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Netflix’s viewer numbers have at all times been a bit murky, however the streaming large’s new system goals to clear issues up. Netflix will quickly observe viewer numbers based mostly on the variety of hours a sure present or film has been watched, the streamer introduced throughout its Q3 earnings report on Tuesday. Whereas this swap does give us a greater thought of what’s common, it additionally has led to an unexpectedly hilarious knowledge desk.
For years, Netflix didn’t say something in any respect about what number of viewers tuned right into a sure present or film. Then the streaming service reported how many individuals watched 70% of a present or film. Today it’s been counting an account “view” when a member watches simply two minutes or extra of a program.
In response to Netflix, the brand new metric is designed to higher mirror repeat viewings, fairly than simply counting every account one time. So for instance, the outdated metric would favor exhibits that attracted a number of distinctive viewers, like Tiger King. The brand new metric favors time dedicated to a present or movie, like 13 Causes Why. It will appear to favor stickiness over short-term spikes in reputation.
Netflix’s top-rated exhibits and films based mostly on its new metrix
Picture: Netflix
Whereas many of the titles in Netflix’s outdated high 10 are nonetheless current within the new one, there are a few very humorous additions. For one factor, Martin Scorsese’s crime epic, The Irishman, a film that wasn’t on the highest 10 motion pictures listing beneath the outdated, most-accounts-watching metric, is now the third most-watched film in Netflix historical past. In different phrases, the notoriously lengthy film might have simply been lengthy sufficient to notch itself a spot within the high 5.
For his half, Scorsese has been a vocal critic of streaming providers prior to now — regardless that he retains making motion pictures for them. The legendary director has claimed that the deluge of content material on these platforms, and even the “content material” label itself, devalues the artwork kind and buries really nice works. Perhaps he’ll really feel higher about issues now that he is aware of his epic received extra consideration than initially reported.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum is one other new addition to the listing: The Kissing Sales space 2. Whereas The Irishman’s three-and-a-half-hour runtime is probably going tied to its new rating, The Kissing Sales space 2 is just two hours and 14 minutes (nonetheless fairly lengthy), which implies it’s getting a greater spot thanks largely to re-watches.
The change ought to assist make Netflix’s numbers a bit clearer in future earnings calls and bulletins. However Netflix did use its outdated system one final time throughout the identical earnings name. The streaming service introduced that the South Korean hit sequence Squid Sport has been watched by 142 million households since its launch on Sept. 17. That makes Squid Sport the most well-liked sequence within the service’s historical past.
Netflix additionally introduced that it might be revealing viewer knowledge for its authentic exhibits and films extra typically going ahead, which implies we are able to look ahead to much more bizarre numbers and finicky metrics sooner or later.
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