Netflix will change the way comedy shows are bought instead of buying them directly for millions of dollars.

CTOnews.com The Wall Street Journal reported that streaming giant Netflix has become one of the main platforms for comedians, funding a series of special shows and offering them to more than 220 million subscribers.

Netflix is currently changing the way it pays for comedy under features to reduce its costs, shift some of the financial burden to actors and give actors more control over their work, according to people familiar with the matter.

CTOnews.com has learned that in recent months Netflix has begun licensing new specials from comedians for about $200,000 for two years instead of more expensive direct purchases, according to people familiar with the matter. Previously, many comedians were paid a lump sum, usually as much as $1 million (about 7.12 million yuan), to help cover production costs.

Netflix said it lost nearly 1 million subscribers in the June quarter due to increased competition. Netflix also told investors it expects content spending to remain around the current $17 billion for the next few years.