For all the concerned Netflix subscribers out there, fear not, because the timeless sitcom will still be there for you, at least for another year.
‘Friends,’ a classic television sitcom, and one of the greatest shows of all-time, has been a popular viewing choice for Netflix subscribers. Some subscribers were worried that ‘Friends’ would no longer be available for streaming in 2019. It’s been confirmed that this is not the case, as it has been revealed that an agreement with WarnerMedia has been authorized for Netflix to continue streaming the show in 2019. All for the steep price of $100 million dollars.
This is a pretty big step up in licensing fees, as Netflix paid $70 million dollars less to stream it before. But it’s evident that Netflix believes ‘Friends’ to be worth the cost, and who could blame them? It’s ‘Friends’ after all, and little more needs to be said.
Despite ‘Friends’ still being available on Netflix in 2019, its future on the streaming service beyond that may be at risk. Time Warner was recently acquired by AT&T, and considering the fact that AT&T is planning on starting their own streaming service, it’s not unreasonable to worry that they may lift the show from Netflix’s lineup. The Department of Justice stepped in to see AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner not go through, but were rejected. They are currently attempting to appeal the decision, but it doesn’t look good for them. How this will affect the future of ‘Friends’ on Netflix remains to be seen.
