Netflix has just shared some cool info about what shows and movies people are watching the most. They released data on almost all of their stuff, so we can see which ones are super popular. The show that got the most views in the first half of this year was a political thriller called The Night Agent. People from all over the world spent a total of 812 million hours watching it! This is a big deal because Netflix used to keep this info private, but now they're being more open about it.
Netflix thinks that sharing this viewer data is a big step forward for them and the whole industry. They hope it'll help creators and the industry understand their audiences better. In the past, people in Hollywood would rely on a company called Nielsen for viewer data, but that was just for regular TV. Netflix's new report ranks 18,000 shows and movies based on how many hours people watched them from January to June of this year. They plan to release this report every six months and it covers almost 100 billion hours of viewing time!
The report also showed that about a third of all the stuff people watch on Netflix is in a language other than English. And guess what? People still like watching older shows and movies too! The most popular movie on Netflix was called The Mother and it was watched for over 249 million hours. Netflix wants to make it clear that success on their platform isn't just about how many hours something is watched, but also about how much people liked it and how many people watched it compared to how much it cost to make.
Netflix is the biggest streaming service in the world with almost 250 million subscribers. Since 2021, they've been sharing weekly lists of the most-watched stuff, both in English and other languages. More than half of the stuff they released this year made it onto those lists. The report also showed that 55% of what people watch on Netflix is their own original stuff, while the other 45% is stuff they bought from other companies. Last year, Netflix started a service with ads, so they need to be more open about how popular their stuff is for advertisers.
Original news source: Netflix: Users spent 812 million hours watching The Night Agent (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. One student in each pair will be the "news reporter" and the other will be the "listener." The news reporter will read the article silently and then summarize the main points to the listener. The listener should take notes and ask questions for clarification if needed. After a few minutes, have the pairs switch roles and repeat the activity.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of questions related to the article, such as "Do you think it is important for streaming services like Netflix to share viewer data?" or "What is your favorite show or movie on Netflix?" Divide the class into small groups and give each group the list of questions. In their groups, students should discuss the questions and gather opinions from each member. After a few minutes, reconvene as a whole class and have each group share their findings.
– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Choose a few important keywords from the article, such as "Netflix," "viewer data," and "original stuff." Write a series of dashes on the board to represent each letter in the keyword. Divide the class into two teams. One team will choose a keyword and provide a definition or clue for the word. The other team will try to guess the word by suggesting letters. If a team guesses a correct letter, write it in the appropriate position on the dashes. If a team guesses a wrong letter, begin drawing a hangman on the board. The teams take turns until the word is guessed or the hangman is complete.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a different scene or moment from the article, such as "people watching The Night Agent" or "Netflix releasing viewer data." Each group should work together to create a quick sketch or drawing that represents their assigned scene. After a few minutes, have each group present their sketch to the class and explain why they chose to depict that particular scene.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: "How do you think Netflix sharing viewer data will impact the entertainment industry?" Give the students a few minutes to think individually about their response. Then, have them pair up with a partner to discuss their thoughts. Finally, open up a class discussion and have a few pairs share their ideas with the whole class. Encourage students to listen to each other's ideas and ask follow-up questions.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Netflix has just shared some cool info about what shows and movies people are the most. They released data on almost all of their , so we can see which ones are super popular. The show that got the most views in the first half of this year was a political thriller The Agent. People from all over the world spent a total of 812 million hours watching it! This is a big deal because Netflix used to keep this info private, but now they're being more open about it. Netflix thinks that sharing this viewer data is a big step forward for them and the whole industry. They hope it'll help creators and the industry understand their audiences better. In the past, in Hollywood would rely on a company called Nielsen for viewer data, but that was just for regular TV. Netflix's new report ranks 18,000 shows and based on how many people watched them from January to June of this year. They plan to release this report every six months and it covers almost 100 billion hours of time! The report also showed that about a of all the stuff people on Netflix is in a other than English. And guess what? People still like watching older shows and movies too! The most popular movie on Netflix was called The and it was watched for over 249 million hours. Netflix wants to make it clear that success on their platform isn't just about how many hours something is watched, but also about how much people liked it and how many people watched it compared to how much it cost to make. Netflix is the biggest streaming in the world with almost 250 million subscribers. Since 2021, they've been sharing weekly lists of the most-watched stuff, both in English and other . More than half of the stuff they released this year made it onto those lists. The report also showed that 55% of what people watch on Netflix is their own stuff, while the other 45% is stuff they bought from other . Last year, Netflix started a service with ads, so they need to be more open about how popular their stuff is for advertisers.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is the show that got the most views on Netflix in the first half of this year?
2. How would you feel if Netflix didn't share viewer data and kept it private?
3. Do you like watching political thrillers? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about Netflix sharing viewer data to help creators and the industry understand their audiences better?
5. Do you think it's important for companies like Netflix to release reports on viewer data? Why or why not?
6. How do you feel about watching shows and movies in a language other than English?
7. What is the most popular movie on Netflix according to the report?
8. Do you think success on Netflix is only about how many hours something is watched? Why or why not?
9. How many subscribers does Netflix have?
10. Have you ever watched a show or movie on Netflix that you really liked? Which one was it and why did you like it?
11. What do you think about Netflix's decision to start a service with ads?
12. Do you prefer watching Netflix's original shows or shows they bought from other companies? Why?
13. How often do you check the weekly lists of the most-watched stuff on Netflix?
14. What percentage of what people watch on Netflix is their own original stuff?
15. Why do you think Netflix needs to be more open about how popular their stuff is for advertisers?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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