Netflix(US:NFLX) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-12-12 05:01Core Viewpoint - The streaming industry is experiencing a stark contrast between the vibrant domestic entertainment scene and the strategic, calm maneuvers of global giants, revealing the underlying logic of industry survival. Group 1: Industry Comparison - Domestic platforms like iQIYI are relying on star power to maintain visibility, as evidenced by the extravagant "iQIYI Scream Night," which reflects their weak commercial performance [3][6] - In contrast, Netflix made a significant move by acquiring Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion (approximately 600 billion RMB), highlighting the disparity in strategic positioning between domestic and international players [5][6] - Netflix's market capitalization stands at $425 billion, with a net profit of $11.5 billion, while iQIYI's market cap is only about $2 billion, less than 1/200th of Netflix's [6][9] Group 2: Business Model Insights - Netflix operates as a tech company disguised as an entertainment entity, with a distribution network across 190 countries and 280 million paying households, ensuring steady cash flow regardless of viewership [11] - The zero marginal cost model allows Netflix to profit from content like "Squid Game," which costs $20 million to produce, regardless of the number of viewers [13] - The acquisition of Warner Bros. allows Netflix to enhance its content library with valuable IPs while shedding underperforming assets like CNN and TNT [15] Group 3: Challenges for Domestic Platforms - Domestic platforms face a fundamental issue of lacking "certainty" in their assets, relying heavily on star-driven content that can lead to significant financial losses if a star's reputation falters [16][18] - To overcome their challenges, domestic platforms must abandon the fantasy of becoming "China's Netflix," reduce exorbitant star salaries, and shift focus back to content creators like writers and directors [18][21] - The essence of the content industry is to produce quality work over time, and domestic platforms need to focus on building reliable content assets rather than chasing fleeting trends [21]