by Thinus Ferreira
According to insider accounts, Netflix's chief content officer Bela Bajaria, who was spectacularly fired this week, got the boot in a very nasty way, with corporate corridor intrigue to rival the greatest of nasty blindsides in Hollywood.
Netflix bosses decided to get rid of 1 000 staffers worldwide - roughly 6% of its total workforce this week as the video streaming service's growth is slowing, while Bela Bajaria was assured her job is safe and she was even told to console those losing their jobs.
The buzz around Hollywood is that Netflix, now with Peter Rice as new content boss, is planning to pivot back to having the United States as its main market again, and to take on YouTube with a renewed focus on creating big-budget, franchise content for the US.
Bela Bajaria is credited with "globalising" Netflix's content, looking for and developing hits and slates worldwide. She ran roughly 30 of Netflix's international offices, constantly flying around at the expense of her own family.
Now insider speculation points to Netflix refocusing on the American market.
"I know this is a big change in a year that has already had its share. But I also see an opportunity to take our slate to the next level, especially in the United States and Canada where we have an outsize impact in creating big, buzzy hits that our members love and drive conversation around the world," Ted Sarandos, Netflix co-CEO, wrote in the memo to workers about the staff retrenchments.
American reports of how a blindsided Bela Bajaria got fired this week is as legendary shocking as it's breathtaking.
Poor Bela Bajaria reportedly found out she herself is getting axed on Wednesday at 17:00 just before she was to attend a VIP screening of a film called Nobody Wants This - this after she was told she herself is safe from the thousand staffers Netflix is letting go.
Meanwhile, Bela Bajaria reportedly attended some of the Netflix town halls, was told to do some of the staff retrenchments, and attended some meetings about the changes and layoffs.
"She got f- . She got blindsided," a Netflix insider quipped. "What was extra shitty is that they made her go to these Town Halls and meetings of team leaders to be like, 'This is a hard day', and to be all supportive and calm. It's like, just tell her to her face. They could have just fired her."
About her firing, a Hollywood agent said that Bela Bajaria is being made the scapegoat for Netflix's woes and a lack of big hits.
"Netflix is definitely looking for their next hit. They don't have anything to replace Stranger Things. They don't have that big show that's on deck. But how the f- do you blame that on Bela?"
"Other people have greenlight authority too. Bella was grabbing NFL rights and wrestling. I think Netflix is one of those weird new age digital corporations that's like, 'change is good'. They are losing subscribers and the stock is down."
Another insider remarks that "Bela bled for the company. She sacrificed her family and her friends, and now she's a sacrificial lamb. It's sad".
