
Netflix sends journalists on pricey trips - danso
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/12/12/netflix-sends-journalists-pricey-trips-raising-questions-angering-rivals/
======
dawnerd
This is kinda weird for WaPo to write about considering it's pretty common for
many companies to send journalists and reviewers on fancy trips. They'll often
hold product launches in places like Hawaii, or recently with Jumanji they had
a press event in Mexico at a nice resort. Netflix's rivals all do the same
exact thing.

> The Washington Post’s policy is not to accept any material gifts from news
> sources or coverage subjects.

But I bet they're more than willing to accept what is essentially a free
vacation on company time.

~~~
fock
but you know what: for Jeff Bezos it doesn't work out, so there has to be
something wrong...

Given that: I'm getting tired of Netflix's concept of producing a lot of
crappy shows for regional markets - if I'd like to have that, I can go to my
public broadcaster too for the mandatory fee I have to pay anyways... (and
they also realized by now that they have to do something for non-retirees).
For nice and "special" movies, buying a DVD is most often the only sensible
option. Or some stream somewhere... (which are not good at special things
either)

~~~
ramblerman
Beg to differ. Netflix has made some great local content, narcos, Dark, Casa
de papel, The dutch civil war resistance miniseries, some great French
comedies, and the list goes on.

I think it's great to see stuff not all coming out of Hollywood.

~~~
fock
I can see a lot of non-local (but still European) stuff in Europe too, fully
synchronized, in public TV, which I have to pay (...) anyways. And it's the
same shallow, non-distinguishable, mass-market ready stuff like 90% of
Netflix's own stuff. The only thing Netflix does better for me personally is
that the setting generally seems to cater to younger people. Production
quality and plot are the same as in public TV.

~~~
WhyNotHugo
I really don't get people who use broadcast TV. You have to plan your life
around anything you want to watch -- which is the oppostite of Netflix, which
adapts to my own schedules and free time. It just seems crazy!

~~~
cardiffspaceman
One word: "DVR". _Verb sap._ We also have Netflix and Prime, and watch a lot
of YouTube.

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briga
Oh those poor innocent Hollywood studios, it's so unfair when critics just get
paid to endorse movies--at least it is when those movies are getting made by
your competitor. Maybe if the big studios weren't so focused on pumping out
sequel after sequel after remake after lowest common denominator designed-by-
commitee movies they wouldn't have to worry about this. Netflix is simply
making better movies, and if these studios want their awards they're going to
have to compete for them.

~~~
robbyt
Better movies? On Netflix? Are you sure?

~~~
afthonos
Well, a movie they made earned universal acclaim _and_ the Academy Award for
best picture last year, and they’re in good shape this year too, so…yes?

~~~
np_tedious
Green Book won the award for Best Picture last year. It was not made by
Netflix.

I do think Netflix has made a lot of good (and less good) content. But that
statement is simply untrue

~~~
Bishonen88
2019 is still the current year. 2018 was won by Shape of Water:

[https://oscar.go.com/news/oscar-news/best-
actress-2018-franc...](https://oscar.go.com/news/oscar-news/best-
actress-2018-frances-mcdormand-wins-2018-oscar)

------
hn_throw_4454
Oh man, not the half of it.

My wife won the Netflix PR account for our market for the agency she worked
for.

They moved into their office and built an elaborate viewing room — and their
retainer came in at multiples of other high end clients.

And yeah, constant trips for entertainment journos.

One of the more aggressive and savvy companies when it comes to PR. In my
experience that signals strong management.

------
creaghpatr
From what I can tell from reading the article, the established Hollywood
studios are mad that Neflix upgraded the experience at their 'press junkets'
which are a completely normal part of the promo cycle.

Press junkets are notorious for being rapid-fire grinds that studios consider
a necessary evil. I guess the case could be made that by making it a more
pleasant experience (and also granting journalists paid set visits is
mentioned?) could give them an advantage among critics/voters? Probably but
that's the business, just like this WaPo article was probably pitched by a
competitor PR firm.

------
garyclarke27
I did wonder how two such mediocre long and boring films The Irishman &
Marriage Story got such rave reviews. I’m annoyed with myself, having been
swayed by the the critics, so wasting over 5 hours of my life - watching these
in the vain hope that some excitement or entertainment would emerge -
thoroughly disappointed.

~~~
ipython
To each their own. I thoroughly enjoyed the Irishman.

------
Grue3
Sounds like sour grapes to me. How much Amazon Prime produced programming got
nominated again?

~~~
ceejayoz
Having worked at a newspaper, it's fairly unlikely the WaPo's journalists feel
brand loyalty to Amazon Prime.

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Shivetya
Are Critic Choice Awards comparable to Emmy awards? I always felt these were B
or C tier awards. However I am not in this industry and could be completely
out of touch.

To me actions like what Netflix did are nothing more than another form of
marketing. You either buy what they are selling or you don't.

~~~
dmix
You'd also have to be a shitty movie reviewer to like one (of 61 films) films
more because you got a free flight. And why would you put an industry
professional in a shitty hotel when you fly them there? They should treat them
with respect since they play a big role in the industry.

This sounds like it helps critics covering films be industry insiders with
closer access to the filmmakers/actors which makes for more interesting
content which they wouldn't have otherwise. Which helps them with the
critiquing when it goes wrong or right.

Ensuring high quality coverage (or any coverage) for an event featuring !=
ensuring positive reviews

------
dangerboysteve
This is/was a common practice with movie studios promoting new films and
flying reporters to screening.

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WhyNotHugo
I'm really grab Netflix is disrupting the market like this. Some things (like
Theatre's monopoly over new titles) are absurd and need to stop. Wanna watch a
new movie? Waiting for months or theatres are the only options. I'll be very
happy the day this changes for all new titles.

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askafriend
So what. The journalists get to live a little - good.

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eps
This is getting tiresome.

HN needs a policy to disallow completely paywalled links.

That's akin posting a photo of a printed magazine cover and suggesting to
discuss a terribly interesting article on page 17. It works only for a limited
audience that comprises magazine subscribers and those willing to make a trip
to the library, borrow from a friend, etc. That's counterproductive and
exclusionary. It also doesn't age well.

~~~
jwr
Yes, HN should take a stand here: all links should point to the open web. I
realize that there is lots of interesting content that is not on the web, and
that's fine. It's just that HN links should not point to it.

We are losing the concept of the open web, and I thought HN would be the
community that would understand the problem.

~~~
rootlocus
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21779375](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21779375)

~~~
grenoire
Sure, that's great it's written down. Doesn't mean we have to agree to the
rules.

The complaints about paywalled articles are warranted, and we should take a
stance about it whether the debate itself is viewed as off-topic or not. It's
turned into a form of protest, at this point.

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partingshots
What should HN’s stance on paywalled sites be? It seems like at the very
least, having an alternative link posted along with the main one that’s
accessible to everyone would be a reasonable proposal.

~~~
chillwaves
[https://outline.com/mdeq7H](https://outline.com/mdeq7H)

~~~
ShorsHammer
The best stance is one of defiance.

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madisfun
I saw a link "Netflix sends journalists on pricey trips". "Support great
journalism," said the link I followed.

(paywall)

~~~
jlgaddis
Great journalism isn't free.

