Barack and Michelle Obama have signed a multi-year production deal with streaming giant Netflix, it was announced on Monday.
The former US President and First Lady will work on a range of scripted and unscripted TV series for the on-demand platform.
The new company is called Higher Ground Productions and will also help to create documentaries and feature films (via NYTimes), Netflix said in the announcement.
President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have entered into a multi-year agreement to produce films and series for Netflix, potentially including scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries, and features.
— Netflix US (@netflix) May 21, 2018
Beyond the announcement, there’s little in the way of detail and no mention of potential titles that may be on the way.
Netflix has a whopping 125 million subscribers around the world and the Obamas appear to believe this is the best way to reach the masses after leaving office.
In a statement, Barack Obama said he and Michelle want to help people share stories and to promote empathy and understanding.
Related: Best movies on Netflix in May 2018
He wrote: “One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience.”
“That’s why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix – we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world.”
Fighting back?
Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos said Netflix was proud the Obamas had chosen Netflix as a vessel for their post-White House stories.
“Barack and Michelle Obama are among the world’s most respected and highly-recognized public figures and are uniquely positioned to discover and highlight stories of people who make a difference in their communities and strive to change the world for the better,” he said.
“We are incredibly proud they have chosen to make Netflix the home for their formidable storytelling abilities.”
What are your hopes for the Netflix/Obama partnership? Is this the way the family fights back in the Trump era? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
