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Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

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Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#11
post #7

This is a press release from Netflix (no link to the underlying study). https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/getNewsSummary.do?newsId=26... Except they use the data to make stupid conclusions: "However, in our research of more than 20 shows across 16 markets, we found that no one was ever hooked on the pilot. This gives us confidence that giving our members all episodes at once is more aligned with how fans are made." I…

Not sure about that I think many people where hooked on Sherlock (the BBC one) by the first episode.

Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#12
post #3

I suppose they measure it by looking at the episode at which users continue to watch the whole series, in contrast to those who stopped viewing at an earlier episode? There is so much more you could get out of this: (i) What's the drop off rate for viewers over episode number? For example, I stopped viewing quite a lot of these shows right before other viewers got hooked (Marco Polo: episode 2, sense 8: episode 2, th…

Sentiment analysis by character over time might be interesting to do for shows.

I might give that a go for say dr who as i have been playing with twitter sentiment analysis.

Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#13
"Netflix has no plans to use Big Data to rejigger the way TV shows get made"

It's hard to believe data like this won't end up being used to reverse engineer some aspects of their content, especially when they are pumping out dozens of shows. Easy to experiment with some of them.

Amazon already has users voting on solo pilots and it would be very surprising if they don't end up leveraging their analytics for creative.

Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#14
post #7

This is a press release from Netflix (no link to the underlying study). https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/getNewsSummary.do?newsId=26... Except they use the data to make stupid conclusions: "However, in our research of more than 20 shows across 16 markets, we found that no one was ever hooked on the pilot. This gives us confidence that giving our members all episodes at once is more aligned with how fans are made." I…

Not sure about that I think many people where hooked on Sherlock (the BBC one) by the first episode.

How does one example ever prove or disprove anything?

Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#15

"Netflix has no plans to use Big Data to rejigger the way TV shows get made" It's hard to believe data like this won't end up being used to reverse engineer some aspects of their content, especially when they are pumping out dozens of shows. Easy to experiment with some of them. Amazon already has users voting on solo pilots and it would be very surprising if they don't end up leveraging their analytics for creative.

Yeah, I don't really believe it either. There's already formulaic writing (ideal number of plot twists, etc.), so there is precedent.

Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure about that I think many people where hooked on Sherlock (the BBC one) by the first episode.

How does one example ever prove or disprove anything?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterexample

Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#17

"Netflix has no plans to use Big Data to rejigger the way TV shows get made" It's hard to believe data like this won't end up being used to reverse engineer some aspects of their content, especially when they are pumping out dozens of shows. Easy to experiment with some of them. Amazon already has users voting on solo pilots and it would be very surprising if they don't end up leveraging their analytics for creative.

Yeah, I don't really believe it either. There's already formulaic writing (ideal number of plot twists, etc.), so there is precedent.

Indeed. Netflix has previously cited their use of data analysis in investing in new shows like House of Cards: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/25/business/media/for-house-o...

Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#18
post #7

This is a press release from Netflix (no link to the underlying study). https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/getNewsSummary.do?newsId=26... Except they use the data to make stupid conclusions: "However, in our research of more than 20 shows across 16 markets, we found that no one was ever hooked on the pilot. This gives us confidence that giving our members all episodes at once is more aligned with how fans are made." I…

Not sure about that I think many people where hooked on Sherlock (the BBC one) by the first episode.

Sherlock episodes are also like 2-3 normal episodes in length. They are each essentially mini movies

Re: Netflix Data Reveals When TV Shows Hook Viewers

#19
post #7

This is a press release from Netflix (no link to the underlying study). https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/getNewsSummary.do?newsId=26... Except they use the data to make stupid conclusions: "However, in our research of more than 20 shows across 16 markets, we found that no one was ever hooked on the pilot. This gives us confidence that giving our members all episodes at once is more aligned with how fans are made." I…

Not sure about that I think many people where hooked on Sherlock (the BBC one) by the first episode.

Isn't Sherlock more akin to movies than TV episodes at this point? Each season is quite like little trilogies.
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