Who Owns the Media: Netflix

Netflix ⚝

Capitulation Rank: Independnt
Category: Online Platforms & Streaming 
Market Cap: $417.9 billion

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings has been an outspoken Trump critic. He and his wife, Patty Quillin, are among the Democratic Party’s most generous donor couples. Hastings also gave millions of dollars to Ukraine’s war effort as the Trump White House shifted U.S. foreign policy to favor Putin’s regime. And while Hastings’ largesse factors some in our rating of Netflix, it has also emboldened others within Netflix to resist Trumpism, evidenced by the streaming giant’s defense of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Hastings and his colleagues have also built a business that for now seems resilient to political pressure from this White House, while other tech giants are capitulating. “Netflix appears better positioned than most to weather storms created by tariffs and economic uncertainty,” write the financial analysts at Vested. 

There’s no evidence of a post-election statement from Hastings welcoming the new administration. However, one of his top deputies reportedly met with Trump in December 2024 at Mar-a-Lago in an apparent effort to build a positive relationship with the president-elect.

DEI Doublespeak:

In 2024, Netflix strengthened its inclusion strategy by “investing heavily in content representing underrepresented voices, which in turn boosted global subscriptions.” In its January 2025 annual report, Netflix upheld its commitment to DEI. “Bullying is causing a lot of companies to reassess,” Netflix’s former head of inclusion told Variety. “Most smart companies are just trying to figure out how far this is going to go. They’re trying to stay out of the crosshairs.”

What It Owns:

Netflix is the world’s largest subscription internet-video provider, with 302 million “paid members” globally and 90 million in the United States and Canada as of the end of 2024. Netflix owns numerous production-company subsidiaries, including Albuquerque Studios, Loudoun Productions Limited, Netflix Productions and Netflix Studios. As a part of its entry into the gaming sector, Netflix has acquired or established several gaming subsidiaries, including Helsinki GameWorks, Lume Games and Next Games.

Money & Influence Game:

Over the years, Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin have donated tens of millions of dollars to support Democratic Party candidates and causes. Netflix paid lobbyists $1,880,000 in 2024, and its employees made $17,373,829 in contributions to political candidates (2024 cycle). (SOURCE: Center for Responsive Politics)