Netflix has recently released viewer data on 99% of its catalogue, providing transparency about the popularity of its shows. The political thriller, The Night Agent, was the most viewed show in the first half of this year, with users around the world spending 812 million hours watching it. This move comes after criticism from actors and writers who demanded higher royalties for shows that performed well on streaming platforms. Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, acknowledged that the lack of transparency had led to distrust in the creator community. However, the company had kept its viewer data private in order to experiment without giving away crucial information to potential competitors.

Netflix believes that this release of viewer data is a significant step forward for the company and the industry as a whole. They hope that the information will provide creators and the industry with deeper insights into their audiences and what resonates with them. Traditionally, Hollywood’s creative community relied on viewing figures from audience data firm Nielsen for traditional broadcast and cable television. The What We Watched report ranks 18,000 titles based on the amount of hours viewed between January and June of this year. Netflix plans to release this report every six months, covering nearly 100 billion hours of viewing time.

The report revealed that non-English content accounted for about a third of all viewing on Netflix and that there is still demand for older titles. The top movie on the platform was The Mother, starring Jennifer Lopez, which was watched for over 249 million hours. Netflix emphasized that success on their platform is not solely determined by hours viewed, but also by whether a movie or TV show thrilled its audience and the size of that audience relative to the economics of the title.

With almost 250 million subscribers globally, Netflix is the largest streaming service in the world. Since 2021, the company has been releasing weekly Top 10 and Most Popular lists, showcasing the most-watched movies and TV shows in English and other languages. More than half of the titles released this year appeared on these lists. The report also revealed that 55% of Netflix viewing came from original films and series, while 45% came from licensed titles. Last year, Netflix launched a separate service with advertisements, which requires more transparency as advertisers want information about the popularity of content.

Original news source: Netflix: Users spent 812 million hours watching The Night Agent (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Provide each group with a copy of the article. Instruct them to read the article and work together to write a concise summary of the main points. After a designated time, have each group share their summary with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Instruct each pair to choose one aspect of the article to focus on (e.g. Netflix’s release of viewer data, the popularity of non-English content, etc.). Give them a few minutes to brainstorm their opinions on the chosen aspect. Then, have pairs go around the class and conduct a mini opinion poll, asking other pairs for their thoughts on the same aspect. After gathering opinions, have pairs share the results with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Choose 10-15 vocabulary words from the article. Write each word on a separate piece of paper or index card. Divide the class into teams. One member from each team will come to the front of the class and randomly choose a word. They must then draw a picture to represent the word, while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different team members and words until all the words have been guessed. The team with the most points wins.

– Synonym Challenge
Instructions: Write 10 sentences using vocabulary from the article. Replace one word in each sentence with a synonym. Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a copy of the sentences with the synonyms. Instruct them to work together to identify the original word that has been replaced. After a designated time, have each group share their answers with the class.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Instruct the class to imagine they are Netflix executives. Divide them into small groups and give each group a few minutes to brainstorm and discuss their predictions for the future of streaming platforms and viewer data transparency. After the discussion, have each group present their predictions to the class, explaining their reasoning behind each prediction. Encourage them to use language such as “I think,” “I believe,” and “In my opinion.”

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the most viewed show on Netflix in the first half of this year?
2. Why did Netflix decide to release viewer data on its catalogue?
3. How often does Netflix plan to release the What We Watched report?
4. What percentage of all viewing on Netflix is accounted for by non-English content?
5. What was the top movie on the platform?
6. How does Netflix determine success on their platform?
7. What percentage of Netflix viewing comes from original films and series?
8. Why does the separate service with advertisements require more transparency from Netflix?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Netflix has recently released viewer data on 99% of its catalogue, providing (1)______ about the popularity of its shows. The political (2)______, The Night Agent, was the most viewed show in the first half of this year, with users around the world (3)______ 812 million hours (4)______ it. This move comes after criticism from actors and writers who demanded higher royalties for shows that performed well on streaming platforms. Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, acknowledged that the lack of transparency had led to distrust in the creator community. However, the company had kept its viewer data private in order to experiment without giving away crucial information to (5)______ competitors.

(6)______ believes that this release of viewer data is a significant step forward for the company and the industry as a whole. They hope that the information will provide creators and the industry with deeper insights into their audiences and what resonates with them. Traditionally, Hollywood’s creative community relied on viewing figures from audience data firm (7)______ for traditional broadcast and cable television. The What We Watched report ranks 18,000 titles based on the amount of hours viewed between (8)______ and June of this year. Netflix plans to release this report every six months, covering nearly 100 billion hours of viewing time.

The report revealed that non-English content accounted for about a (9)______ of all viewing on Netflix and that there is still demand for older (10)______. The top movie on the platform was The Mother, (11)______ Jennifer Lopez, which was watched for over 249 million hours. Netflix emphasized that success on their platform is not solely determined by hours viewed, but also by whether a movie or TV show thrilled its audience and the size of that audience (12)______ to the economics of the title.

With almost 250 million subscribers globally, Netflix is the largest streaming service in the world. Since 2021, the (13)______ has been releasing weekly Top 10 and Most Popular lists, showcasing the most-watched movies and TV shows in English and other languages. More than half of the titles released this year appeared on these lists. The (14)______ also revealed that 55% of Netflix (15)______ came from original films and series, while 45% came from licensed titles. Last year, Netflix launched a separate service with advertisements, which requires more transparency as (16)______ want information about the popularity of content.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What are your thoughts on Netflix releasing viewer data for its shows?
2. How do you think the release of viewer data will impact the creator community?
3. How important do you think transparency is in the entertainment industry?
4. Do you believe that success on Netflix should be solely determined by hours viewed? Why or why not?
5. How do you feel about the emphasis on audience enjoyment and the size of the audience relative to the economics of a title?
6. What are your thoughts on the demand for non-English content on Netflix?
7. Do you think it’s important for Netflix to cater to older titles? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the release of viewer data will affect the way Netflix produces and promotes its content?
9. How would you feel if your favorite show or movie didn’t perform well on Netflix?
10. Do you think the release of viewer data will lead to more competition among streaming platforms? Why or why not?
11. How do you think advertisers will benefit from the release of viewer data?
12. What are your thoughts on Netflix’s separate service with advertisements?
13. How do you think the release of viewer data will impact the entertainment industry as a whole?
14. Do you believe that viewer data is a reliable measure of a show or movie’s quality? Why or why not?
15. How important do you think it is for creators to have insights into their audiences and what resonates with them?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. transparency
2. royalties
3. criticism
4. distrust
5. competitors
6. significant
7. insights
8. resonates
9. traditional
10. ranks
11. non-English
12. economics
13. subscribers
14. showcasing
15. licensed

Meanings:
(A) Payments made to authors, musicians, and artists based on the sale or use of their work
(B) Rivals in the same market for goods or services
(C) Individuals who pay for a service, especially on a regular basis
(D) The quality of being open and honest; easy to understand or detect
(E) The expression of disapproval or disagreement
(F) The feeling of not being able to trust someone or something
(G) Content in languages other than the primary language spoken by the majority
(H) The principles that govern the making, distribution, and consumption of goods and services
(I) Displaying or presenting something in a particular way
(J) To connect with someone in a meaningful or emotional way
(K) Having the rights to use or sell something granted by an official or legal means
(L) Having considerable importance, size, or worth
(M) Assigns a position in a hierarchy or scale
(N) Understandings or interpretations gained by experience or study
(O) Based on long-established practices or methods
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did Netflix release viewer data on 99% of its catalogue?
(a) To provide transparency about the popularity of its shows
(b) To experiment without giving away crucial information to potential competitors
(c) To satisfy the demands of actors and writers for higher royalties
(d) To showcase the most-watched movies and TV shows in English and other languages

2. What was the most viewed show on Netflix in the first half of this year?
(a) The Mother
(b) The Night Agent
(c) The What We Watched report
(d) The political thriller

3. What did Netflix hope the release of viewer data would provide?
(a) Higher royalties for shows that performed well on streaming platforms
(b) Deeper insights into audiences and what resonates with them
(c) Viewing figures from audience data firm Nielsen
(d) Information about the popularity of content for advertisers

4. What percentage of Netflix viewing came from original films and series?
(a) 45%
(b) 33%
(c) 55%
(d) 67%

5. What did Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, acknowledge about the lack of transparency?
(a) It had provided crucial information to potential competitors
(b) It had satisfied the demands of actors and writers for higher royalties
(c) It had resulted in lower viewer numbers for shows on streaming platforms
(d) It had led to distrust in the creator community

6. What percentage of all viewing on Netflix was accounted for by non-English content?
(a) About half
(b) About two-thirds
(c) About three-quarters
(d) About a third

7. How often does Netflix plan to release the What We Watched report?
(a) Every six months
(b) Every year
(c) Every month
(d) Every week

8. How many subscribers does Netflix have globally?
(a) Almost 100 billion
(b) Almost 18,000
(c) Almost 250 million
(d) Almost 55%

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Non-English content accounted for less than a third of all viewing on Netflix, according to the report.
2. Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, acknowledged that the lack of transparency had led to distrust in the creator community.
3. Netflix believes that the release of viewer data is a significant step forward for the company and the industry as a whole.
4. Netflix has released viewer data on only 1% of its catalogue, providing limited insights into the popularity of its shows.
5. Users around the world spent 812 million hours watching The Night Agent.
6. The Night Agent, a political thriller, was the most viewed show on Netflix in the first half of this year.
7. Actors and writers praised Netflix for providing higher royalties for shows that performed well on streaming platforms.
8. Netflix shared its viewer data openly in order to ensure transparency and encourage competition.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Why did Netflix decide to release viewer data on 99% of its catalogue?
2. How does Netflix hope that the release of viewer data will benefit creators and the industry?
3. What percentage of Netflix viewing comes from non-English content?
4. What factors does Netflix consider when determining the success of a movie or TV show on its platform?
5. Why does Netflix need to provide more transparency about the popularity of content on its separate service with advertisements?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. The most viewed show on Netflix in the first half of this year was The Night Agent.
2. Netflix decided to release viewer data on its catalogue in response to criticism from actors and writers who demanded higher royalties for shows that performed well on streaming platforms, and to provide transparency and deeper insights to the creator community.
3. Netflix plans to release the What We Watched report every six months.
4. Non-English content accounted for about a third of all viewing on Netflix.
5. The top movie on the platform was The Mother, starring Jennifer Lopez.
6. Netflix determines success on their platform not solely based on hours viewed, but also by whether a movie or TV show thrilled its audience and the size of that audience relative to the economics of the title.
7. 55% of Netflix viewing comes from original films and series.
8. The separate service with advertisements requires more transparency from Netflix because advertisers want information about the popularity of content.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) transparency
(2) thriller
(3) spending
(4) watching
(5) potential
(6) Netflix
(7) Nielsen
(8) January
(9) third
(10) titles
(11) starring
(12) relative
(13) company
(14) report
(15) viewing
(16) advertisers
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. transparency
Answer: (D) The quality of being open and honest; easy to understand or detect

2. royalties
Answer: (A) Payments made to authors, musicians, and artists based on the sale or use of their work

3. criticism
Answer: (E) The expression of disapproval or disagreement

4. distrust
Answer: (F) The feeling of not being able to trust someone or something

5. competitors
Answer: (B) Rivals in the same market for goods or services

6. significant
Answer: (L) Having considerable importance, size, or worth

7. insights
Answer: (N) Understandings or interpretations gained by experience or study

8. resonates
Answer: (J) To connect with someone in a meaningful or emotional way

9. traditional
Answer: (O) Based on long-established practices or methods

10. ranks
Answer: (M) Assigns a position in a hierarchy or scale

11. non-English
Answer: (G) Content in languages other than the primary language spoken by the majority

12. economics
Answer: (H) The principles that govern the making, distribution, and consumption of goods and services

13. subscribers
Answer: (C) Individuals who pay for a service, especially on a regular basis

14. showcasing
Answer: (I) Displaying or presenting something in a particular way

15. licensed
Answer: (K) Having the rights to use or sell something granted by an official or legal means
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did Netflix release viewer data on 99% of its catalogue?
Answer: (a) To provide transparency about the popularity of its shows

2. What was the most viewed show on Netflix in the first half of this year?
Answer: (b) The Night Agent

3. What did Netflix hope the release of viewer data would provide?
Answer: (b) Deeper insights into audiences and what resonates with them

4. What percentage of Netflix viewing came from original films and series?
Answer: (c) 55%

5. What did Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, acknowledge about the lack of transparency?
Answer: (d) It had led to distrust in the creator community

6. What percentage of all viewing on Netflix was accounted for by non-English content?
Answer: (d) About a third

7. How often does Netflix plan to release the What We Watched report?
Answer: (a) Every six months

8. How many subscribers does Netflix have globally?
Answer: (c) Almost 250 million
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Non-English content accounted for less than a third of all viewing on Netflix, according to the report. (Answer: False)
2. Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, acknowledged that the lack of transparency had led to distrust in the creator community. (Answer: True)
3. Netflix believes that the release of viewer data is a significant step forward for the company and the industry as a whole. (Answer: True)
4. Netflix has released viewer data on only 1% of its catalogue, providing limited insights into the popularity of its shows. (Answer: False)
5. Users around the world spent 812 million hours watching The Night Agent. (Answer: True)
6. The Night Agent, a political thriller, was the most viewed show on Netflix in the first half of this year. (Answer: True)
7. Actors and writers praised Netflix for providing higher royalties for shows that performed well on streaming platforms. (Answer: False)
8. Netflix shared its viewer data openly in order to ensure transparency and encourage competition. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧