Netflix expands video podcast slate to challenge YouTube

Netflix announced on Wednesday that it is launching its first original video podcasts, featuring comedian Pete Davidson and former football player Michael Irvin. The streaming giant is increasing its investment in video podcasts with these new projects, which will be available exclusively to Netflix subscribers. The announcement marks a direct effort by the streaming platform to integrate original talk and sports programming into its subscription service. The company is rolling out the two shows on the following schedule:

• “The White House”: Hosted by Michael Irvin, with former football player Brandon Marshall appearing as a guest co-host, the show is scheduled to make its streaming debut on January 19.
• “The Pete Davidson Show”: Hosted by Pete Davidson, the show is scheduled to make its debut on January 30.

This expansion is part of a broader strategy as Netflix increasingly tries to challenge YouTube’s dominance in the podcast space. The battleground for these viewers is shifting to the home; in 2025, viewers watched over 700 million hours of podcasts per month on living room devices, which refer to connected televisions and streaming hardware. By offering video podcasts directly on its platform, Netflix aims to capture a portion of this highly engaged audience that currently relies on rival services.

The new original series will join Netflix’s existing slate of video podcasts, which currently features licensed titles from third-party providers including iHeartMedia, Spotify, and Barstool Sports. These licensed titles help populate the platform’s current offerings as it builds out its media footprint. However, Netflix is still in the early stages of developing its podcast library. The company faces a significant catalog deficit compared to established platforms like YouTube and Spotify, which host millions of podcast episodes.

The company’s long-term direction for the format was highlighted recently by its leadership. In October, Netflix Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone addressed the company’s podcast ambitions at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. During the event, Stone discussed how the expansion into video podcasts represents part of a broader strategy to explore new interactive content types.

Why it matters

Netflix is betting that original video content can help it capture a larger share of the podcast market, directly competing with YouTube’s established dominance on connected televisions.