
<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="(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="(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>


Video Streaming Platforms Stock Photos

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="(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="(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>


Watching Netflix On iPad

This Show Topped Netflix Viewership Earlier This Year—And It Might Not Be What You Think


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



<p>Two unnamed players from Netflix’s “Squid Game: The Challenge” are threatening to sue the streaming giant and the game show’s producers over claims they experienced hypothermia and nerve damage while shooting the show, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://deadline.com/2023/11/squid-game-the-challenge-contestants-threaten-injury-lawsuit-1235635675/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deadline</a>, which cited British personal injuries firm Express Solicitors.</p>



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



<p>Express Solicitors said in a statement the contestants are seeking compensation for the alleged injuries suffered while filming in the U.K. early this year.</p>



<p>The injuries were allegedly sustained while the contestants played the “Red Light, Green Light” game, which tasks players with crossing a field of play and having to suddenly stop their advances anytime an announcer says “red light.”</p>



<p>Express Solicitors told Deadline the contestants were left with injuries “after spending time being stuck in painful stress positions in cold temperatures.”</p>



<p>The lawsuit threat comes several months after Netflix acknowledged that three players required medical attention while filming at a former Royal Air Force base in Bedford.</p>



<p>A spokesperson for the show confirmed to Deadline that no lawsuit has been filed by any of the contestants.</p>



<p>Express Solicitors did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.</p>



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



<p>$4.56 million. That’s the cash prize for the show, which currently has five out of 10 episodes out on Netflix and will be won by one of its 456 contestants.</p>



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



<p>“We have sent letters of claim on behalf of contestants injured in this show,” Daniel Slade, chief executive officer at Express Solicitors, said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.expresssolicitors.co.uk/blog/express-solicitors-in-the-news#news1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a statement</a>. “From what we’ve been told they pushed the boundaries of safety in the name of entertainment.”</p>



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



<p>The show’s contestants called out the show this year in an interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/netflix-squid-game-reality-show-frozen-inhumane-welfare-1235511809/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Variety</a>, saying the shooting conditions were “absolutely inhumane and had nothing to do with the game.” Contestants weren’t paid to participate in the show and were reportedly told the shoot would take about two hours to complete, though some players participated for nearly seven hours. The shoot also took place during a cold snap in the U.K., when temperatures dropped to 32 degrees fahrenheit and contestants collapsed, according to Variety, which reported cold and fatigue had hit players who dealt with eight hours of prep time before the game started. The game show is based on the South Korean dystopian drama, Squid Game, which raked in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/netflix-squid-game-is-even-bigger-than-you-thought-2-billion-hours-big/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more than 1.5 billion&nbsp;</a>of streaming hours from users and became one of Netflix’s most popular shows of all time.</p>



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



<p><a href="https://deadline.com/2023/11/squid-game-the-challenge-contestants-threaten-injury-lawsuit-1235635675/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ Contestants Threaten Lawsuit After Claiming They Suffered Hypothermia &amp; Nerve Damage During Filming</a>&nbsp;(Deadline)</p>



<p><a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/netflix-squid-game-reality-show-frozen-inhumane-welfare-1235511809/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Inside Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ Reality Show Disaster: ‘The Conditions Were Absolutely Inhumane’</a> (Variety)</p>


Opening Of Gamescom In Cologne

‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ Players Threaten Netflix With Lawsuit Over Alleged Injuries


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



<p>Shares for Netflix rose by over 15% on Thursday, the largest single-day gain for the firm in nearly three years, after the streaming service reported growth that exceeded analyst expectations, and price increases.</p>



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



<p>Netflix shares rose by 15.92% to $401.30 as of Thursday morning, following a more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/10/18/netflix-earnings-subscribers-swell-to-record-247-million-as-stock-soars/?sh=5f4a761f64df">10% jump</a>&nbsp;to over $390 after the company released its third-quarter earnings report on Wednesday.</p>



<p>This is the largest single-day gain for Netflix since January 20, 2021, when shares rose by 16.86% to $586.34 after the company&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2020/q4/FINAL-Q420-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;it had eclipsed the 200 million subscriber mark and announced it was considered stock buybacks.</p>



<p>Netflix added $8.54 billion in revenue and nine million net paid subscribers through a three-month period ending September 30, matching and exceeding estimates of $8.54 billion and 6.08 million, respectively.</p>



<p>A letter to shareholders on Wednesday also indicated Netflix was raising the price of its basic and premium plans to $11.99 and $22.99, up $3 and $2, respectively, as part of an effort to be competitive with other streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Paramount+.</p>



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



<p>247.2 million. That’s how many global paid subscribers Netflix has, according to its latest earnings report.</p>



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



<p>Prior to the nearly 17% single-day gain for Netflix in 2021, the previous high for the streaming firm was a gain of 16.8% on October 18, 2016. The increase followed an announcement from Wells Fargo, which upgraded its price target for Netflix shares to $700 per share, up from $510, adding to similar announcements from other analysts, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/20/netflix-stock-soars-13percent-on-subscriber-growth-and-possible-buybacks.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNBC</a>.</p>



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



<p>Netflix reported earnings up to $3.73 a share on Wednesday, as chief executive Greg Peters said the firm was “incredibly pleased” with its recent growth, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-18/netflix-will-raise-prices-after-best-subscriber-growth-in-years?utm_content=business&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bloomberg</a>. Shares for the company have jumped by nearly 36% this year, and by just over 47% since October 2022. The stock crashed about 75% in the first half of 2022, after Netflix&nbsp;<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/?sh=77df0caa1650">reported</a>&nbsp;its first loss of subscribers in a decade. Netflix has continued to report subscriber growth, after announcing a crackdown on password sharing and a cheaper subscription tier that includes ads. The company also added a paid sharing option—requiring users to pay extra for accounts they share with others—that was called a “primary revenue accelerator in the year” by chief financial officer Spencer Neumann.</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/?sh=73f2ded756e0">Netflix Hikes Prices For Some Plans As Subscriber Numbers Surge</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/10/18/netflix-earnings-subscribers-swell-to-record-247-million-as-stock-soars/?sh=5f4a761f64df">Netflix Earnings: Subscribers Swell To Record 247 Million As Stock Soars</a> (<em>Forbes</em>)</p>


In this photo illustration the Netflix logo seen displayed

Netflix Shares Surge 15% After Subscriber Growth—Largest Single-Day Gain Since 2021


<p>A new deal between Hollywood studios and writers will for the first time require streamers like Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ to report viewership numbers of original and syndicated content, shining a light on what experts have called a “black hole” of information that has allowed companies to largely avoid justifying in-house programming decisions.</p>



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



<p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/09/27/hollywood-writers-strike-ends-deal-finalized-after-148-day-work-stoppage/?sh=e88fb758cbf3">new contract</a>&nbsp;negotiated between the Writers Guild of America union, which ended its 148-day strike on Wednesday, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will force services to report to the union how many hours a show has been streamed domestically and across the world, a first for a collection of streaming companies that have historically kept a dark veil over the information.</p>



<p>Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Paramount+, Netflix, Hulu and HBOMax are among the companies that have shared what the&nbsp;<em>Verge&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/26/23891835/wga-contract-summary-ai-streaming-data" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">called&nbsp;</a>“weird metrics or meaningless self-referential rankings” instead of the actual viewership data available for broadcast networks and cable channels like ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN, Fox News, CNN and others.</p>



<p>The data was a sticking point in the tense union negotiations as writers called for measurable performance metrics that could be translated into residuals—long-term payments sent when their show or movies rerun or are purchased—for union members who work on hit shows.</p>



<p>Writers have for decades been paid every time their show or movie is re-aired on its original network or on cable television, or when someone buys a DVD, but that stopped on on-demand streaming platforms, and writers who’ve had network shows become popular on streaming services complain they have not been adequately compensated for its secondary success on those platforms.</p>



<p>It’s possible the numbers studios provide will be subject to nondisclosure agreements and therefore not released to the public, but the WGA may still be able to release aggregated data.</p>



<p>Representatives for WGA, Netflix and Hulu did not immediately respond to&nbsp;<em>Forbes’&nbsp;</em>request for comment Wednesday.</p>



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



<p>Not knowing the numbers is “very frustrating,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-09-14/wga-writers-strike-sag-aftra-actors-strike-netflix-ratings-data-transparency?_gl=1*ywpsu6*_gcl_au*MTQ5MzQ4MjQ4OS4xNjk1ODIwNzQ4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said&nbsp;</a>Gloria Calderón Kellett, the co-showrunner for Netflix’s reboot of&nbsp;<em>One Day at a Time</em>, which was canceled. “Because you just don’t know what you don’t know. You are in this black hole.”</p>



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



<p>Historically, a lack of data has led to a lack of accountability for streamers when it comes to making programming decisions. Without viewership information, Nexflix and other companies have been allowed to make decisions on canceling and renewing projects without any transparency, and they can claim a project has or hasn’t been successful on a whim. Viewers have expressed discontent about the cancellation of shows that seemed to do well in the public eye—like&nbsp;<em>Daredevil, Warrior Nun, The OA&nbsp;</em>and&nbsp;<em>Inside Job</em>—only to be shut down by the streamer. It has also shielded companies from having to admit when a high-budget show flops. Netflix CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters told Bloomberg earlier this year that the streamer has “never canceled a successful show.” Netflix is slightly more transparent than its competitors, it does provide a weekly top-10&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">breakdown&nbsp;</a>of the top movies and shows by country, but it only covers the most popular programs and provides no indication as to what isn’t doing well. Others, like Disney+, will on occasion release how many people watched a popular show’s premiere or finale but not in any kind of context to other services or shows on the same platform. Nielsen, the media data company that tracks viewership behavior, provides a top-10 list of streaming platform ratings based on the devices people use to stream (think smart TVs or video game consoles).</p>



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



<p>15.2 million. That&#8217;s how many views Netflix says its original film<em>&nbsp;Love At First Sight</em>, the most-watched English movie of the week, got between September 18 and September 24.</p>



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



<p>Sharing streaming data with the public could put publicly traded companies like Netflix, Disney and Paramount in the hot seat when it comes to their shareholders. Michael Smith, a professor of information technology and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, told&nbsp;<em>Forbes&nbsp;</em>he doesn’t think sharing the data privately with the WGA will have a dramatic impact on how stocks perform, but that they could be impacted if the world knows an expensive project ultimately flopped. Measuring the performance of a streaming company now is largely based on revenues, costs and an aggregate number of subscribers (which not all streaming services have made public), Smith said, but streamers have fought tooth and nail against revealing streaming data because of a potential impact to share prices. He added that streamers differ from traditional broadcast channels that rely on viewership numbers to sell ad space, while platforms like Hulu have more flexibility in their advertising options. “I think this is the most interesting part of the (WGA) deal,” Smith said.</p>



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



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/09/27/hollywood-writers-strike-ends-deal-finalized-after-148-day-work-stoppage/">Hollywood Writers Strike Ends: Deal Finalized After 148 Days Of Work Stoppage</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellechemtob/2023/09/26/forbes-daily-another-strike-on-the-horizon-as-sag-aftra-authorizes-second-walkout/">Another Strike On The Horizon As SAG-AFTRA Authorizes Second Walkout</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/09/26/swifties-take-nfl-ratings-soared-for-chiefs-game-as-taylor-swift-cheered-on-travis-kelce/">Swifties Take NFL: Ratings Soared For Chiefs Game As Taylor Swift Cheered On Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>


What’s Really The Most-Watched Netflix Show? Hollywood Writers’ Deal Could Bring Streaming Data To Light


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



<p>Netflix users in the U.S. will no longer be able to share accounts with others who don’t live with them, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/update-on-sharing-may-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, after the same password crackdown was instituted in four other countries earlier this year.</p>



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



<p>Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/update-on-sharing-may-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;U.S. users an “account is for use by one household,” urging subscribers to sign out their accounts on devices that “shouldn’t” have access to the user’s account, and set a primary location for the account.</p>



<p>Netflix users who want to share their account with someone outside their household can either pay $7.99 for a “sub account” or they can transfer a profile to a new membership that someone else pays for—a move that would allow users to keep their watch history and saved list.</p>



<p>Users will still be able to watch Netflix from their personal devices or log into new TVs at hotels or other locations, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/update-on-sharing-may-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>.</p>



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



<p>Earlier this year, Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/an-update-on-sharing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;it was instituting password-sharing restrictions in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. At the time, Netflix said similar measures would be coming to the U.S. in the coming months. Netflix began testing paid sharing, with the same restrictions U.S. users will now face, in its Latin America market last year. Netflix is one of the first major streaming services to start cracking down on password sharing, in a move likely prompted by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/09/netflix-loses-subscribers-as-disney-catches-up-heres-how-the-major-streaming-services-are-faring-so-far-this-year/?sh=2f446c22a1c4">last year’s</a>&nbsp;loss of subscribers and the need for additional revenue.</p>



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



<p><strong>100 million.</strong>&nbsp;As of February, that’s how many households share their passwords, Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/an-update-on-sharing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>.</p>



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



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/02/08/netflix-password-crack-down-begins-in-canada-new-zealand-portugal-spain/?sh=3ff300a22f34">Netflix Password Crack Down Begins In Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonytellez/2023/02/02/netflixs-password-sharing-crackdown-and-what-amazon-prime-hulu-others-are-doing-explained/?sh=61031c7d56ea">Netflix’s Password Sharing Crackdown—And What Amazon Prime, Hulu, Others Are Doing—Explained</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/09/netflix-loses-subscribers-as-disney-catches-up-heres-how-the-major-streaming-services-are-faring-so-far-this-year/?sh=2f446c22a1c4">Netflix Loses Subscribers As Disney+ Catches Up: Here’s How The Major Streaming Services Are Faring So Far This Year</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><em>CORRECTION (5/23): This story has been updated to clarify that Netflix users will not have to set a primary location and to clarify that users will not need one-time access codes to log into Netflix from other locations.</em></p>


Netflix Starts Long-Awaited Password-Sharing Crackdown—Here’s How


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



<p>Netflix gained 2.4 million new paid subscribers in the third quarter of this year, the company said in an&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q3/FINAL-Q3-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earnings report</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, a reversal for the streamer after reporting losses for the first time in 10 years over the last two consecutive quarters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix reported 223.09 million subscribers, up from the 220.67 million it reported in July and 213.56 million in the third quarter of last year.</p>



<p>The streaming service beat its&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q2/FINAL-Q2-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">own forecast</a>&nbsp;of 221.67 subscribers.</p>



<p>Netflix predicted it will continue to grow its subscriber base and add 4.5 million paid users by the end of the fourth quarter.</p>



<p>The company generated $1.4 billion in net income in the third quarter, down nearly 4% from a year ago, and revenue grew 5.9% to $7.9 billion, both of which&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q2/FINAL-Q2-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat the company’s forecasts</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Much of the growth came from the Asia-Pacific region, where 1.4 million paid memberships were added in the third quarter.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Netflix’s share price jumped more than 12% in after-hours trading Tuesday and stood at $275.40 as of 8 p.m., after closing at $240.86.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>In November, Netflix plans to launch a cheaper ad-supported tier, the first time ads will be coming to the streaming service. Amid tight competition for viewers attention, Disney+ is also launching an ad-supported tier in December. When HBO Max and Discovery+&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/04/hbo-max-and-discovery-will-combine-into-one-streaming-service/?sh=d604f3319312">combine</a>&nbsp;into one streaming service next year, a free ad-supported tier will be offered.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In April, Netflix reported its first subscriber loss in a decade, losing 200,000 subscribers. The company&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q1/FINAL-Q1-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blamed</a>&nbsp;the suspension of its service in Russia amid the country’s conflict with Ukraine, as well as competition with other streaming services and the “large number of households” that share accounts with each other. It suffered another loss of 970,000 subscribers in July. Netflix has since said it is exploring ways to monetize people who share one account and crack down on password-sharing, and launched a “profile transfer” feature this week that allows a user to move their data between accounts. Roughly 450 Netflix staffers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/23/business/media/netflix-layoffs.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">were laid off</a>&nbsp;this year. Netflix credited its third-quarter subscriber boost to programming, including the release of the fourth season of&nbsp;<em>Stranger Things</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story</em>.&nbsp;</p>



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



<p>In the third quarter, Netflix produced 1,024 episodes of original TV content, according to a report published last week by research firm MoffettNathanson. That’s a record for the company, and five times that of any other streaming service, the report said. Nearly 160 original shows were launched on the platform during that time period.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/10/13/netflixs-cheaper-ad-supported-tier-launching-november-3/?sh=2433f53d47db">Netflix’s Cheaper Ad-Supported Tier Launching November 3</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/10/12/netflix-produced-a-record-1024-original-television-episodes-this-quarter/?sh=41d8786437f9">Netflix Produced A Record 1,024 Original Television Episodes This Quarter</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Netflix Adds 2.4 Million Subscribers After Months Of Declines


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



<p>As streaming services continue to battle for the attention—and wallets—of viewers, subscriber numbers have changed over the last few months, with Netflix on a decline for the first time in a decade as Disney+ continues to grow and HBO Max and Discovery+ prepare to merge.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix remains the leader of the pack, with 220.67 million global subscribers as of June according to earnings reports, but as competition with newer platforms becomes tighter, it&#8217;s also one of the only streaming services to lose paid subscribers, falling by almost 1 million subscribers since March and nearly 1.2 million since December.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Disney’s bundle of streaming services—including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+—rose from 196.4 million subscribers in January to 205.6 million in April, the company reported, making it a real competitor to Netflix, but Disney+ pulls most of the weight, with 137.7 million subscribers in April (up 7.9 million from January) compared to Hulu&#8217;s 45.6 million (up roughly 300,000 in three months).</p>



<p>HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+—all of which have been owned by Warner Bros. Discovery since April—counted a combined 92.1 million subscribers in June, up just 1.7 million from March, the company says (it’s unclear how plans to merge the streaming services together into one platform will affect subscriber numbers).&nbsp;</p>



<p>Paramount+, owned by CBS’ owner Paramount Global, reported just 43 million subscribers in June—but the streamer has gained over 10 million since December.</p>



<p>Peacock, NBCUniversal parent Comcast’s streaming network, had 13 million paid subscribers as of last month, roughly the same amount that Comcast reported in April, and 27 million active monthly accounts—unlike some of the other streaming platforms, it offers a free version of its service with select programs and movies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND&nbsp;</h2>



<p>2022 has been a tumultuous year for streaming services, as media companies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2020/10/12/disney-reorganizes-to-prioritize-streaming/?sh=59da0776ab09">increasingly</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dbloom/2022/02/16/rebranded-paramount-global-focuses-on-streaming-future-with-huge-array-of-announcements/?sh=2feb09b2203e">prioritize</a>&nbsp;streaming platforms instead of traditional television. Warner Bros. Discovery, which was formed after Discovery and AT&amp;T’s former subsidiary WarnerMedia merged in April, announced plans last week to integrate HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single service next summer. The company also shut down news streaming service CNN+ just one month after it launched, amid a push to control costs and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/24/business/media/cnn-plus-discovery-warner.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">belief</a>&nbsp;that niche streaming platforms tend to fare worse than more all-encompassing services. More changes are to come: After Netflix suffered its first subscriber losses in over a decade earlier this year, the company said it would launch a cheaper ad-supported tier and cut down on password sharing, which it blamed for some of the deficit. The company shut down service in Russia after the country invaded Ukraine, resulting in a loss of 700,000 subscribers.</p>



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



<p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/06/streaming-viewers-feel-overwhelmed-by-options-nielsen-survey-suggests/?sh=7676f543705f">survey from Nielsen</a>&nbsp;released earlier this year found that there are more titles than ever available to stream, and the time Americans spend watching streaming content each week is on the rise. Still, 64% of respondents said they wish there was a streaming service bundle, and 46% said it’s hard to find the programs they want to watch because there are too many streaming services.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/04/hbo-max-and-discovery-will-combine-into-one-streaming-service/?sh=5747ddd71931">HBO Max And Discovery+ Will Combine Into One Streaming Service</a>(Forbes)&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/04/discovery-and-hbo-max-swap-content-as-warner-bros-discovery-reportedly-plans-to-restructure/?sh=62747fb2313e">Discovery+ And HBO Max Swap Content As Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Plans To Restructure</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/21/cnn-will-reportedly-shut-down-after-only-one-month-of-service/?sh=721b85b865bb">CNN+ Will Shut Down After Only One Month Of Service</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/06/streaming-viewers-feel-overwhelmed-by-options-nielsen-survey-suggests/?sh=7676f543705f">Streaming Viewers Feel Overwhelmed By Options, Nielsen Survey Suggests</a>(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Netflix Loses Subscribers As Disney+ Catches Up: Here’s How The Major Streaming Services Are Faring So Far This Year


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



<p>Shares of Netflix surged after the closing bell Tuesday despite the streaming giant’s disclosure in its second-quarter earnings report that it lost subscribers for a second quarter in a row, as the total was lower than investors had feared—with the company optimistic about adding back subscribers later in the year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix’s stock jumped nearly 7% to around $215 per share in after-hours trading, with investors cheering the better-than-expected second-quarter&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q2/FINAL-Q2-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earnings report</a>.</p>



<p>The streaming giant reported that it lost 970,000 subscribers in the latest quarter—significantly less than the company’s previous forecast of losing 2 million subscribers—and management remains optimistic about adding back customers later in the year.</p>



<p>Analyst estimates for Netflix’s second-quarter subscriber loss had ranged from as much as 4 million subscribers to as little as 1.5 million, with some analysts citing the strong performance of season four of&nbsp;<em>Stranger Things</em>, which was Netflix’s most watched English-language show yet.</p>



<p>Investors were hoping for an improvement after a dismal first quarter, when Netflix reported its first subscriber loss in more than a decade (losing 200,000 customers) and shares&nbsp;<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/?sh=6c6311101650">plunged 35%</a>&nbsp;in one day.</p>



<p>Netflix reported mixed financial results for the second quarter: Earnings came in above Wall Street expectations, though revenue was weaker-than-expected at $7.97 billion versus a consensus analyst forecast of $8.04 billion, according to Refinitiv.</p>



<p>In order to offset recent slowdowns, Netflix is looking to introduce a cheaper ad-supported subscription plan, announcing last week that it will be partnering with Microsoft in order to do so—but Netflix COO Greg Peters said that the project is still in “very early days.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE:</h2>



<p>“There’s very little not to like,” says Charles Lemonides, founder and chief investment officer of ValueWorks. “These results read like the negative news was just a tiny blip in the long-term growth story.” He remains highly bullish on the company, which he argues is still the “strongest streaming platform with the greatest ability to spend dollars on creating new content—and that’s a tough position to compete with.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND:</h2>



<p>Netflix’s stock has cratered roughly 70% this year. Like other tech stocks, Netflix shares were especially hard-hit by concerns over surging inflation and rising rates, but a significant portion of the company’s recent struggles have revolved around slowing subscriber growth, which has spooked investors. Netflix&nbsp;<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/?sh=6c6311101650">lost 200,000 subscribers</a>&nbsp;globally in the previous quarter—far below the 2.7 million additions expected, which prompted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/20/netflix-stock-crash-growth-story-is-dunzo-for-now-as-analysts-slash-outlooks/?sh=249317dd5187">wave of downgrades</a>&nbsp;from Wall Street analysts at the time.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR:</h2>



<p>“While a meaningful 2Q or 3Q subscriber beat or miss might temporarily move Netflix shares post-earnings, we expect shares will revert to their trading range as visibility will remain low and the company’s pivot to advertising does not even begin in earnest until late 2022,” Credit Suisse analyst Douglas Mitchelson wrote on Tuesday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING:</h2>



<p><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/?sh=3bad91591650">Netflix Loses Subscribers For The First Time In Ten Years, Shares Plunge 35%</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/20/netflix-stock-crash-growth-story-is-dunzo-for-now-as-analysts-slash-outlooks/?sh=4629f9e45187">Netflix Stock Crash: Growth Story Is &#8216;Dunzo For Now&#8217; As Analysts Slash Outlooks</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/annakaplan/2022/07/13/netflix-partners-with-microsoft-for-ad-supported-service-amid-subscriber-losses/?sh=5825950b7ee9">Netflix Partners With Microsoft For Ad-Supported Service Amid Subscriber Losses</a> (<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Netflix Shares Jump Over 6% After It Reports Smaller Subscriber Loss Than Forecast

Russia And Technology Companies Photo Illustrations

Netflix, TikTok, Major Accounting Firms Suspend Service—Here’s The List Of Companies Cutting Ties With Russia Over Invasion


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



<p>In the latest example of Netflix quickly pouncing on a true-crime tale, the company said Friday it had ordered a docuseries on alleged cryptocurrency launderers Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan—who only came to public attention with their arrest Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GettyImages-1231249886.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-52704" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GettyImages-1231249886.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GettyImages-1231249886-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GettyImages-1231249886-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>BRAZIL &#8211; 2021/02/18: In this photo illustration the Netflix logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



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



<p>Lichtenstein and Morgan–the latter of whom has attracted attention as much for her awkward rap videos as their alleged crimes– have been accused by federal prosecutors of attempting to launder $4.5 billion in bitcoin, $3.6 billion of which was recovered in what the Department of Justice says was its largest financial seizure ever.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While Netflix and other streaming services have been churning out more ripped-from-the-headlines “insta-docs” and reality content for years, the pandemic gave the trend&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/coronavirus-tiger-king-reality-producers-double-down-docuseries-1288063/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more impetus</a>: viewers were stuck at home with nothing to do but watch TV and producers could make use of archival footage instead of risking their health to shoot something new.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Last week Netflix put out&nbsp;<em>The Tinder Swindler</em>, a documentary about a man who was arrested in 2015 for allegedly defrauding women he met on dating apps of money, and this month will also release documentaries about Bubba Wallace’s 2021 NASCAR season and the 2018 and 2019 Boeing Max 737 crashes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Friday the scripted series&nbsp;<em>Inventing Anna</em>&nbsp;premiered on Netflix, Shonda Rhimes’ fictional take on the real story of Anna Sorokin, a woman who pretended to be a Germain heiress and was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/us/anna-sorokin-found-guilty/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found guilty</a>&nbsp;in 2019 of stealing over $200,000 from banks and people she socialized with.</p>



<p>Last year, several documentaries were released about recent scandals, including the downfall of WeWork, the college admissions scandal, and Rudy Giuliani’s Four Seasons and Total Landscaping post-election mistake.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Crypto Couple docuseries will be directed and executive produced by Chris Smith, who was behind Netflix true-crime hits&nbsp;<em>Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Tiger King</em>, and will also be executive produced by Nick Bilton, of&nbsp;<em>HBO’s The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley</em>—works that made&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/aaronkwittken/2019/01/22/catching-fyre-what-marketers-can-learn-from-mini-madoff-mcfarland/?sh=3a41b2c26140">Billy McFarland</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakim/2022/01/28/tiger-king-star-joe-exotic-resentenced-to-21-years-in-prison-for-murder-for-hire-plot-one-year-less-than-original-term/?sh=6f92178d59c0">Joe Exotic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/01/03/elizabeth-holmes-found-guilty-on-wire-fraud-charges/?sh=6ab26e6f46b6">Elizabeth Holmes</a>&nbsp;household names.&nbsp;</p>



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



<p>Since the success of Netflix’s 2015 hit&nbsp;<em>Making A Murderer</em>, the platform and other streaming services have ramped up production of true-crime documentaries, docuseries and fictional spinoffs of real-world stories. In 2016,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-is-a-documentary-powerhouse-heres-why-2017-3#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">68 million people</a>&nbsp;watched documentaries on Netflix, and 73% of their subscribers watched at least one. After being released at the onset of the pandemic,&nbsp;<em>Tiger King&nbsp;</em>became the most popular show on the streaming services in 2020. Netflix is one of the biggest buyers in the world of unscripted TV programming,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-11/netflix-hbo-amazon-buying-up-reality-tv-shows-for-streaming-services" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bloomberg</a>&nbsp;reported in November. And as pop culture remains fixated on true crime and scammers, there is no sign the streamer plans to slow down.&nbsp;</p>



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



<p>Lichtenstein and Morgan, a married couple living in New York City, were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and and conspiracy to defraud the United States for attempting to launder billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin that was stolen during a 2016 Bitfinex hack, though they haven’t been charged over the hack itself. The couple worked their way into entrepreneur and tech circles, with Morgan writing as a contributor&nbsp; for Forbes.com on business and entrepreneurship, until she was cut in September 2021. The government alleged the couple used fake identities and other &#8220;sophisticated laundering techniques&#8221; to launder the cryptocurrency. As news of their arrest and the seizure broke, Morgan’s odd rap videos posted on YouTube&nbsp; under the stage name Razzlekhan became an object of fascination. A lawyer for the couple&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/10/frozen-embryos-will-keep-accused-bitcoin-money-launderers-from-fleeing.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;in a court filing Thursday that Lichtenstein and Morgan would not flee the U.S. if allowed on bail because the couple has frozen embryos in a NYC hospital and wouldn’t want to jeopardize “access to their ability to have children.”</p>



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



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2022/02/08/feds-seize-36-billion-in-stolen-bitcoin-arrest-couple-five-years-after-massive-crypto-exchange-hack/?sh=3e4163b97c95">Feds Seize $3.6 Billion In Stolen Bitcoin, Arrest Couple Five Years After Massive Crypto Exchange Hack&nbsp;</a>(Forbes)&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidjeans/2022/02/09/heather-morgan-ilya-lichtenstein-bitcoin-seizure/?sh=30bab60a1ea2">How The Crypto Couple Went From Wannabe Tech Luminaries To Targets In The Biggest Financial Seizure In Justice Department History</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cyrusfarivar/2022/02/10/heather-morgan-ilya-lichtenstein-cat-bitcoin-raid/?sh=c64b9e7405a0">Hollowed-Out Books, Fake Passports And Burner Phones: What Led To The Feds’ Raid On The Crypto Couple</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Tag: Netflix

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