Now that Netflix has a significant chunk of American adults in its pocket, the company has decided to turn its attention towards another demographic: teens. Today’s young adults are growing up in a world where cord cutting and online streaming are the norm, so Netflix shouldn’t have to do all that much to attract them, but the company is securing a bunch of exclusive movies and shows geared towards teens anyway.
Netflix is entering the awkward teenage years, at least with its latest programming push. The company is adding to its streaming service a number of exclusive films and television series focused on teenagers and “tweens,” as part of a strategy to position itself as a digital entertainment hub for the postmillennial generation. Netflix has licensed two films from popular YouTube personalities, including “Smosh: The Movie” from the creators of the YouTube comedy channel of the same name, which has over 21 million YouTube subscribers; and “Bad Night,” featuring the YouTube stars Jenn McAllister and Lauren Luthringshausen. It also has picked up “Lost & Found Music Studios,” a half-hour original series about a group of young musicians; “Degrassi: Next Class” about homophobia, racism, substance abuse and other issues teenagers face as they prepare to enter adulthood; and “Fuller House,” the much-anticipated sequel to the 1990s hit sitcom “Full House.”