As a Product Designer, I spend my days thinking about user experiences, flows, and features. I’m constantly looking for ways to improve how we interact with the digital world. But sometimes, the most basic needs and desires remain frustratingly unaddressed. Today, I want to talk about a feature I’ve been dreaming about for years – one that I'm convinced would be a game-changer for how we consume content: Personalized Streaming Playlists.

I'm talking about the ability to curate a custom playlist of my favorite shows and movies, then let them run sequentially like my own personal TV channel. Imagine, waking up on a Saturday morning, turning on the TV, and having a carefully crafted schedule of comfort shows, or a curated lineup of documentaries that perfectly matches your mood. I've always wanted this, and I can't help but wonder: Why is this not a thing?

We’ve all been there. You're on the couch, debating what to watch. You spend an eternity scrolling, navigating through endless rows of thumbnails, only to settle on something familiar, or maybe nothing at all. I believe there is a better way. I believe I should be able to create a list, hit play, and sink into an evening of uninterrupted entertainment. Why can’t we have what YouTube already offers – the flexibility of building personalized playlists from a library?

Is It an Oversight, a Technical Roadblock, or Bureaucracy at Play?

I’ve spent countless hours trying to figure out why this isn’t a standard feature on services like Netflix, Hulu, and Paramount+. Is it a simple oversight? Are they not listening to users like me? Do they not realize the convenience and joy it would bring to our viewing habits? Surely, the technology isn't the hurdle. These platforms manage user profiles, playback history, and complex recommendation systems. Stringing together a list of episodes or films for sequential playback can’t be beyond their capabilities.

So, what's the deal?

My best guess is that there are likely several factors contributing to this playlist-less landscape, and I suspect they fall into a few categories:

1. The Licensing Labyrinth: Streaming services don’t own most of the content they offer. They license it. These licenses likely restrict how content can be presented, sometimes down to the minute details. Is it possible that user-defined playlists are seen as a breach of these agreements? Do they only allow on demand or auto play? I’m sure the legal language is dense and complex, but I’m curious about the specific clauses that prevent a feature that seems so user-friendly.
2. The Algorithm's Reign: These services are obsessed with personalization, but they also rely heavily on their recommendation engines. User-created playlists would undermine their ability to track what you’re watching, what you’re skipping, and what you might be tempted to watch next. Is it possible that the desire to control the user experience, steer us toward “more content”, and gather data is trumping our need for greater viewing autonomy?
3. Fear of the Unknown: Could it be they are afraid of giving us too much control? If we have a library of our own choosing, does it reduce the need to explore the rest of the library? Are they concerned that this makes their content recommendations less relevant? Is this some concern over a loss of revenue? I hope not, because for me, the ability to watch my go-to shows in a playlist would increase my time on the platform, not reduce it.

A Plea to the Streaming Gods

I'm not suggesting we abandon all discovery. I'm just arguing for the option of choice. I want to have the control to build my own personal channel, my own oasis of comfort and entertainment. I believe it is a feature that many of us would appreciate and find a lot of value in.

I truly hope the Product teams at these streaming giants hear this plea. I believe creating a personal tv channel feature would be a win-win - a user-centric move that could significantly improve the overall streaming experience. It’s time to let us take the reins, build our playlists, and enjoy our favorite shows the way we want to see them.

Let’s make some noise and get this feature on their roadmap!

Happy streaming (or, you know, wishing for it),

Tar
Product Designer and Frustrated Streamer