Now that Netflix has officially withdrawn its bid to acquire Warner Bros. and the harsh glare of public scrutiny has, at least for the moment, abated, Ted Sarandos may be hoping to slink discreetly back into the shadows and continue business as usual. I hope we do not let that happen because streaming media, and Netflix in particular, is due for a reckoning.
In debates and media coverage about the possible cultural and economic impact of a merger, Netflix executives seemed genuinely surprised to discover there was so much antipathy toward the company. They clearly have not been paying attention. Viewers have had a love-hate relationship with Netflix for more than a decade, and in recent years, it has more frequently teetered toward discontent.
