Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have officially sealed a deal with Netflix to produce television shows and films for the streaming service. The deal will give Barack an international television platform during his post-presidency, allowing him to reach millions of people in the US and internationally, reports nytimes.com.
The couple has created “Higher Ground Productions”, a company to produce content for Netflix, the streaming service announced. “President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have entered into a multi-year agreement to produce films and series for Netflix, potentially including scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries, and features,” Netflix announced in a statement on Twitter.
The former president has told associates that he does not intend to use the new platform to wage a public campaign against his successor in the Oval Office, or to fight against conservative voices that populate media outlets like Fox News. Instead, a release from Netflix said the Obamas will produce “scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries and features” that highlight issues and themes the president pursued during his eight years in office, reports nytimes.com. ALSO READ: Michelle Obama on Black Panther: I believe that the film will inspire people to be heroes of their own stories
“One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience,” Barack said. “That’s why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix – we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world.”
Ted Sarandos, the chief content officer for Netflix, said the deal will benefit the service’s audience. “Barack and Michelle Obama are among the world’s most respected and highly recognised public figures and are uniquely positioned to discover and highlight stories of people who make a difference in their communities and strive to change the world for the better,” he said.