Whatever format they want to tell these stories whether it's focused on education or gun control or the health of our young people ー these are issues that are important to them," said Kristen Baldwin, the TV critic for Entertainment Weekly, who said the Netflix deal could help the Obamas amplify the work of their foundation.
Alford of the TheGrio agrees: "I think we're going to see material that's more along the lines of what is on the Obama Foundation [YouTube channel] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiaba-DmYJacphj7r7Knrwg)," she said on Cheddar.
The deal gives the Obamas direct access to Netflix's 125 million worldwide subscribers.
"The Obama's want a global audience, Netflix has it," Baldwin said Tuesday in an interview with Cheddar. "And they are also giving them the freedom to create any type of program that they find interesting."
With that freedom, however, comes the responsibility to provide content that would otherwise not be available if commercial and corporate interests had the final say, said Alexander Heffner, the host of "The Open Mind" on PBS.
He said the Obamas should also use Netflix's reach to serve people who that might not have access to high-speed internet and reach communities that would benefit from high-quality programming.
"It should be integrated in classrooms," Heffner said on Cheddar. "As long as the Obamas' contract says that they can do that and not charge whatever public school district from Tucson to Des Moines."
Alford said the move makes sense given Barack Obama's early adoption of technology and social media during his presidential campaign in 2008.
"He was one of the first to really understand grassroots digital activism and getting people behind him," she said. "Of course he would be getting ahead of the curve and thinking about Netflix."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/obamas-sign-multi-year-netflix-deal).
Visitors in Santa Monica are now getting a whole new look into the new metaverse world. Starting on December 1st, the Downtown Santa Monica District Is Getting Fully Immersed in AR and VR. It's All in Partnership with 'Flick Play' which is the first-ever 'Play to Earn' Metaverse App that Basically Takes the Gamification of 'Pokemon Go' and combines It with more social aspects of an App like Tiktok. Founder of the FlickPlay App Pierina Merino, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
On a platform as massive as TikTok, there are bound to be some negative implications. While we know that social media sites can have harmful health effects for teens and adolescents, the research on TikTok's health effects is slim to none. Skye Barbic, assistant professor at the University of British Columbia joins Cheddar News.
If your kid was on Santa's "nice list" this year, maybe you're willing to shell out $1,900 for Tesla's new Cyberquad. The automaker's all-electric ATV for children 8 years old and up is available to order now and is expected to begin shipping in two to four weeks.
Grab, a Southeast Asia-based ride sharing, e-wallet, and delivery service, made its public debut on the Nasdaq via SPAC merger. CFO Peter Oey joined Cheddar's Brad Smith to talk about the IPO and why it was an ideal time for the company to go public. Oey noted that while Grab operates in 465 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries, there is still more opportunity to grow and expand while balancing profitability and growth.
Voltus is going public by combining with a special purpose acquisition company, Broadscale Acquisition Corp., in a deal that values the electricity market technology startup at about $1.3 billion dollars. The company aims to deliver less expensive, more reliable, and more sustainable electricity to its more than 600 customers, including Home Depot, Coca-Cola, and Simon Property Group. Gregg Dixon, co-founder and CEO of Voltus and Andrew Shapiro, chairman and CEO of Broadscale Acquisition Corp., joined Cheddar News to discuss the deal.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Kemtai Co-Founder breaks down how computer vision and artificial intelligence can improve your workout form; Wove Co-Founder explains how it's creating a one-of-a-kind engagement ring design process; A look at Curiosity Stream's 'History By The Numbers.'
Mike Telem, Co-Founder at Kemtai, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how the platform is using computer vision and artificial intelligence as a virtual personal trainer through a laptop's camera, and how this technology can be adapted for physical therapy.
Fintech company Square, led by the now-former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, will undergo a name change to Block as it expands its product offerings and goes beyond just a payment processing platform into blockchain and crypto spaces.
Jill and Carlo discuss what appears to be the beginning of the end of Roe v. Wade, another victim dies following the school shooting in Michigan, Omicron in the U.S., Trump's Covid chronology and more.
