Netflix '60 Minutes' Original Alternative May Take On The News Genre

The news genre has long been a fan-favorite across multiple mediums: radio, videos, and even podcasts. It's no surprise that Netflix had dabbled in it with its Making a Murderer series, but that's reportedly only the start of the company's ambitions. According to a new report, Netflix is looking into creating its original alternative to "60 Minutes," an episodic series.

The information comes from MarketWatch, which reports Netflix is currently in the early process of creating its own original news show akin to the popular, long-running series "60 Minutes." This series will reportedly focus on newsworthy events, but won't be the news segment some have called on the company to launch. Shows like this have been popular with viewers for years, established examples being things like "20/20."

Though the company has created a number of original shows, they tend to focus on fictional series. Netflix has branched out to a smaller degree into the realm of reality television and documentaries, and this new series — assuming it exists — will underscore that expansion.

Assuming the series happens, it will be a "current affairs" show, meaning that it will focus on things currently happening in the news. These shows are often risky for media companies due to their immediate nature and associated expense. However, Netflix has built itself a large customer base and it hasn't shied away from taking on traditional media companies across a variety of genres.

Whether such a series would prosper on the platform is another question. Current affairs content is found in ample supply online, and the streaming company would have an uphill battle in drawing in those users. This type of content is often consumed in smaller batches, and Netflix certainly isn't the first thing that comes to mind when seeking out info on current events.

SOURCE: MarketWatch