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Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

variety.com

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Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#41

Post by talmand »

kefka wrote: post #2

And not only that, but also removing their existing collections of videos and replacing it with their "Made by Netflix" shows that mostly amount to shovelware. I'm about ready to drop them, just like they've dropped MASH, soon to be X-Files, and many many movies.

Sigh.

Why do so many not seem to understand that, in most cases, Netflix is likely not "dropping" anything? Netflix does not own the rights to the content and the owners can decide on the terms of the agreement on how long the content will be on Netflix.

People threatening to leave, or actually leaving, lowers Netflix's leverage to try to get and keep the content in their system.

This is why Netflix is creating their own content and bringing in content that's not normally within your area. So they can keep it up longer and have more control over their own destiny.

Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#43

Post by Sean1708 »

pasiaj wrote: post #36
AlexandrB wrote: post #15

> The streaming service said it had been testing thumbs up and down ratings “with hundreds of thousands of members” in 2016 – and it led to 200% more ratings being given. I don't understand why engagement is the right metric here. If someone isn't sure how they feel about a movie, why is it a benefit to have them spew their half-formed thoughts into a like/dislike rating?

Some reaction from many has more value than thougthgful one from few

Did ... did you just answer with a Haiku?

Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#44

Post by surge »

kartickv wrote: post #14

If you have many reviewers, you don't need to get more information than thumbs up or down from each person. How much people thumbed it up is a good indicator. Star-rating can be too much detail, anyway: if you're comparing two shows, and one has a higher fraction of five-star ratings, but the other has a higher fraction of ratings that are four or above, which is better? Star ratings can be too much detail and cause…

That and Netflix has far more data that indicates likability to a far greater degree, such as how many people finished watching the show, over what period of time did they finish watching the show, after what episode are people more likely to get hooked and finish the series or binge on it, etc.

Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#45

Post by wvh »

Is this just part of the trend to dumb everything down to a polarising dichotomy? Because the trend to stop people from having a more complex and rational opinion than just picking sides doesn't seem to exactly improve discourse or debate, or inform and educate...

Wouldn't it be more beneficial to have fewer people give a more detailed review to describe what they like and dislike about something? What use is "good" or "meh" compared to for example "I rate this product low because the shoes are very narrow for my normal feet" so you can actual relate it to what you actually are looking for? One person's "meh" could be another's "good"...

From the article:

"This makes sense – giving a five-star rating takes some thought, especially for something like a movie or TV show.

A binary “yes or no” option is much easier for viewers to commit to, [...]

Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#46

Post by surge »

Tepix wrote: post #4

Bummer. I understand why they do it but I think it's too coarse. I'd much rather know how many people thought a movie was fantastic and not just decent.

You're forgetting all the other metrics that Netflix collects, like which shows get binge watched, finished, at what episode are people hooked or more or less guaranteed to finish a show after, etc.

Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#47

Post by xapata »

AlexandrB wrote: post #15

> The streaming service said it had been testing thumbs up and down ratings “with hundreds of thousands of members” in 2016 – and it led to 200% more ratings being given. I don't understand why engagement is the right metric here. If someone isn't sure how they feel about a movie, why is it a benefit to have them spew their half-formed thoughts into a like/dislike rating?

Big data.

Seriously. Lots of low fidelity measurement is sometimes better than a smaller amount of higher fidelity measurement. Especially when that higher fidelity measurement has errors.

Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#48

Post by kefka »

talmand wrote: post #41
kefka wrote: post #2

And not only that, but also removing their existing collections of videos and replacing it with their "Made by Netflix" shows that mostly amount to shovelware. I'm about ready to drop them, just like they've dropped MASH, soon to be X-Files, and many many movies.

Sigh. Why do so many not seem to understand that, in most cases, Netflix is likely not "dropping" anything? Netflix does not own the rights to the content and the owners can decide on the terms of the agreement on how long the content will be on Netflix. People threatening to leave, or actually leaving, lowers Netflix's leverage to try to get and keep the content in their system. This is why Netflix is creating their…

I really don't care how they run their business. Not my problem. What is my problem is:

I started watching X-Files for the first time (yeah, never go around to it for the initial airing). Started watching in late February. And starting March 1st, is a warning on the upper left of my monitor saying "Show will be removed April 1".

From my viewpoint, I'm paying the same, and getting less. Not only less, but specifically something I'm trying to watch.

And yes, I tried watching that psychic alien abducted Netflix show. The sex scene at ep1 annoyed me, and had no interest still in ep3. Boring is putting it mildly.

Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#49

Post by surge »

kefka wrote: post #2

And not only that, but also removing their existing collections of videos and replacing it with their "Made by Netflix" shows that mostly amount to shovelware. I'm about ready to drop them, just like they've dropped MASH, soon to be X-Files, and many many movies.

I'd hardly call most of their shows shovelware. A great deal of them are at least decent or comparable to top shows on TV. Also, you do realize they don't set prices on licensing and probably drop the shows after people already went through them or stopped watching them. If you like a show, watch it while its still on there, don't put it in your queue for 2 years then get mad when it disappears before you got around to it.

Re: Netflix Replacing Star Ratings With Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Down

#50

Post by k-mcgrady »

kartickv wrote: post #14

If you have many reviewers, you don't need to get more information than thumbs up or down from each person. How much people thumbed it up is a good indicator. Star-rating can be too much detail, anyway: if you're comparing two shows, and one has a higher fraction of five-star ratings, but the other has a higher fraction of ratings that are four or above, which is better? Star ratings can be too much detail and cause…

>> Star ratings can be too much detail and cause confusion

The iOS App Store is a good example of this. An unbelievable number of people, for some reason, thing 1 star = great and 5 star = bad.

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