
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The most valuable<strong>&nbsp;</strong>pure entertainment company in the world got a little less valuable Monday, as shares of California-based streaming giant Netflix fell following President Donald Trump’s announcement he’d slap a high penalty on films produced abroad.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Netflix stock fell 4% to $1,113, tracking toward its worst daily loss since April 4.</p>



<p>The slide followed Trump’s Sunday evening&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114452117143235155" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">proclamation</a>&nbsp;he’d slap a 100% tariff on “any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands,” declaring films produced outside the U.S. are a “National Security threat.”</p>



<p>Also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/05/05/trump-says-films-shot-outside-us-will-face-100-tariff-hollywood-stocks-drop-in-premarket/">struggling</a>&nbsp;were shares of Disney (-2%), Max parent Warner Bros. Discovery (-3%), Paramount Global (-2%) and Universal Pictures parent Comcast (-1%), all outpacing the less than 1% loss for the S&amp;P 500 baseline stock index.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Big Number</h2>



<p>$20.4 billion. That’s how much market capitalization Netflix lost Monday. That’s almost exactly the same as Warner Bros. Discovery’s $20.5 billion total valuation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What We Don’t Know: How Trump’s Movie Tariffs Would Work</h2>



<p>Unlike goods on which officials collect duties when entering U.S. ports, movies are services with a more complicated tariff structure. “Is it just movies, or also streaming series? Is it visual effects, co-productions, international film financing? There’s a huge degree of uncertainty,” Henning Molfenter, the former head of the German Babelsberg Studio with producer credits on “The Pianist” and “Captain America: Civil War,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/can-trumps-movie-tariff-actually-work-1236207053/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;The Hollywood Reporter.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Background</h2>



<p>Just more than half, or 51%, of Netflix’s 2024 content spending went to content from outside of North America,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ampereanalysis.com/insight/more-than-half-of-netflixs-content-spending-now-outside-of-north-america#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20of%20Netflix's%20content%20budget%20is%20now%20allocated,directed%20towards%20internationally%2Dsourced%20content." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to market research firm Ampere Analysis. About 70% of the streamers’ paid subscriptions come from outside the U.S. and Canada. Some of Netflix’s most popular recent programs among American audiences include shows filmed outside the U.S., including the British period series “Bridgerton” and the South Korean “Squid Game.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contra</h2>



<p>Prior to Trump’s Sunday announcement, Netflix stock was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/17/netflix-earnings-record-profits-and-sales-send-stock-to-nearly-1000/">hailed</a>&nbsp;by many as a relative safe haven compared to other stocks in the crosshairs of tariff choppiness. Bank of America analysts’ note following Netflix’s earnings report was titled “Predictable in an unpredictable world.” Through Friday trading, Netflix stock returned 30% in 2025, far outperforming the returns of Facebook parent Meta (2%), Amazon (-13%), Apple (-18%) and Google parent Alphabet (-13%), the other members of the “FAANG” grouping of high-growth technology stocks.</p>



<p></p>


Netflix Shares Jump On Strong Subscriber Report

Netflix Suffers $20 Billion Loss As Trump Wields 100% Movie Tariffs


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Netflix had its best quarter ever, according to earnings results announced Thursday afternoon, setting the stakes for Netflix stock moving forward after it emerged as a perhaps surprising stock market safe haven during the recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/14/trump-celebrates-last-weeks-largest-gain-in-stock-market-history-but-stocks-are-still-down-during-his-second-term/">slump</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>In its Q1 report released shortly after 4 p.m. EDT market close, Netflix reported its best-ever quarterly earnings per share and revenue numbers.</p>



<p>Netflix scored $6.61 EPS ($2.9 billion net income) and $10.54 billion last quarter, besting consensus analyst estimates calling for the entertainment titan to report $5.67 adjusted EPS ($2.5 billion net income) and $10.5 billion in sales, according to FactSet data.</p>



<p>The company said it expects $11 billion in sales and $7.03 EPS during the second quarter, topping top and bottom line forecasts of $10.9 billion and $6.25, respectively.</p>



<p>Shares of Netflix rose 1.2% to $973 on Thursday, surging another 3% in after-hours trading to nearly $1,000 per share.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-netflix-stock-emerges-as-a-potential-recession-winner">Netflix Stock Emerges As A Potential Recession Winner</h2>



<p>Netflix has emerged from the 2025 stock losses stronger, gaining 4% since April 2 and 9% year-to-date. That came as the S&amp;P 500 (down 6% since April 2, 10% year-to-date excluding dividends) and the Nasdaq (-7%, -15%) both pulled back as President Donald Trump’s trade war heightened recession concerns. Many analysts herald Netflix stock as a safe parking spot as economic slowdown fears swirl. “If a recession hits, we would expect Netflix subscribers to be sticky as Netflix is a stay-at-home cheap diversion, of the type that has held up well in past recessions,” Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett wrote in a Monday note to clients. “Amid recent market volatility, Netflix&#8217;s strong subscription model with critical entertainment (which historically has performed well in a recession) has made the stock a defensive choice for investors,” Bank of America analysts led by Jessica Reif Ehrlich concurred in a Tuesday note.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">Surprising Fact</h2>



<p>Netflix has far outperformed other members of the “FAANG” group, smashing returns this year from the other high-growth technology names: Facebook parent Meta (down 14% year-to-date excluding dividends), Amazon (-21%), Apple (-21%) and Google parent Alphabet (-19%). Netflix has also outperformed Disney (-23% year-to-date) and Max parent Warner Bros. Discovery (-23%), though audio streamer Spotify’s 29% gain this year tops Netflix’s.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



<p>Fellow FAANG constituents Alphabet and Amazon will join Netflix in reporting Q1 earnings next week. Both West Coast titans will deliver results next Thursday.</p>


Video Streaming Platforms Stock Photos

Netflix Earnings: Record Profits And Sales Send Stock To Nearly $1,000


<p><strong>The streaming giant has been unable to disrupt the video game market, but armed with massive resources and time, its new push to level up could leave its competitors in the dust.</strong></p>



<p>“Netflix has won the streaming wars. Case closed,” analyst Robert Fishman wrote in a MoffettNathanson report published Monday on the streamer’s recent earnings update. “But where does the company go from here? How much more runway for growth is ahead?”</p>



<p>Since November 2021, Netflix, which recently passed 300 million subscribers globally, has been trying to convince users, investors and developers alike that one of the answers to that question can be video games.</p>



<p>And it’s put real money behind that conviction. By fall 2023, according to widely cited reports, Netflix had spent $1 billion on gaming, buying up four smaller development studios and building two of its own in California and Helsinki, Finland, and publishing dozens of titles for mobile devices, including tower defense game&nbsp;<em>Bloons TD</em>&nbsp;and graphic adventure&nbsp;<em>Oxenfree</em>.</p>



<p>Analysts believe the company likely spent another $1 billion on gaming in 2024 alone, increasing its offering to 140 games made available to anyone with a Netflix subscription, all without ads or in-app microtransactions.</p>



<p>Traction in the gaming marketplace has been harder to come by. Netflix’s portfolio of mobile apps have recorded 192 million total downloads, according to data provider Apptopia, and daily active user counts hover around 1.1 million, each fractional compared to mobile publisher competitors and even smaller in relation to Netflix’s overall subscriber base.</p>



<p>“We’re not yet the Netflix of games,” said Netflix president of games Alain Tascan on Wednesday, presenting at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. “But that’s exactly where we’re headed.”</p>



<p>Tascan is a newcomer to the streaming giant, having joined the company last July and replacing its original games chief Mike Verdu a few months later. Under his leadership, Netflix is rethinking its gaming strategy, moving out of direct competition with large game developers and into a more supplemental role for its primary streaming offering.</p>



<p>Moving forward, Netflix Games will focus on the development of more games that can be played inside the Netflix app on connected smart TVs, where 70% of Netflix viewership already happens, utilizing phones as the controller via a mobile app. The company also wants to create casual party games that can “replace family game night,” and make more offerings for younger children, which Tascan says make up 15% of Netflix’s linear entertainment viewing hours. And it wants to build more “interactive experiences” that can extend the life of Netflix’s IP from popular homegrown shows and movies, as it has done with&nbsp;<em>Squid Game&nbsp;</em>and&nbsp;<em>Too Hot To Handle.</em></p>



<p>That’s a far different strategy than the traditional idea of the “Netflix for games,” in which startups like Blacknut and Shadow, as well as tech giants such as Google (Stadia) and Apple (Arcade) and Microsoft (Xbox Game Pass), have built a cloud-based library of games that can be sold for a subscription. Google shut down Stadia in 2023, citing a lack of user interest. Apple and Microsoft have succeeded (on mobile and console, respectively), though primarily as a marketplace for third-party content rather than a home for original creations.</p>



<p>Netflix’s pivot also seems to remove it from the race to create the next blockbuster game like&nbsp;<em>Fortnite</em>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<em>Call of Duty: Warzone</em>, evidenced first in October by dozens of layoffs and the shuttering of its California studio, which was focused on bigger budget AAA game projects, before it had published a single title.</p>



<p>&#8220;[Netflix] shouldn&#8217;t be trying to be something they&#8217;re not,” says Jason Chapman, cofounder and managing partner of gaming venture fund Konvoy Ventures. ”They&#8217;re not a AAA content production house, but they should continue to lean into interactive.&#8221;</p>



<p>This evolution from linear, passive entertainment on Netflix to more interactive experiences makes a lot of sense, in theory. The $180 billion gaming industry now dwarfs the size of traditional Hollywood movies and television (estimated at $100 billion annually), and has become the preferred pastime for younger generations. As far back as 2019, Netflix co-CEO Ted Serandos cited&nbsp;<em>Fortnite</em>&nbsp;as its major competitor for user attention—no doubt one of the reasons the company hired Tascan, who worked previously as an executive at Epic Games on&nbsp;<em>Fortnite</em>.</p>



<p>However, Netflix’s early efforts at line-blurring interactive content—such as the headline-grabbing&nbsp;<em>Black Mirror: Bandersnatch</em>&nbsp;<em>—</em>did not catch on and in November the company announced it would be removing dozens of similar titles from its library entirely. (<em>Bandersnatch&nbsp;</em>is one of only four that remain.)</p>



<p>To date, Netflix has yet to create a game, or any game-like experience, that has captured and maintained the interest of the broader public over an extended time. Even&nbsp;<em>Squid Game: Unleashed</em>, which the company touts as one of its biggest success stories, hit six million downloads when it debuted in December, peaked at nearly 13 million downloads in January and then fell to 700,000 in February and just over 100,000 in March, according to Apptopia data. That game, notably, is the first not to require its players to have a Netflix subscription to play.</p>



<p>Netflix’s answer, in the short term, has been licensing. In December 2023, the company announced it would be offering three old&nbsp;<em>Grand Theft Auto&nbsp;</em>titles to anyone with a Netflix subscription, and to date,&nbsp;<em>GTA: San Andreas</em>&nbsp;has been its most downloaded and played game by far.</p>



<p>Internally, Netflix says it has its own set of criteria for games success, such as subscription acquisition and retention, and the ability to drive engagement back to its linear programming. With&nbsp;<em>Squid Game: Unleashed</em>, the developers experimented with a “watch along” feature that unlocked certain rewards for players who had viewed Seasons One and Two of the show.</p>



<p>&#8220;Those effects are relatively small currently, but frankly so was our investment in games relative to our overall content budget,” said Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters during the company’s earnings call in January. “And we&#8217;re going to stay disciplined about scaling that budget as we see continued scaling in member benefits.&#8221;</p>



<p>What Netflix Games has in its favor is the time and resources to experiment. The company grew its overall revenue by 16% in 2024, generating $10 billion in operating income and nearly $7 billion in free cash flow.</p>



<p>In MoffettNathanson’s recent analysis, it projected continued revenue growth, stronger margins and a higher stock price all without mentioning the gaming division once in the 26-page report.</p>



<p>&#8220;Do I think games are a core focus for them? Absolutely not,” says Chapman. “But this isn&#8217;t a throw away or a Hail Mary pass for them. They&#8217;ve put too much money into this.”</p>



<p>In the not-too-distant future, Chapman predicts Netflix will begin to implement monetization strategies such as in-app purchases and ads—drawing on lessons learned and infrastructure created by the company’s push into linear advertising in 2024—that would bring the viability of the games division into sharper focus. Until then, he says the company can afford to continue searching for its place in the market.</p>



<p>Tascan acknowledges that is a privileged position to be in amidst a games landscape that faced industry-wide layoffs, budget cuts and company closures in 2024. “I say sometimes to the team, ‘We have a golden ticket,’” he said. “What are we going to do with it?”</p>


MainMenu_4K_30.12.2024_10-48-11

Can Netflix Become The Netflix Of Gaming?


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Australian animated television series “Bluey” was the most streamed title in 2024, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2025/top-streaming-tv-trends-2024-artey-awards/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Nielsen</a>, garnering over 55 billion minutes of watch time amid a surge in overall TV entertainment streaming among Americans last year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>“Bluey” was the top overall streaming title in 2024 and had 55.6 billion minutes watched on Disney+, with 43% of its viewing total coming from children aged two to 11.</p>



<p>“Grey’s Anatomy” and “Family Guy” were the runner-ups behind “Bluey,” generating 47.85 billion minutes and 42.44 billion minutes viewed, respectively.</p>



<p>Netflix’s fictional period drama “Bridgerton,” which released eight new episodes in May and June, led the pack of most-streamed original series in 2024 with 21.42 billion viewing minutes and was followed by reality romance series “Love Is Blind” (16.45 billion viewing minutes).</p>



<p>“Fallout,” the Prime Video series based on the popular video game franchise of the same name, was the most-viewed new streaming drama series last year (11.95 billion minutes) and ranked fifth among 2024’s streaming originals.</p>



<p>“Moana” was the most-watched streaming movie for the second year in a row, generating 13.03 billion minutes to beat “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (11.72 billion minutes).</p>



<p>“American Nightmare,” a documentary based on the kidnapping story of Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn, garnered 3.57 billion viewing minutes last year to become the most-viewed original, unscripted series in 2024.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">Surprising Fact</h2>



<p>While young children make up the core of the viewership of “Bluey,” the show gained a strong following of child-free adults in 2023, with viewers finding comfort in the show’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/08/bluey-adult-fandom-tiktok/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">simplicity</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2023/08/bluey-season-3-review/675020/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">narrative depth</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>12 trillion. That is how many minutes Americans spent streaming in 2024, according to Nielsen, which noted the figure equates to about 8.4 billion days or 23 million years. The figure marked a 10% increase from 2023.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Streaming has become increasingly popular in the last five years. Streaming represented about 26% of Americans’ total time spent watching TV in May 2021, Nielsen reported, noting that number jumped to over 43% by Dec. 2024. The surge in streaming has managed to coincide with increasingly expensive streaming services that include Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video and others. Netflix is the most recent streaming service to announce a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2025/01/21/netflix-is-raising-its-prices---heres-what-to-know/">price hike</a>, revealing this month it will increase its ad-supported tier from $6.99 to $7.99, its standard tier from $15.49 to $17.99 and its premium tier from $22.99 to $24.99. Crackdowns on password sharing across multiple streaming platforms have contributed to subscriber growth for multiple platforms including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/08/20/netflix-stock-hits-record-high-first-since-2021-after-ads-password-crackdown/">Netflix</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2025/top-streaming-tv-trends-2024-artey-awards/#legacyaward" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Nielsen ARTEY Awards: 2024 Streaming Unwrapped</a>&nbsp;(Nielsen)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/07/05/netflix-streaming-twice-as-many-new-subscribers-first-half-2024-peacock-paramount-hbo-max/">This Streaming Service Has Scored Twice As Many New Users As Any Other In 2024</a> (Forbes)<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/"></a></p>


In this photo illustration, the video streaming apps Netflix

Here’s What Shows And Movies Dominated Streaming In 2024


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2025/01/21/netflix-is-raising-its-prices---heres-what-to-know/#open-web-0"></a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2025/01/21/netflix-is-raising-its-prices---heres-what-to-know/#open-web-0"></a>Topline</h2>



<p>Netflix announced it would be adjusting its pricing for most plans in the United States, Canada, Portugal and Argentina on Tuesday—news that came as the streaming service announced it added almost 19 million new subscribers in the fourth quarter.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Netflix confirmed it would be “adjusting prices” on most of its plans in its&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2024/q4/FINAL-Q4-24-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">shareholder letter</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday, saying the company “will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix.”</p>



<p>The company’s ad-supported tier will increase one dollar from $6.99 to $7.99, the standard tier will go from $15.49 to $17.99 and the premium tier will increase $2 from $22.99 to $24.99,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/21/netflix-raises-prices.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CNBC</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/netflix-price-hike-ad-plan-2024-1236280428/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Variety</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<p>The last time Netflix raised prices in the U.S. was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/10/18/netflix-hikes-prices-for-some-plans-as-subscriber-numbers-surge/">October 2023</a>, when some plans saw increases ranging from $2 to $3.</p>



<p>The shareholder letter said its Q4 lineup exceeded its expectations, specifically citing “Squid Game” season two, which it said is on track to become Netflix’s most watched original series season, and its entrance into sports and live events, naming the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson as the “most-streamed sporting event ever” and the two Christmas day NFL games as the most-streamed NFL games in history.</p>



<p>Netflix’s share price was up more than 14% in after-hours trading, rising to $995.30 as of 3:20 p.m. EST after closing the day at $869.68.</p>



<p>Forbes has reached out to Netflix to confirm the price increases.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>“When you’re going to ask for a price increase you better make sure you have the goods and the engagement to back it up, and I feel like what we have going into 2025 is just that,” co-CEO Ted Sarandos&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs00OAlxWkY" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;in Tuesday&#8217;s earnings interview call. “I definitely feel like the strength of slate has never been better.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>371.75 billion. That was Netflix’s market capitalization at Tuesday’s close.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Netflix offers three&nbsp;<a href="https://help.netflix.com/en/node/24926" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">paid plans</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.: a standard plan, a standard plan with ads and a premium plan. The standard plan allows for people to watch on two devices at a time in 1080p and download content onto two devices. It also allows people to add one non-household member. The standard plan with ads does not allow the additional member, has ad breaks and limits access to some content available on standard and premium plans. And the premium plan allows for unlimited ad-free watching on four devices at a time in a higher, 4K quality. Premium plans also allow for two non-household members and use Netflix spatial audio. The company introduced the ad-supported plan in 2022 and cracked down on password sharing in 2023, both of which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/08/20/netflix-stock-hits-record-high-first-since-2021-after-ads-password-crackdown/">helped</a>&nbsp;its subscriber growth. Netflix ended 2024 with 302 million paid members, it revealed in its shareholder letter Tuesday, up from 269.6 million in the first quarter of the year. In 2024 Netflix’s revenue also grew 16% and its operating income exceeded $10 billion for the first time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Netflix has made two Forbes 2025 lists so far: It landed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/americas-dream-employers/">No. 84</a>&nbsp;on America’s Dream Employers and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/most-trusted-companies/">No. 189</a>&nbsp;on Most Trusted Companies in America.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/10/18/netflix-hikes-prices-for-some-plans-as-subscriber-numbers-surge/">Netflix Hikes Prices For Some Plans As Subscriber Numbers Surge</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/earnings/netflix-raises-u-s-prices-reports-jump-in-new-subscribers-39430d32" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Netflix Raises U.S. Prices, Reports Jump in New Subscribers&nbsp;</a>(The Wall Street Journal)</p>



<p><a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/netflix-price-hike-2024-1236280428/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Netflix Raising Prices in U.S. Again, Including First Hike on Ad-Supported Tier</a>&nbsp;(Variety)</p>



<p></p>


Netflix Is Raising Its Prices — Here’s What To Know


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Netflix is quickly adding to its slate of live sports programming by launching its weekly live broadcasts of the WWE “Raw” program on Monday with a star-studded premiere episode, just weeks after it streamed the NFL Christmas Day games and the Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Netflix will kick off its partnership with WWE with a premiere episode set to air Monday, which will feature a star-studded slate of guests including an appearance from rapper Travis Scott, who wrote the new WWE “Raw”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/travis-scott-wwe-raw-theme-song-netflix-debut-1235831839/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">theme song</a>.</p>



<p>Other wrestling stars slated for appearances at the premiere include John Cena, the wrestler-turned-actor who said he will formally retire from wrestling this year, as well as Logan Paul, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns.</p>



<p>The premiere launches Netflix’s weekly broadcasts of WWE “Raw,” one of its flagship wrestling programs that previously aired Mondays on the USA Network, which still retains the rights to another major WWE program, “SmackDown,” in the United States.</p>



<p>Netflix will, however, broadcast “SmackDown” to viewers in some non-U.S. territories, as well as specials like “WrestleMania,” “SummerSlam” and “Royal Rumble” for international viewers.</p>



<p>Netflix and WWE struck the deal, valued at $5 billion according to a Securities and Exchange Commission&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1973266/000119312524012602/d715345d424b3.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">filing</a>, for a 10-year period, though Netflix has the option to exit after the first five years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-does-the-premiere-episode-air">When Does The Premiere Episode Air?</h2>



<p>The first WWE “Raw” stream begins at 8 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 6. The event will air live from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. For viewers who miss the live broadcast,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/how-to-watch-wwe-on-netflix" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Netflix</a>&nbsp;says episodes of WWE “Raw” will be available to watch immediately after the live show ends. The premiere episode will feature a match between reigning women’s world champion Liv Morgan, who will fight to defend her title from Rhea Ripley. Other matches during the episode include Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa, Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso and CM Punk vs. Seth &#8220;Freakin&#8221; Rollins.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">Surprising Fact</h2>



<p>WWE also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/02/08/wwe-and-x-announce-partnership-to-air-5-minute-wrestling-matches/">partnered</a>&nbsp;with X last year to broadcast 5-minute wrestling matches on the Elon Musk-owned social media platform.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/WWE" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">WWE</a>&nbsp;maintains a large audience on X, with more than 14 million followers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/vincent-mcmahon/">Vince McMahon</a>&nbsp;and his wife Linda McMahon founded WWE together in 1980, and have since separated but not divorced, with Linda leaving the brand in 2009 to pursue a political career, including two failed Senate campaigns and a stint leading the Small Business Administration. Linda was named by President-elect Donald Trump as his pick for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8rl8knmg8eo" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Secretary of Education</a>&nbsp;in November. Vince McMahon first resigned from his role as CEO and chairman of WWE in 2022 after an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/wwes-vince-mcmahon-agreed-to-pay-12-million-in-hush-money-to-four-women-11657289742?mod=article_inline" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">investigation</a>&nbsp;revealed he had made more than $12 million in hush money payments to four women, all formerly affiliated with WWE, to prohibit them from making claims of sexual harassment against McMahon. McMahon was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/wwe-board-elects-vince-mcmahon-executive-chairman-11673401713" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">elected</a>&nbsp;as executive chairman again in January 2023, but he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wwe-founder-vince-mcmahon-resigns-ex-employee-accuses-lawsuit-sexual-a-rcna135981" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">resigned again</a>&nbsp;in January 2024 after a lawsuit filed by a former employee accused him of sex trafficking, abuse and sexual assault, which McMahon denied as “lies.” The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/05/30/vince-mcmahon-sex-trafficking-lawsuit-wwe-federal-probe/73912612007/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">probing</a>&nbsp;McMahon’s sex trafficking allegations. Another lawsuit filed in October&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vince-mcmahon-wwe-accused-allowing-rampant-sexual-exploitation-young-b-rcna176988" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">accused</a>&nbsp;both Vince and Linda McMahon, as well as the WWE and parent company TKO Holdings, of knowingly enabling former ringside announcer Melvin Phillips, Jr. to sexually exploit children in the 1980s.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>The WWE partnership marks Netflix’s latest dive into live programming, following a string of unsuccessful attempts and its first forays into sports streams. The streaming service first started livestreaming in 2023 with a Chris Rock comedy special, but bungled a live “Love is Blind” reunion, which crashed and aired hours after it was scheduled, that same year. The company’s first sports broadcast, the highly anticipated fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, attracted 60 million viewers but was plagued by glitches and delays that frustrated viewers and sparked a firestorm of concern online among sports fans about whether Netflix could handle streaming the NFL’s Christmas Day games and WWE “Raw” broadcasts. The NFL broadcast, which averaged 30 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-netflix-christmas-b438221c22de046d9417e5a668f6f659" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">viewers</a>&nbsp;for its two games and a Beyoncé halftime performance, was largely&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6018940/2024/12/25/netflix-nfl-broadcasting-streaming-christmas/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">glitch-free</a>&nbsp;aside from minor reported buffering and audio issues.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-01-23/wwe-raw-heads-to-netflix-in-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">WWE’s ‘Raw’ will stream live on Netflix next year in major sports rights deal</a>&nbsp;(Los Angeles Times)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6018940/2024/12/25/netflix-nfl-broadcasting-streaming-christmas/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Netflix has up-and-down first foray into NFL broadcasting after early glitch</a>&nbsp;(The Athletic)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vince-mcmahon-wwe-accused-allowing-rampant-sexual-exploitation-young-b-rcna176988" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Vince McMahon and WWE accused of allowing &#8216;rampant&#8217; sexual exploitation of young boys by announcer in new lawsuit</a>&nbsp;(NBC News)</p>


Monday Night RAW

What To Know About WWE Streaming On Netflix: Premiere On Monday Featuring John Cena, Travis Scott, Logan Paul


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The next two FIFA Women&#8217;s World Cup tournaments, to be held in 2027 and 2031, will be streamed exclusively on Netflix in the first ever broadcasting deal to separate the women&#8217;s tournament from the men&#8217;s, marking a major victory for the streamer as it works to break into the world of live sports.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>FIFA on Friday confirmed that the next two women&#8217;s tournaments will be streamed exclusively on Netflix in the most significant deal FIFA has ever signed with a streaming service—though how much Netflix paid for the rights was not disclosed.</p>



<p>In addition to broadcasting the tournament,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/womens-world-cup-netflix" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Netflix said</a>&nbsp;it plans to produce documentary programming spotlighting top players and exploring the explosion of women&#8217;s soccer globally, and said &#8220;studio shows and top-tier talent will supplement coverage with commentary and entertainment.&#8221;</p>



<p>The deal represents the first time FIFA has ever sold rights to the women&#8217;s tournaments separately from the men&#8217;s—which will be aired on Fox and Telemundo through 2026—and marks a change from the usual practice of broadcasting the tournaments on free-to-air public networks.</p>



<p>The deal is also major milestone for Netflix as it continues to pursue live entertainment: the streamer last month broadcast a boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson to 108 million people (to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2024/11/16/mike-tyson-vs-jake-paul-was-an-entertaining-disaster/#:~:text=Viewers%20were%20able%20to%20watch,livestream%20often%20buffering%20and%20freezing.">mixed success</a>), will air a double-header of NFL&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/nfl-games-on-netflix" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Christmas Day games</a>&nbsp;next week and, in January,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/wwe-raw-netflix-release-date-news" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">WWE &#8220;Raw</a>&#8221; will stream live on Netflix from the new Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will run from June 24 to July 25. A total of 32 teams from across the world will compete in 12 cities throughout Brazil, the host country. It will be the first FIFA Women&#8217;s World Cup to be held in South America and will make Brazil the sixth country to ever host both the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s World Cups. The 2031 women’s tournament location has not yet been announced, but the U.S. is expected to make a bid. Other potential bidders include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3197102/china-bid-2031-fifa-womens-world-cup-push-top-ranking-team" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">China</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1149554/japan-hopeful-2031-host-womens-world-cup" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Japan</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://theathletic.com/4547986/2023/05/24/england-womens-world-cup-2031/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">England</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://bsnsports.com.ng/post/Morocco-Targets-Hosting-Of-2031-FIFA-Women-s-World-Cup" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Morocco</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safa.net/2023/11/24/sa-withdraws-from-bidding-for-the-2027-fifa-womens-world-cup-turns-attention-to-2031-event/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">South Africa</a>, FIFA is expected to make a choice on the host country in the second quarter of 2025.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>1.12 billion. That’s how many&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/43075385/netflix-fifa-agree-deal-women-world-cup-2027-2031" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">people watched</a>&nbsp;the 2019 Women’s World Cup across the world, FIFA said (Fox and NBC Sports had the American broadcasting rights). The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/womens-world-cup/what-are-the-differences-between-womens-and-mens-fifa-world-cups/3183885/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">U.S. victory</a>&nbsp;over the Netherlands in the final was watched live by 263.6 million people to become the most-watched match in tournament history, and the 2023 tournament set a new record for the most-watched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/07/27/womens-world-cup-hits-record-tv-viewership-for-group-stage/">group stage match</a>&nbsp;in tournament history when 6.43 million people watched the U.S. draw against the Netherlands.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>FIFA earlier this month confirmed the 2034 Men&#8217;s World Cup will be hosted by Saudi Arabia in a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/12/11/saudi-arabia-will-be-confirmed-as-2034-world-cup-host-heres-why-its-so-controversial/">controversial move</a> that has drawn criticism to both the organization and the country. Saudi Arabia was the only host to submit a competitive bid for the 2034 tournament, but it was done after a rushed process that appeared <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2024/dec/11/world-cup-2034-saudi-arabia-fifa-award-gianni-infantino?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-67581b198f08fdf95326f760#block-67581b198f08fdf95326f760" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unfair</a> to other countries and was widely seen as part of the country&#8217;s continued efforts to modernize its global image. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2034-world-cup-saudi-arabia-migrant-labor-human-rights-fcf03a475a23fda09583ef69176337a0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advocates</a> have also said they worry migrant and labor abuses that plagued Qatar’s 2022 World Cup preparations will repeat as Saudi Arabia gets ready to host the event.<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/"></a></p>


England v Switzerland – Women’s International Friendly

Netflix Gets Next 2 Women’s World Cups As Streamer Continues Foray Into Sports


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul are set to fight in a live boxing match streamed on Netflix Friday, in what would be Tyson’s first sanctioned match in nearly 20 years amid rising concerns about the 58-year-old’s age and safety.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The event is different from the regular pay-per-view format that is typical of boxing matches, as Netflix’s 282 million subscribers (as reported in its Q3 earnings call) will have access to the event.</p>



<p>The event was initially slated to stream in July but was delayed due to Tyson’s stomach ulcer flareup during a flight.</p>



<p>The match has the biggest age gap between boxers in professional boxing history according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/40049533/mike-tyson-vs-jake-paul-sanctioned-professional-fight" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">ESPN</a>: Tyson is 58 and Paul is 27 years old, a 31-year difference.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What Time Is The The Fight Between Mike Tyson And Jake Paul Fight?</strong></h2>



<p>The event at the AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, starts at 8 p.m. EST on Friday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How To Watch The Tyson-Paul Fight?</h2>



<p>It’s airing exclusively on Netflix.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What Are The Tyson-Paul Fight’s Betting Odds?</strong></h2>



<p>Paul is the favorite to win&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/boxing-mma/boxing/jake-paul-v-mike-tyson" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">on most</a>&nbsp;betting sites, with payouts on a $10 wager ranging from $14.40 to $15.33. Payouts for a Tyson bet range from $27 to $28.75 on a $10 wager. Bets are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2024/11/07/mike-tyson-vs-jake-paul-betting/76117981007/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">not allowed</a>&nbsp;in six states—New York, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Vermont, with some state officials saying the event was untraditional and more like an exhibition.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What Time Is The The Fight Between Mike Tyson And Jake Paul Fight?</strong></h2>



<p>The event at the AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, starts at 8 p.m. EST on Friday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How To Watch The Tyson-Paul Fight?</h2>



<p>It’s airing exclusively on Netflix.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What Are The Tyson-Paul Fight’s Betting Odds?</strong></h2>



<p>Paul is the favorite to win&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/boxing-mma/boxing/jake-paul-v-mike-tyson" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">on most</a>&nbsp;betting sites, with payouts on a $10 wager ranging from $14.40 to $15.33. Payouts for a Tyson bet range from $27 to $28.75 on a $10 wager. Bets are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2024/11/07/mike-tyson-vs-jake-paul-betting/76117981007/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">not allowed</a>&nbsp;in six states—New York, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Vermont, with some state officials saying the event was untraditional and more like an exhibition.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Further Reading</strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindseychoo/2024/10/17/netflix-earnings-streaming-beats-expectations-subscriber-growth/">Netflix Earnings: Stock Climbs As Streaming Giant Beats Expectations—But Subscriber Growth Slows</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


LIVE On Netflix: Jake Paul Vs. Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson Vs. Jake Paul—When The Netflix Boxing Fight Starts, Betting Odds And More


<p>When it comes to controversial advertising campaigns, they usually don’t have to do with income taxes. But a short-lived campaign from enterprise software company Intuit, which makes TurboTax,&nbsp;<strong>crossed that line and raised the ire of accountants</strong>.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2024/10/16/intuit-backpedals-after-insulting-accountants-with-latest-ad-campaign/"><em>Forbes’</em>&nbsp;Kelly Phillips Erb writes</a>&nbsp;about the saga, in which a consumer-targeted message intended to be a bit cheeky and punny&nbsp;<strong>ended up insulting a group of professionals who actually rely on Intuit’s products</strong>. The centerpiece of the campaign is an advertisement in which a young woman announces to a bland-looking accountant that she’s leaving him for a younger and more fashionable man on her phone “who charges me less but gives me more” as part of a “tax break-up.” The younger man represents Intuit’s “TurboTax Full Service plan,” featuring human tax preparers who work with customers online or in person to complete their taxes.</p>



<p><strong>Tax preparers</strong>, who have competed with TurboTax for many years,&nbsp;<strong>felt the campaign went too far</strong>. The unflattering portrayal of the accountant, plus the barrage of messaging telling consumers to “break up” with them, made many individuals and organizations upset. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants President and CEO Barry Melancon issued a statement saying, “The crucial role of CPAs, who serve as expert and trusted advisors to business owners and individuals, was not reflected in an unfortunate recent ad campaign launched by Intuit.” And the National Association of Tax Professionals said it will no longer accept Intuit’s sponsorships or exhibits at its conference because of the campaign’s “direct conflict with our members’ interests.” Predictably, Intuit decided to phase out the campaign.</p>



<p><strong>While TurboTax is a well-known Intuit product, it’s only one</strong>. The company also owns QuickBooks and Mailchimp—financial management and email marketing platforms used by many businesses, including accountants—as well as consumer budgeting tool Credit Karma. In its last fiscal year, the bulk of Intuit’s growth came from those using its enterprise financial planning and email software. TurboTax online made up less than a quarter of the company’s total fiscal year revenues.</p>



<p>Intuit may be seeking more consumer tax business, but it may have damaged its larger customer base by trying to be funny. An average consumer may have giggled at the ad, but it seems unlikely that it would end up getting the desired results,&nbsp;<strong>especially since most consumers aren’t thinking about income tax prep in October</strong>. Instead, with this campaign, Intuit might have inspired more financial professionals to break up with&nbsp;<em>them</em>.</p>



<p><strong>Finding the right emotional balance is an important tool to make a campaign successful</strong>. Reticle AI is using artificial intelligence to determine the emotions that are present in campaigns, helping marketers strike the proper tone to get their messages across. I talked to Vice President of Business Development Tricia Allen about how this works. An excerpt from our conversation is later in this newsletter.</p>



<p><strong>MARKETING MATTERS</strong></p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2169510342.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63122" style="width:608px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2169510342.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2169510342-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2169510342-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> (Photo by Dilara Irem Sancar/Anadolu via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


<p>Google is making a change to its Local Services Ads business next month that&nbsp;<strong>may impact roughly half of businesses advertising on the search engine</strong>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonkochkodin/2024/10/22/googles-upcoming-ad-change-could-spell-disaster-for-millions-of-unprepared-small-businesses/">reports&nbsp;<em>Forbes’</em>&nbsp;Brandon Kochkodin</a>. Starting November 21, the local ads that pop up at the top of search results for users will be blocked if they aren’t linked to a Google Business Profile. This free profile indicates how businesses appear in search and is fully customizable by the business. But businesses need to be verified as legitimate through video or phone authentication, or by receiving a postcard. The authentication is an extra step, but it’s important that local businesses do it sooner rather than later. Studies have shown that 96% of people learn about local businesses online, and four out of five of those searches convert into business. In fact, nearly half of all Google searches are for local businesses.</p>



<p><strong>SOCIAL MEDIA</strong></p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="662" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1513152452.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-61892" style="width:632px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1513152452.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1513152452-300x194.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1513152452-768x497.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> (Photo by Hakan Nural/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


<p>Two social networks are making changes that may impact user safety. For as long as X was known as Twitter, users have been able to block other accounts—a step often taken when a user is bothered or harassed by someone. Previously, the blocked account couldn’t see or engage with posts from the user who blocked them. Now, users&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/10/17/x-will-soon-let-users-see-tweets-from-people-who-block-them-the-controversial-change-explained/">can see all posts</a>&nbsp;from accounts that have blocked them, though they still can’t engage with them.&nbsp;<strong>X says this change allows “greater transparency,</strong>” so users can see if those who have blocked them are trying to “share and hide harmful or private information.” But critics have taken the other side of the argument: Stalkers and harassers can keep following accounts of those who have blocked them. X owner Elon Musk, who has made scores of controversial changes to the platform since he bought it in 2022, previously posted the blocking function made no sense. After this change was made, competing social media platform Bluesky gained 1.2 million users in two days,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/bluesky-gains-momentum-wake-xs-blocking-changes/730371/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Social Media Today reported.</a></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindseychoo/2024/10/17/instagram-sextortion-child-safety/">Changes to Instagram</a>&nbsp;<strong>intended to prevent “sextortion” scams and protect teens are much less controversial</strong>. Now, users are unable to take screenshots or recordings of disappearing images, which are only intended to be viewed once. The Meta-owned platform is also testing safety notices to let teenagers know when they are exchanging messages with someone out of the country. Images flagged to contain nudity will be automatically blurred for users younger than 18. And accounts with “scammy” behaviors will not be able to see users’ following and followers lists, a common way some bad actors get information about a target’s friends and family.</p>



<p><strong>BRANDS + MESSAGING</strong></p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1536268798.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62351" style="width:556px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1536268798.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1536268798-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1536268798-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Photo by Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


<p>Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindseychoo/2024/10/17/netflix-earnings-streaming-beats-expectations-subscriber-growth/">reported earnings</a>&nbsp;last week, beating Wall Street’s expectations. The streaming giant made $9.8 billion in revenue in its most recent quarter, and gained 5.1 million subscribers. Now, nearly 283 million households have Netflix subscriptions, but the rate of new subscriber gain is slowing down.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dbloom/2024/10/17/netflix-added-51-million-subscribers-can-we-talk-about-what-matters/"><em>Forbes&nbsp;</em>senior contributor David Bloom writes</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<strong>for Netflix, this really shouldn’t be seen as a negative</strong>. After all, there is a finite amount of Netflix subscriptions that can be bought. What is more important, Bloom writes, is viewer engagement. Netflix reported that the average paid membership has two hours of engagement per day. It has an 8.2% viewership share in the U.S., according to Nielsen data. Netflix first became profitable in 2003, and to date only one other streaming service—Disney+—has posted a profit. With more emphasis on engagement, Netflix also seems to be the first of the streamers to start caring more about actual viewers and interaction.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-on-message">ON MESSAGE</h4>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-reticle-ai-uses-technology-to-determine-emotions-in-ads"><strong>How Reticle AI Uses Technology To Determine Emotions In Ads</strong></h3>



<p><em>Emotion is important to marketing. Nostalgia, joy, adventure, curiosity and stress can all inform how consumers make purchases, choose what to eat or drink, or select service providers or leisure activities. Reticle AI uses artificial intelligence to determine the emotions that are present in marketing campaigns, as well as the emotions that consumers are experiencing when they see them, and makes recommendations for an optimal outcome. I talked to Vice President of Business Development Tricia Allen about how their method works and how it can get results. This conversation has been edited for length, clarity and continuity.</em></p>



<p><strong>How can you use AI to determine things like sentiment and nostalgia?</strong></p>



<p><strong>Allen:&nbsp;</strong>We’ve trained our AI technology to understand emotional sentiment within digital content. We’re almost curating content into various emotions. If a brand wants to be associated with nostalgia, [or being] uplifting, joyful, nurturing, they can align their message within content that has that emotional sentiment. We can control how the content potentially makes someone feel. If you’re consuming content that makes you feel nostalgic, nurturing, uplifting, chances are you’re in that frame of mind. If you get served an ad that is in that nostalgic, nurturing tone, you’re more predisposed to take action. That action is that connectivity and attention that the brand is getting because it’s being served at the right time.</p>



<p>[AI has] that ability to take the universe of digital content, really cull it down, and categorize it into these emotional categories because of its understanding of human emotion.</p>



<p><strong>There’s a lot of talk about AI systems not always giving accurate responses. With something difficult to quantify like emotion, how do you make sure that what comes out of your system is accurate to how people actually would feel?</strong></p>



<p>While AI is extremely relevant and helpful from a marketing standpoint, you can’t get rid of that human oversight. I really believe strongly in that for many reasons. There’s bias that’s involved because the technology is only as good as the person who is training the platform, and if they have inherent bias, then the tech has bias. You need more than one person to be vetting that. In addition, what nurturing means to me might mean something completely different to you.</p>



<p>We actually have human labelers. We have them go in and vet our data on an ongoing basis, just to have those human eyes on it. We’ll go through, and if the technology has said this content is deemed to be nurturing, we want to see what a human actually thinks. We have that human component to make sure, because AI is not perfect. Even when it does get better, I still strongly believe you’re going to need human oversight, especially when you’re talking about emotion.</p>



<p><strong>In your research, what are some of the emotions that people are reacting to the most, and what are some more prevalent themes?</strong></p>



<p>A lot of the themes that people are looking for from a marketing standpoint are around joy and that feeling of happiness, and conversely, that feeling of stress and pressure. [It’s] not necessarily a positive emotion. Maybe it’s a negative emotion, because maybe I’m a vacation company and I want to provide you with a solution to help you overcome that stress.</p>



<p><strong>If you are able to tap into emotion—both in marketing and also what is being looked for—what would be the perfect marketing campaign?</strong></p>



<p>To me, the perfect marketing campaign is [one in which] you first do the insights work to understand the emotional footprint of that brand. How do people think and feel about your brand right now? How do you want them to feel about your brand? Then ensure that creative or the ad itself is designed to hit those key emotions. We’re kind-of that end piece. You’ve established how people think and feel. You’ve established: Do I want them to feel this way? If no, where are there distinctions that we can draw on to differentiate from the competition and then make sure that creative is dialed in?</p>



<p>The biggest area where I see brands fall down is they try and tap into emotion, but there’s a disconnect between the creative strategy and the insights work that was done. The insights work is never being brought to life, and then the creative is a bit of a disconnect. When all of those pieces line up, and you take that emotionally designed creative [and] put it in the same environment from a digital placement perspective, that’s the trifecta of emotional marketing.</p>



<p><strong>FACTS + COMMENTS</strong></p>



<p>When the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees begins on Friday,&nbsp;<strong>it will be Sho time—for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, that is</strong>. With the Japanese phenom in the playoffs, Major League Baseball has actually seen&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2024/10/17/ohtani-mania-has-mlb-playoff-viewership-soaring-in-japan/">more October viewership</a>&nbsp;in his home country than in the U.S.</p>



<p><strong>12.9 million:&nbsp;</strong>Japanese viewers of NLDS Game 5 on October 11, when the Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres to advance to the National League Championship Series. The U.S. had 7.24 million viewers, a record for a division series</p>



<p><strong>$700 million:&nbsp;</strong>Value of Ohtani’s record-setting 10-year contract</p>



<p><strong>‘I hope to continue to perform well as well for the fans in Japan’:&nbsp;</strong>Ohtani&nbsp;<a href="https://dodgersnation.com/shohei-ohtani-acknowledges-fans-in-japan-watching-dodgers-postseason/2024/10/21/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told Dodgers Nation</a>, after saying that the team has also been “playing really well”</p>



<p><strong>STRATEGIES + ADVICE</strong></p>



<p><strong>Yes, there is such a thing as too much positivity</strong>. Here are some ways to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2024/10/11/managers-are-glossing-over-workplace-issues-and-pushing-toxic-positivity/">avoid glossing over</a>&nbsp;your employees’ challenges and support your team through hard times.</p>



<p><strong>Time management is difficult for executives</strong>. Here are <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2024/10/17/top-time-management-apps/">five apps</a> that can help you get more control over your work day.</p>


Chat Bot Service Concept – Enhancing Customer Experience with Virtual Assistant

Can AI Capture The Emotional Side Of Marketing?


<p><strong>A new generation of writers, directors and technical crew is leading the charge to reshape how we tell and consume our own African stories across the MultiChoice Group platforms – and the storytelling charge is being led by women.</strong></p>



<p>“The desire for homegrown content is increasing exponentially, audience consumption patterns are evolving and viewership behavior is changing,” says Nomsa Philiso, CEO: General Entertainment for MultiChoice Group. “Through our various initiatives, including the MultiChoice Talent Factory, we’re working hard to develop talent and meet the needs of our pan-African audiences”.</p>



<p>Philiso herself has extensive broadcast and media experience, spanning nearly three decades in media sales, channel and content management, technology project implementation and general management. Having worked her way to the top of the industry, empowering other women is an imperative for her. “Whether we’re working with MultiChoice Talent Factory graduates, young creatives or women who have been in the industry for years, the priority needs to be, at the very least, equality,” she says. “We have a powerful network of female producers, directors, commissioning editors, creators and technical people across the continent which is constantly growing – and it’s imperative to make sure that their voices are heard, because they have important things to say that deserve a space on the global stage”.</p>



<p>In her current role as the Executive Head of Content &amp; Channels, West Africa, at MultiChoice, Dr Busola Tejumola plays a pivotal role in shaping the storytelling and content deployment direction of the Africa Magic channels in Nigeria and Akwaaba Magic channel in Ghana. “I love bringing concepts, ideas and stories to life through collaborations, working with creatives with vast lived experiences and diverse perspectives,” she says. “I am passionate about creating content because it allows me to tell stories that resonate with audiences and have a meaningful impact. The opportunity to engage with viewers, spark conversations, and drive positive change through storytelling is what excites me the most.”</p>



<p>Encouraged by how MultiChoice’s work with producers across the continent continues to improve the quality and diversity of content, her wish for the African broadcasting industry is to see continued growth and innovation, with a focus on producing high-quality, diverse, and culturally relevant content that not only entertains, but also educates and inspires. “I hope to see a thriving ecosystem of African filmmakers, writers, directors, and actors creating high-quality content that continues to compete on a global scale. I hope to see more collaboration and investment in local talent and the expansion of African stories to the world,” she says.</p>



<p>In a career packed with highlights, Dr Tejumola names some recent achievements as wins. “Leading content strategy for acclaimed editions of Big Brother Naija, revitalizing the Africa Magic Brand (including the AMVCAs) with a strategic approach to content and channel development and the relaunch of Showmax – a pivotal project that set the stage for a new era of streaming in Nigeria are highlights for me,” she says. “What sets these projects apart is their impact on subscriber growth, ad revenue, audience engagement – and setting standards for impactful content in our African entertainment landscape. Being recognized among the Top 50 Women in Management by Forbes Afrique was also a great honor!”</p>



<p>Dr Tejumola believes that women in the film and television industry are not just breaking barriers. “We are leading the charge – in producing, directing, marketing and distribution – shaping narratives that resonate across cultures and generations. By embracing collaboration over competition, we foster a spirit of coopetition, where we elevate one another, creating a stronger, more representative industry,” she says.</p>



<p>Nicola van Niekerk, Head of Premium Content &amp; Co-Productions at M-Net, still gets a thrill out of creating ‘something from nothing’ when it comes to content. “From pitch concept to scripts, to posters to merchandise, to seeing people relating to characters as though they know them, it’s an incredibly</p>



<p>heartwarming process about the value chain and how we create content and capture the hearts of our people across Africa,” she says.</p>



<p>Van Niekerk cites true crime documentary Devilsdorp, Cape Flats-located drama series Spinners and murder mystery White Lies as her most-recent career highlights. “Devilsdorp is currently being seen around the world and it really put us at the top of the true crime drama list and has started a strong pipeline of documentaries,” she says. “Taking a story like Spinners, set in the Cape Flats in a South African dialect that nobody overseas has heard before – and winning all these accolades – is truly amazing. Seeing White Lies at number three on Stan in Australia is thrilling because it shows that people are enjoying seeing our local stories on a global stage”.</p>



<p>She says that there’s a misconception amongst women in film and television that there are less spaces for them at the top of the industry – but that’s not true. “The women who are there need to know that women need to be prioritized and that women need to help each other get there. Women in the industry are their own value chain and we need to work hard to help them every step of the way.”</p>



<p>Flavia Motsisi, Senior Manager: Scripted Series at MultiChoice, plays a major role in steering commissioning teams towards strategic business objectives and fostering innovation, helping shape the series’ portfolio across linear and streaming platforms. She is also a co-founder and former board member of Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT), a non-profit organization that advocates for gender and race parity and intersectionality in the sector.</p>



<p>“Words cannot describe how fulfilling it is to follow a concept from inception to seeing it on a screen and watching the impact it can make on an audience – or an entire culture,” she says. “It is one of the most thrilling, challenging, exciting and satisfying journeys. What excites me the most about making content is being able to evoke emotions from the viewers, getting them invested in the stories and characters and connecting with the content pieces we work so hard to deliver.”</p>



<p>Speaking on her career highlights so far, she says that being part of the The River set the bar high because it received the International Emmy nomination early in her career. “We launched the first season of Gomora on the first Monday after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the initial 21-day COVID lockdown. The show found its way into millions of South African households and became a source of entertainment and escape for the country.” Motsisi says that The Wife marked a monumental moment in the unveiling of Showmax’s scripted content slate as the most-watched show and captivated the nation, achieving record-breaking viewership and sparking endless conversations on social media.</p>



<p>Motsisi’s wish for our African broadcasting industry is for platforms to be open to hearing – and then telling – different types of stories and finding fresh voices to tell these stories. “African storytelling has a rich and vibrant tradition that holds immense cultural significance. There are many stories that are yet to be told and we have not even scraped the surface. The more voices are given opportunities; the more stories will be told; the more authentic stories are told; the better the industry becomes. This will inevitably create an affinity for and appreciation of our content for viewers locally and globally”.</p>


Untitled design (22)

The Queens Of Local Content


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Netflix tallied its first all-time high share price in nearly three years, capping a lengthy return to glory for the entertainment giant amid password crackdowns and a successful ad-supported subscription—a recovery that has evaded other streamers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Netflix shares closed at $698.54, topping the prior high of $691.69 set Nov. 17, 2021.</p>



<p>Spurring Tuesday’s 1.5% rally was the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-closes-successful-upfront-and-expands-advertiser-capabilities" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">announcement</a>&nbsp;it secured a 150% year-over-year increase in upfront advertising commitments, an encouraging sign for its fledgling ad-supported subscription tier.</p>



<p>Now up more than 300% from its May 2022 nadir, Netflix stock is the only major publicly traded streamer to recapture the all-time high share prices achieved during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, when investors grew enamored with sky high subscriber growth amid stay-at-home orders.</p>



<p>Shares of other streamers have all fallen from their 2021 highs: Disney+ parent Disney (down 56%) Max parent Warner Bros. Discovery (down 90%) and Paramount+ parent Paramount (down 89%).</p>



<p>Peacock parent Comcast (down 35%) and music streamer Spotify (down 11%) are also well off of their 2021 highs, though they two don’t make for easy comparison with Netflix since Comcast makes most of its money from its internet services and Spotify is an audio company.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">Contra</h2>



<p>Netflix stock holds major bragging rights over its media peers, but it has still underperformed the broader market, as the S&amp;P 500 has returned 25% since Nov. 17, 2021, as Netflix gained 1% as it climbed back to the mountaintop.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>$300 billion. That was Netflix’s market capitalization at Tuesday’s close, more than the combined valuations of Disney, Paramount, Spotify and Warner Bros. Discovery.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Netflix’s 2022 selloff <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/19/netflix-shares-plunge-over-20-after-company-says-it-lost-subscribers-for-the-first-time-in-10-years/">coincided</a> with the company’s first quarterly subscriber losses since 2011, with the company losing half of its market value just in April 2022. That was also the year of Netflix’s first year-over-year profit decrease since 2012 in 2022, while a broader tech stock selloff as interest rates rose furthered the damage. Steady subscriber growth, following a password sharing crackdown and the rollout of its ad-supported tier, have caused investors to buy back into Netflix, which just reported record quarterly revenues of nearly $10 billion with an all-time high 278 million global subscribers.<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/"></a></p>


Stay at home and watch TV

Netflix Stock Hits Record High—First Since 2021—After Ads, Password Crackdown


<p class="has-drop-cap"><strong>David Oyelowo </strong>has just returned to London to prepare for rehearsals.</p>



<p>The eldest of three boys, Oyelowo moved to the United Kingdom with his parents – who were both academics – as immigrants. Reflecting on his illustrious career, which spans over two decades, he pauses over a Zoom call with FORBES AFRICA to consider what inspired him to become a storyteller. During his school days, he had been interested in theater and performing but had never thought of it as a means to earn a living. It was one teacher, in particular, who noticed the young talent and encouraged him to pursue acting.</p>



<p>“I think my mother just thought this would be a weird thing that I would grow out of,” chuckles Oyelowo recalling the memory. </p>



<p>“A large part of why I didn’t think this would or should be a passion was because my parents had not seen me or anyone like them refl ected on the screen.” The closest Oyelowo’s mother got to seeing this was with the late Sidney Poitier, a Bahamian-American actor, producer and film director, famous for the 1967 British drama film, <em>To Sir, With Love</em>. </p>



<p>Years later, a critically-acclaimed and award-winning Oyelowo states that he was aware of just how underrepresented he himself was, when his career kick-started. distinct memory comes to mind of a time when he moved back to Lagos at the age of six.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="793" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Digital-Cover-1-793x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62784" style="width:509px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Digital-Cover-1-793x1024.jpg 793w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Digital-Cover-1-232x300.jpg 232w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Digital-Cover-1-768x991.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Digital-Cover-1-1190x1536.jpg 1190w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Digital-Cover-1.jpg 1258w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 793px) 100vw, 793px" /></figure></div>


<p>“I grew up, especially when I was in Lagos, always surrounded by uncles and men who I did not see represented on our screens… I did know that I was entering an industry where I would either be part of he problem or the solution.” </p>



<p>When he graduated from the London Academy of Music &amp; Dramatic Art, he knew the kind of roles he wanted to portray.</p>



<p>“I graduated saying ‘no’ to jobs that did not feel like a good fit for me, which probably frustrated a lot of people,” Oyelowo explains. “But you have to know that all of those ‘no’s’ are creating a bullseye of a ‘yes’ for something ground-breaking.”</p>



<p>From portraying a visionary civil rights lea er in <em>Selma </em>(2014) to playing Cecil Gaines’s son in <em>The Butler </em>(2013) and a Ugandan chess coach in <em>Queen of Katwe </em>(2016), Oyelowo is known, globally, for bringing ground-breaking reality to his roles. It is also something he takes into consideration when choosing projects.</p>



<p>“I am doing this as a love I have for telling authentic stories,” he says.</p>



<p>Playing prominent roles that give impetus not only to the African and African-American story, Oyelowo points out that a large part of what he does has to do with ensuring that emerging artists take control of their narrative.</p>



<p>Further to this, he is a Co-founder of Mansa, a streaming service that offers a curated selection of films and television series that celebrate Black culture from around the globe. Oyelowo also launched the platform this year as an ad-supported streaming TV station on The Roku Channel as a way to ensure that people of color start benefi ting from the content they create. </p>



<p>According to a 2023 Statista report, there were 415 million smartphone subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa in 2022. That number is expected to reach 689 million by 2028. For Oyelowo, this means that more and more people can have access to content created on the continent. But Africans need to take control of their narrative and start to tell the African story.</p>



<p>“I always get confused when people say Black and Brown people are the minority,” he says. “We cannot afford to be culturally colonized. We are the culture because we have the global majority…. It is crucial [that we tell our own stories], otherwise it will be watered down. Africa is the cradle of creation.”</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="512" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/X-1024x512.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62779" style="width:636px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/X-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/X-300x150.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/X-768x384.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/X-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/X.jpg 1875w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>

Untitled design (21)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT-Actor David Oyelowo: ‘Africa Is The Cradle Of Creation’


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Netflix and the streaming services of NBC, Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery have all increased paid U.S. subscribers to their services so far this year, a feat four other major streamers failed to achieve amid a contentious war for paid viewers that only continues to intensify as more TV watchers cut the cord with traditional cable services.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix is by far the fastest-growing streaming service of the year with an addition of 2.6 million subscribers from the end of December to the end of May, the latest data available, according to Antenna, a platform that tracks paid subscriber numbers for advertisers.</p>



<p>Netflix scored almost twice as many new viewers as the next fastest-growing service, NBC’s Peacock, which added 1.38 million new paid subscribers so far this year.</p>



<p>Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max (once known as HBO Max) and Paramount Global’s Paramount+ (a successor to CBS All Access) are the other two streamers who’ve had a net positive change in paid subscribers in 2024, with 609,947 and 357,465 additions, respectively.</p>



<p>Each of the services that have gained subscribers has either played host to popular live content or streamed episodes of anticipated new shows—Paramount+, for example, carried the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/12/super-bowl-earns-record-123-million-viewers-most-watched-tv-event-since-apollo-11/">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;in February, and Max has had some of the most popular shows of the last year including “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/20/true-detective-night-country-viewership-surges-despite-mixed-reviews-like-these-other-word-of-mouth-shows/">True Detective</a>,” “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2023/03/03/the-last-of-us-viewership-has-nearly-doubled-since-episode-1/">The Last of Us</a>” and “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-debuts-to-78-million-viewers-down-22-from-shows-premiere/">House of the Dragon</a>.”</p>



<p>Peacock started streaming Olympic trials ahead of the 2024 Paris games and carries legacy &#8220;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/top-streaming-shows-most-watched-1235816555/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">comfort shows</a>&#8221; that are often subject to binge watching like &#8220;The Office,&#8221; &#8220;Parks and Recreation&#8221; and &#8220;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/12/19/bluey-becomes-most-streamed-show-ending-suits-streak---plus-this-years-other-most-popular-titles/">Suits</a>,” and Netflix, which has long been the winner of the streaming wars, had major wins this year with the live roast of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/08/netflixs-tom-brady-roast-was-viewed-2-million-times-on-its-debut-night/">Tom Brady</a>, release of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/bridgerton-dominates-streaming-ratings-in-may-but-young-sheldon-captures-more-viewers-overall/">”Bridgerton” Season 3</a>&nbsp;and “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/20/netflix-thriller-fool-me-once-claims-januarys-most-streamed-title/">Fool Me Once</a>.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fastest-growing-streaming-services-dec-2023-to-may-2024">FASTEST-GROWING STREAMING SERVICES (DEC. 2023 TO MAY 2024)</h2>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Netflix: added 2,638,628 paid subscribers, 64.8 million total</li>



<li>Peacock: added 1,379,162 paid subscribers, 28 million total</li>



<li>Max (HBO): added 609,947 paid subscribers, 19.8 million total</li>



<li>Paramount+: added 357,465 paid subscribers, 31.8 million total</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Antenna ranked the fastest-growing streaming services in terms of U.S. subscribers through the end of May. The company counts the number of paid accounts per service without including trial users who have not yet converted to paid subscriptions or select bundles or wholesale deals, such as Paramount+ via Walmart+ or Netflix for T-Mobile customers. Antenna uses information from several collection partners that provide digital purchase and cancellation receipts, banking and credit information and other data points to determine the number of paying service subscribers, cancellations and trial users.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Netflix is by far the biggest streaming service worldwide and, in April,&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2024/q1/FINAL-Q1-24-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;it had almost 270 million paid subscribers across the globe as of the first quarter of 2024, a 16% increase over the same quarter the year before. The company posted a&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2024/q1/FINAL-Q1-24-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">first quarter revenue</a>&nbsp;of $9.37 billion, up 14.8% year-over-year. Netflix was the first service to offer video-on-demand and it pivoted to original programming in 2012 and 2013 with &#8220;Lilyhammer,&#8221; &#8220;Orange Is The New Black&#8221; and &#8220;House of Cards.&#8221; Since then, Netflix has faced increasing competition as other companies spend billions to launch their own platforms and produce their own original content, as well as withhold their licenced works from streaming on Netflix. Shows like &#8220;The Office,&#8221; for instance, used to stream on Netflix but later left the service in favor of Peacock, the one owned by its original broadcast network NBC.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Four of the five shows that claimed the most-streamed title from January to May this year streamed on Netflix. “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/20/netflix-thriller-fool-me-once-claims-januarys-most-streamed-title/">Fool Me Once</a>,” was watched for 6.5 billion minutes to be the most-streamed show of January and “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/23/young-sheldon-final-season-premiere-was-last-weeks-most-watched-show-and-biggest-sitcom-premiere-in-months/">Young Sheldon</a>,” which streams old episodes on both Netflix and Max, claimed the title in February. In March, Netflix original shows “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/04/16/love-is-blind-most-popular-streaming-show-netflix-the-gentlemen-avatar-brooklyn-99-bluey/">Love Is Blind</a>” and “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/bridgerton-dominates-streaming-ratings-in-may-but-young-sheldon-captures-more-viewers-overall/">Bridgerton</a>” were the most watched shows in March and May, respectively. In April, Amazon Prime Video’s “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/14/fallout-amazon-most-popular-show-video-game-adaptation-ella-purnell/">Fallout</a>” was the most-watched show across all of streaming.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">CONTRA</h2>



<p>Starz, Apple TV+, Hulu and Disney+ have all&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/27/streamings-biggest-loser-starz-lost-almost-1-million-subscribers-in-2024-disney-plus-hulu-apple-tv/">lost subscribers this year</a>, according to Antenna. Those four services combined had 90 million paid subscribers at the end of May compared to the 144.4 million counted by Netflix, Peacock, Paramount+ and Max.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>$635 billion. That&#8217;s how much the subscription economy is expected to be worth by 2025, according to Antenna.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/27/streamings-biggest-loser-starz-lost-almost-1-million-subscribers-in-2024/">Streaming’s Biggest Loser: Starz Lost Almost 1 Million Subscribers In 2024</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/09/27/whats-really-the-most-watched-netflix-show-hollywood-writers-deal-could-bring-streaming-data-to-light/">What’s Really The Most-Watched Netflix Show? Hollywood Writers’ Deal Could Bring Streaming Data To Light</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2024/05/24/media-companies-continue-to-bundle-streaming-properties-heres-why/">Media Companies Continue To Bundle Streaming Properties</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


This Streaming Service Has Scored Twice As Many New Users As Any Other In 2024


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Fans of the original series that inspired the breakout hit “Bridgerton” TV show on Netflix were shocked in the final minutes of the season 3 finale when the character Michael Stirling was introduced by another name—Michaela—and played by a female actress, a change that sets the show up to include a lesbian love story down the line and pushed the series author to step up and defend the swap. (Spoilers below.)</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2152820585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62245" style="width:515px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2152820585.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2152820585-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong><em>Brigerton Author Julia Quinn(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix)</em></strong></figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The third season of “Bridgerton,” the second half of which was released last week, followed the relationship of Francesca Bridgerton and Earl of Kilmartin John Stirling, who introduces his new wife to his cousin in the final moments of the season.</p>



<p>That cousin, in the books named Michael, was instead introduced as Michaela Stirling and is played by actress Masali Baduza.</p>



<p>The swap likely went unnoticed—and seemed inconsequential—by those who have only watched the show, but fans of the books know that Michael Stirling and Francesca go on to fall in love after John Stirling&#8217;s early death.</p>



<p>With the swap, “Bridgerton” is setting itself up to tell the now-lesbian love story of Francesca and Michaela, a change that sparked such furious online discussion it prompted &#8220;Bridgerton&#8221; author Julia Quinn to issue a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliaquinnauthor/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;Monday.</p>



<p>Quinn said she is &#8220;deeply committed to the ‘Bridgerton’ world becoming more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen,&#8221; and said that, despite some fan “disappointment,” she is confident the season featuring the pair will be the &#8220;most emotional and heart-wrenching story of the show.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“Thank you to readers and fans for your feedback. I am grateful for your understanding and touched by your deep commitment to the characters of the Bridgerton world,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliaquinnauthor/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Quinn wrote</a>&nbsp;in her statement. “I ask that you grant me and the Shondaland team some faith as we move forward.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The “Bridgerton” TV show, which has broken records for Netflix and streaming since its first season released in 2021, is known for its inclusivity. The show heavily features characters of color despite its regency-era setting and focus on London’s wealthiest families (the queen of England is played by Black actress Golda Rosheuvel) and has included LGBTQ+ love interests before. Most notably, older Bridgerton family sibling Benedict explores his sexuality in the third season and shares several steamy scenes with a man named Paul Suarez. Male characters Brimsley and Reynolds, the queen and king&#8217;s secretaries, respectively, share an explicit romance in the spin-off series &#8220;Queen Charlotte&#8221; and a queer artist named Henry Granville features briefly in the first season of &#8220;Bridgerton.&#8221;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62246" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong><em>Bridgerton. Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton in episode 307 of Bridgerton. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2024</em></strong></figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>5.5 billion. That&#8217;s how many minutes fans spent streaming &#8220;Bridgerton&#8221; on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/bridgerton-dominates-streaming-ratings-in-may-but-young-sheldon-captures-more-viewers-overall/">Netflix in May,</a>&nbsp;Nielsen data shows, making it the most-watched show across any streaming platform that month. That number includes streams of season 3 part 1, which released May 16, plus the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/15/bridgerton-season-3-netflix-premiere-time-release-date-binge-watch-regency-romance-most-viewed-top-shows/">binge-watching</a>&nbsp;of older seasons.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Season 4. Netflix back in 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/bridgerton-season-4-cast-release-date-news" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;a fourth season of &#8220;Bridgerton,&#8221; but when it will be released and which character will serve as the romantic lead is still unknown.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>The debut of the “Bridgerton” series on Netflix sent sales of Quinn’s original eight-book series soaring. In 2020, the year before the show&#8217;s release, Quinn sold 77,541 books, according to data from Circana Bookscan. The next year, that number shot to 1.6 million and remained high with 1.16 million in 2022. The series sold an additional 495,435 books last year and, so far in 2024, has sold 357,493.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/bridgerton-dominates-streaming-ratings-in-may-but-young-sheldon-captures-more-viewers-overall/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>&#8216;Bridgerton&#8217; Dominates Streaming Ratings In May-But &#8216;Young Sheldon&#8217; Captures More Viewers </strong></a></p>


BRIDGERTON_306_Unit_01860R

‘Bridgerton’ Gender Swap Controversy Explained: Why ‘Michaela Stirling’ Has Thrust Fans Into Turmoil


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>“The Night Agent” was the most viewed title on Netflix during the first half of 2023, the company announced Tuesday, giving its first sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;on viewership numbers beyond its weekly Top 10 list following demands from viewers and Hollywood writers for more transparency.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>“The Night Agent,” which came out on March 23, came out on top with 812.1 million hours viewed between January and June of this year.</p>



<p>Season two of “Ginny &amp; Georgia,” season one of Korean drama “The Glory,” season one of “Wednesday” and “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rounded out</a>&nbsp;the top five shows in terms of viewing hours during the first half of 2023.</p>



<p>The report, called “What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report,” was presented as a simple spreadsheet with four columns, showing the title, the release date, whether the title was available worldwide and the viewing hours, and is the first time Netflix is sharing viewership details after years of declining to share them with anyone, Bloomberg&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-12/netflix-releases-viewer-data-on-every-show-film-for-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</p>



<p>Over 60% of Netflix original titles released during the first half of this year made the platform’s weekly Top 10 lists, which show the 10 most viewed shows and films of the week, but not viewership numbers, Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>, showing that the platform’s originals are popular among viewers as writers for streaming services demand additional residuals if their shows are successful.</p>



<p>Non-English titles generated 30% of all viewing hours globally, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>, and Netflix original titles released before this year appeared to have “staying power,” Netflix said, such as “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which came out in October 2022, but generated 80 million viewing hours in the first half of 2023.</p>



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<p>Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-12/netflix-releases-viewer-data-on-every-show-film-for-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told reporters</a>&nbsp;the lack of transparency over viewership data caused “mistrust over time” with writers and other creatives, and that people have asked for more details on what audiences are watching “over the last 16 years of streaming.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Viewership numbers could explain why Netflix decides to cancel shows, as it has been previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/netflix-originals-cancelled-oa-altered-carbon-sense8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;the streaming service renews or cancels shows based on viewership and other data points, including how many accounts watch only one episode of a series, how many subscribers finish an entire season and the total amount of subscribers who watch a series.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Hollywood writers launched a five-month strike that started this summer, demanding more compensation from streaming platforms through higher wage floors, the regulation of mini-rooms (or&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/writers-guild-contract-negotiation-mini-room-1235568173/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">smaller</a>&nbsp;writers rooms that pay less), additional money from streaming residuals and transparency over viewership for their shows, the Wall Street Journal<em>&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/hollywood-writers-reach-agreement-with-studios-streamers-to-end-strike-57fb5dd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>. Writers, studios and streamers reached a tentative agreement in September that included a success-based residual in which writers for TV series and films on streaming services can receive a bonus if 20% or more of a streaming service’s U.S.-based subscribers watch the show within three months of its release,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/how-wga-streaming-residual-will-work-1235602660/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Hollywood Reporter.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/09/25/wga-and-studios-reach-exceptional-tentative-deal-to-end-writers-strike/?sh=4da6b38f1eb5">Hollywood Writers And Studios Reach ‘Exceptional’ Tentative Deal To End Strike</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/netflix-originals-cancelled-oa-altered-carbon-sense8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Netflix keeps cancelling your favourite shows after two seasons</a> (Wired)</p>


Tag: Netflix

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