The past year or so has consisted of a fair bit of controversy for streaming giant Netflix. They had a number of high points over the pandemic, but recently have seen record losses in memberships and backlash regarding certain content.
A lengthy memo posted to the company's website details their views regarding the shows and movies they host as well as reactions to them, saying that if an employee doesn't agree with a certain production, Netflix "may not be the best place" for them.
The memo, titled "Netflix Culture — Seeking Excellence", places a lot of emphasis on artistic expression, diversity of content, and employees being vocal when they disagree with something, saying, "If an employee disagrees on an important open issue, it is their responsibility to explain why, ideally in person and in writing."
Namely the employee walkout that happened in protest of Dave Chappelle's most recent comedy special The Closer, in which he made a number of controversial comments about the LGBTQ+ community.
"As employees we support the principle that Netflix offers a diversity of stories, even if we find some titles counter to our own personal values," it reads, "Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful. If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you."
"Entertaining the world is an amazing opportunity and also a challenge because viewers have very different tastes and points of view. So we offer a wide variety of TV shows and movies, some of which can be provocative.”
"While every title is different, we approach them based on the same set of principles: we support the artistic expression of the creators we choose to work with; we program for a diversity of audiences and tastes; and we let viewers decide what’s appropriate for them, versus having Netflix censor specific artists or voices," they declare.
When initially receiving criticism for Chappelle's special, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos wrote in an internal memo that the program didn't cross "the line on hate" and would remain available to stream.
Another section explains how Netflix models themselves "on being a professional sports team, not a family", saying a family is about unconditional love while a dream team is about pushing oneself to be the best they can be.
They then say, "Dream teams are not right for everyone."
h/t: New York Post
