Netflix Unveils Biannual “What We Watched” Report, Revealing Viewer Metrics
Netflix has introduced a new practice of releasing a biannual report titled “What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report,” providing insights into the platform’s most popular shows and movies. The inaugural report, spanning January to June 2023, discloses significant data on viewer engagement. Leading the report is the first season of “The Night Agent,” amassing over 812 million hours viewed, followed by the second season of “Ginny & Georgia” (665.1 million hours viewed), the first season of “The Glory” (622.8 million hours viewed), the debut season of “Wednesday” (507.7 million hours viewed), and “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” (503 million hours viewed). The extensive list encompasses over 18,000 titles, with content requiring more than 50,000 hours of watch time to be included.
The “What We Watched” report tracks three key metrics: hours watched, global availability, and a show’s release date. Netflix, previously known for its weekly top 10 lists, aims to provide a more comprehensive perspective on viewership data with this new initiative. This increased transparency coincides with ongoing industry discussions on streaming data transparency, notably highlighted during the recent Writers Guild of America strike. As per a new contract, Hollywood studios are now obligated to share streaming data with the guild.
Co-CEO Ted Sarandos emphasized that the decision to share this data reflects a changing approach over time, recognizing that greater transparency builds trust with producers, creators, and the media. He clarified that the data presented in the report mirrors what Netflix uses internally to run its business.
The key metric chosen by Netflix for this report is hours viewed, aligning with widely recognized third-party metrics like Nielsen in the US. Sarandos believes this choice makes it easy to compare Netflix with other streaming services.
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While Netflix takes this stride towards transparency, it remains uncertain whether other streaming services will follow suit in disclosing their streaming data. Responses from Amazon (Amazon Prime), Apple (Apple TV Plus), Disney (Disney Plus and Hulu), and Warner Bros. Discovery (Max) are pending as of now. NBCUniversal, responsible for Peacock, declined to comment on the matter. The “What We Watched” report is accessible as an .xlsx file.
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