Netflix might introduce channels that are always available. That’s essentially like cable.

      **TL;DR** Reports indicate that Netflix executives are in discussions about introducing continuously available, genre-specific live channels and possibly integrating competing subscriptions like Peacock as add-on tiles within Netflix, according to a Wall Street Journal article. These plans are not confirmed; they remain internal discussions without a set launch date or pricing. The strategy aims to enhance viewer engagement and expand unskippable ad inventory, particularly as free ad-supported competitors are attracting casual audiences, while Netflix is also facing a lawsuit over allegations of addictive design, which it contests.

      Netflix's leadership is reportedly exploring the addition of always-on live channels that would offer genre-based programming continuously, such as all comedies or all action films, as noted in a Wall Street Journal report highlighted by The Verge.

      Additionally, there have been talks about incorporating rival streaming services, specifically Peacock, into Netflix, where they would appear as tiles on Netflix's homepage and be billed through the platform.

      However, these concepts are not actual products yet. They remain part of internal discussions without confirmed launch dates, pricing, or an official statement from the company.

      **Yes, this is cable.**

      The parallel is clear. A grid of constantly available genre channels combined with subscriptions to other services, all billed on a single invoice, closely resembles the traditional cable model that Netflix has worked to dismantle over the past twenty years.

      The bundling aspect is not new; services like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ have long offered third-party subscriptions as add-ons, which allows them to earn a share of others' revenues.

      The aspect of genre-based channels is more intriguing as it tackles a problem that Netflix has created for itself.

      **The problem of limitless options.**

      Netflix made content browsing a tiring experience. Its library has expanded to such an extent that simply choosing a show can become the most challenging part of the evening, prompting the company to utilize generative AI to address the content overload it contributed to.

      Having channels immediately resolves this problem by eliminating the decision-making process entirely, which is a key reason linear television has persisted for so long.

      This move is also defensive. Free ad-supported services like Pluto TV and Tubi have attracted casual, low-effort viewers, while Paramount is consolidating Pluto TV into a unified platform to capitalize on this trend.

      **The advertising rationale behind it.**

      Consider the advertising inventory. A channel that operates continuously offers many unskippable ad slots, unlike a catalog where users can browse and choose what to watch.

      This is more significant now than before. Netflix has been attempting to capture viewer attention wherever possible, even entering short-form video agreements with publishers to compete with platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

      The financial situation is also precarious. Following a 10% drop in stock prices, the company authorized a $25 billion share buyback, a strategy typically employed to reassure investors.

      **The aspect to monitor.**

      Always-on channels are inherently designed to engage viewers. They aim to keep the screen active after a chosen program ends, making it harder to stop watching.

      Currently, Netflix is contesting a lawsuit from the Texas attorney general that claims the company employs addictive design and engages in improper data collection, allegations that are contested and remain unproven. Introducing a feature that intentionally decreases the effort required to stop watching could be perceived as poorly timed.

      None of this undermines the idea itself. Alleviating decision fatigue is genuinely beneficial, and many viewers may seek the television equivalent of a radio station.

      However, it’s important to recognize the trade-off. Netflix disrupted the cable model by granting viewers more control, yet it may soon realize that this control was more of a perceived desire for viewers than an actual preference.