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Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

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Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#131

I think Netflix has lost touch with their consumer base, with most changes such as removal of the rating system being universally criticized. I cancelled my subscription recently as I realized that while Netflix has a lot of shows, there is a dearth of quality content and the search function is not useful. With shows like Friends and Office leaving, there is not much to draw people who like leaving it on in the backg…

Their customer base is millions of people across the globe now, not just the early adopters.

Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s laughable to me that after all the years of investment and business development in these steaming services it’s still much, much, much easier to use p2p networks to get content you want. I wonder if there would just be more profit in injecting advertisements in tv shows and distributing them openly using BitTorrent? Think of the size of the audience, yeah people will cut the ads out but a lot of people couldn’t…

I think the only thing that would work that way would be product placement. The problem would be one person cutting out ads and reuploading it, there'd be no reason to watch the original

except if you publish it properly yourself, a company that would embrace torrents as distribution method and took care of putting it on the relevant site would effectively solve the trust problem that is inherent in choosing a torrent between many.

Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#133

I think Netflix has lost touch with their consumer base, with most changes such as removal of the rating system being universally criticized. I cancelled my subscription recently as I realized that while Netflix has a lot of shows, there is a dearth of quality content and the search function is not useful. With shows like Friends and Office leaving, there is not much to draw people who like leaving it on in the backg…

I think Netflix is the perfect example of where being data driven completely fails. If you listen to podcasts with important Netflix people everything you hear is about how they experiment and use data to decide what to do. Every decision is based on some data point.

At the end of the day, they just continue to add features that create short term payoffs and long term failures. Pennywise and pound foolish.

My wife and I recently cancelled Netflix. Partly because we felt content was disappearing and partly because it felt hostile to actually use Netflix. We got absolutely fed up with all of the autoplay crap, UI restrictions, and other BS that clearly drives "some" stat for them.

Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Once upon a time, Netflix gave away $1 million to contest winners in an attempt to get the best recommendation algorithm they could ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netflix_Prize ). Now the recommendations are just not that great. It's like they're not trying too hard because they are comfy in their market position. I have never watched any anime at all (really not my thing), but Netflix keeps recommending it to me de…

Wait where's the thumbs down rating?

Next to the thumbs up rating (they only have two possible ratings). It might be confusing as you sometimes (at least on iOS) have to click a thumbs up icon to be shown the actual options with the thumbs down?

Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#135
They raised the prices and then the news came out that they are removing two of their most popular shows. I was ok with the price increase. But now they removed stuff I watch, this new price on my monthly subscriptions has me asking “what am I paying for?”

They are double dipping to increase production of Netflix shows. More power to them. But don’t remove the things people are actually watching the most.

Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#136
post #75

Netflix is just getting more expensive and less interesting to me. With all of the content I like being taken off to be hosted on network exclusive streaming platforms that I refuse to pay for - I'll probably eventually just cancel Netflix as well going back to the tried and true method of just buying bluray box-sets of the content I want to watch. Or piracy. I think the critical mistake that all these megacorps are…

Are box sets still batshit insane? It didn't make sense to me to pay $120 for a week of binge watching.

Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It extraordinarily difficult to use metrics to improve a UI aimed at entertainment.

It's not my claim that they've made Netflix more entertaining , just that it's likely made it more sticky .

This kind of thinking is the problem though. Like YouTube they don't care about the quality of the experience you're having. Where Netflix might see a very satisfied customer others might see a depressed individual binging a show for the 10th time as a way to escape reality.

Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#138

I think Netflix has lost touch with their consumer base, with most changes such as removal of the rating system being universally criticized. I cancelled my subscription recently as I realized that while Netflix has a lot of shows, there is a dearth of quality content and the search function is not useful. With shows like Friends and Office leaving, there is not much to draw people who like leaving it on in the backg…

The auto-playing trailers truly baffle me. I can't think of any more user-hostile move they could make. What are they hoping to gain from this? Are there people who wanted this? Why isn't there at the very least a setting to turn it off?

Re: Netflix CEO may have missed the real reason why US subscriber numbers plunged

#139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It just bothers me that they try to include a few tropes in every movie or show without it fitting in the story properly. As I said, if they maintain the logical consistency and in the context of a good story I don't mind some political push. But if it is in every show/movie, it just becomes repulsive.

I'm curious to understand what you're describing. Can you give an example of a Netflix show, the season and political trope, and how it detracted from the show's quality? And I'm definitely curious what you're imagining as you write out "repulsive".

Netflix has gone 'woke' in a lot of their (new) shows. A lot of shows feel very activist now. Entertainment shouldn't be stuffed with identity politics and other progressive nonsense which only caters to a small minority.[1]

Examples: The new show 'Mr Iglesias' where the main character is a history teacher. In one of the first scenes the history of the US is summed up as 'oppression and slavery'. Many jokes about white people that would be considered racist had they been about any other race. And a whole episode about how the word latino is offensive and it should be changed to latinx.

In the children sitcom 'No good Nick' a female chef ignores feedback from her employee by accusing him of 'mansplaining'. The daughter accuses the white dad of 'cultural approriation' when he suggests taco Tuesday for the restaurant. And that was only the first minutes of one episode.

There are many more examples. I'm getting tired of it and leaning towards canceling netflix. I'm European, I want entertainment, not crazy US politics.

[1] https://twitter.com/yascha_mounk/status/1050033177077665795

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