Netflix Creates Emergency Fund for Workers in Creative Community
Netflix is taking steps to help the creative community amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
As noted by Deadline, the streaming service announced the news of a $100 million fund on March 20, to assist workers in the entertainment industry who are facing job loss due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
In a blog post on Friday, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos outlined the terms of the plan, explaining that the majority of the funds would be given to “the hardest hit workers on our own productions around the world,” with $15 million donated to third parties and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work people in the TV and film industries. The post noted that many folks in the entertainment industry are paid hourly wages and work on a project-to-project basis, including electricians, carpenters, hair and makeup stylists, and more professions. Sarandos added that Netflix will also be donating to a variety of existing organizations in the U.S. and Canada designed to provide emergency assistance to actors, artists, and crew members, while working with other countries to create similar organizations for international workers.
“What’s happening is unprecedented,” Sarandos concluded. “We are only as strong as the people we work with and Netflix is fortunate to be able to help those hardest hit in our industry through this challenging time.” You can read the full post here.
Netflix’s announcement comes just a week after the streaming giant declared that it was halting production on all of its scripted TV shows and films in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, many networks and production companies have done the same, while other titles have been released to streaming services early to allow people to watch safely from home. It remains to be seen how long the entertainment industry will be on pause, but the message from Netflix is clear: we are all in this together, and any way we can help each other is crucial.
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