Netflix’s Quest for Global Domination

Plus: what’s missing from the January 6th report; Martin Luther King, Jr., as a father; and foraging with the chef behind Noma. View in browser | Update your preferences Monday, January 9, 2023 In today’s newsletter, the streaming audience is always right, and then: • What’s missing from the January 6th report • Going off-grid in the city • Martin Luther King, Jr., as a father Netflix’s Quest for Global Domination Bela Bajaria oversees the streaming giant’s hyper-aggressive approach to TV-making. But how much more content can the world absorb? Photograph by Sela Shiloni for The New Yorker As Netflix’s co-C.E.O. Ted Sarandos explains to the staff writer Rachel Syme, the company’s objective is to be “equal parts HBO and FX and AMC and Lifetime and Bravo and E! and Comedy Central.” Put more simply, that means encompassing all of cable television—and perhaps replacing it. The executive tasked with leading this effort, and similar four-quadrant market saturation in other countries, is the fifty-two-year-old Bela Bajaria, whose great talent, Syme writes, has been to turn Netflix into “a universal power converter, plugging in and adapting successful show formats to different parts of the world.” We often joke about the shadowy “algorithm” running our viewing lives, but in this deeply insightful story we catch a rare glimpse of the power wielded by people inside the churning entertainment machine. —Ian Crouch, newsletter editor Read the story Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today » From the News Desk A Critic at Large What the January 6th Report Is Missing The investigative committee singles out Trump for his role in the Capitol attack. As prosecution, the report is thorough. But as historical explanation it’s a mess. By Jill Lepore Persons of Interest Maggie Haberman, the Confidence Man’s Chronicler During the Trump era, Haberman became an avatar of journalism’s promise as well as of its failures. She sees herself as a demystifier. By Katy Waldman Comment The Dire Aftermath of China’s Untenable “Zero COVID” Policy Why did the nation, which suppressed the virus for years, fail to prepare for the inevitable? By Dhruv Khullar Tune in: On The Political Scene podcast, David Remnick speaks with the journalist Bob Woodward about interviewing Presidents and about his contentious conversations with Donald Trump. In the News Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro charged into government buildings in the capital city of Brasília yesterday, in a scene chillingly similar to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. To help understand what led to this moment, read Jon Lee Anderson’s reporting on how Bolsonaro sought to emulate Trump’s strongman tactics. Cover Story Pola Maneli, the artist behind this week’s cover, titled “Family Man,” talks about how he encountered the ideas of Martin Luther King, Jr., as a young man growing up in South Africa—and why he wanted to depict him specifically in his role as a father. “Part of the problem with memorializing people as symbols and ideas,” Maneli says, “is that we risk obscuring parts of their humanity.” Culture Dept. Photo Booth Where the Amish Go on Vacation Earrings, usually forbidden, can be seen glittering from beneath white bonnets. Swimming is allowed; volleyball and shuffleboard are encouraged; ice-cream cones are a nightly ritual. By Alice Gregory Page-Turner What If Wishes Could Be Bought and Sold? In “Shubeik Lubeik,” the Egyptian comic artist Deena Mohamed draws on the Arabic fairy-tale canon to create a satire of the global extraction economy. By Yasmine AlSayyad Brave New World Off the Grid in the Big City Josh Spodek disconnected the circuit breaker in his apartment, and now—thanks to solar-powered vegan stew—his carbon footprint is about that of three house cats. By Zach Helfand Fun & Games Dept. Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Will Nediger Daily Shouts Fictional Novel or Real Woman’s Diary? How to Tell What You’re Reading A great way to figure out what’s going on in a book is to peruse its exterior. By Monica Heisey Crossword A Challenging Puzzle “Slaughterhouse-Five” setting: seven letters. By Natan Last Daily Cartoon Monday, January 9th By Paul Noth P.S. The Danish chef René Redzepi has announced that his influential and top-rated restaurant, Noma, in Copenhagen, will be closing. In 2011, Jane Kramer went foraging for rose-hip flowers, beach horseradish, and sea lettuce with Redzepi, whom she called “arguably the most famous Dane since Hamlet.” Today’s newsletter was written by Ian Crouch. Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. Plus, browse more newsletters and invite a friend to sign up for The Daily. You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for The Daily from The New Yorker. Manage your preferences | View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2023. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.