What the Netflix viewing figures actually tell us about viewing habits
The report left a few key unanswered questions
Earlier this week, Netflix unveiled its initial comprehensive set of viewing figures, disclosing that The Night Agent, Wednesday, and Queen Charlotte are among the streaming platform's most-watched hits.
The release offered the TV industry insight into the performance of shows with subscribers. Prior to this, Netflix had faced criticism for its perceived secrecy, with producers often left unaware of the viewership figures for their shows, reports BBC.
"We believe the viewing information in this report... will give creators and our industry deeper insights into our audiences, and what resonates with them," the company said as it released the data on Wednesday.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
But the report left a few key unanswered questions.
Where's Stranger Things or The Crown?
Netflix ranks its viewing data based on total hours viewed, and The Night Agent, an FBI thriller, led with 812 million hours from January to June 2023.
Notably, popular shows like The Crown and Stranger Things aren't in the top 50 as they didn't release new episodes in that period. Netflix divides shows by season, impacting their rankings.
For instance, The Crown's season five ranked 153rd, but considering all seasons, it amassed 214 million hours.
Similar adjustments could boost Stranger Things. Some successful shows internationally, like La Reina del Sur and The Glory, aren't as known in the UK. Analyzing total hours raises questions, as The Night Agent's reported average per episode may overstate the actual number of households watching.
What about the films?
TV series enjoy a notable advantage in streaming rankings due to the cumulative hours of multiple episodes compared to individual films.
The highest-ranking film, "The Mother" with Jennifer Lopez, reached 14th place with almost 250 million hours, highlighting the challenge for movies to compete with longer series.
The diverse durations of films and TV shows complicate Netflix's decision to rank based on hours, as it doesn't reveal the actual number of viewers. For instance, the second-highest ranking film, "Luther: The Fallen Sun," watched for over 209 million hours, faces uncertainties in estimating the number of households, considering variable viewer engagement.
While these numbers provide insights, the lack of additional breakdowns, such as audience completion rates, leaves part of the story untold.
