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What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

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Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#321

Post by rchaud »

JauntyHatAngle wrote: post #210
rchaud wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which show has been cancelled because of TBBT, a show that ended almost 5 years ago?

To be fair, it's a definite truth that shows get more chance of funding based on what is popular and how it fits into that perceived potential popularity. So TBBT is a part of the overall zeitgeist, an example of a show of its type that was very successful. You bet if a sci-fi show was number 1, than other sci-fi shows would be being made and better funded.

I don't see anything on Netflix that is trying to compete with TBBT, which is a CBS show firmly targeted at Middle America.

If anything, Netflix comedies are the opposite of TBBT, there's no audience laughter, it's all single-camera like Arrested Development, The Office and other 2000s-era neo-sitcoms.

Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#322

Post by awiesenhofer »

vinaypai wrote: post #88
layoric wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The Big Bang Theory 420,400,000 That is just depressing IMO.. I don't understand the appeal to that show..

Regardless of your opinion of the show I don't understand why you'd be "depressed" about other people's entertainment choices.

Just open youtube in a private tab and tell me you dont immediately become depressed about other people's entertainment choices.

Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#323

Post by BobaFloutist »

rchaud wrote: post #154
BobaFloutist wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because they influence the perception and renewal chances of my entertainment choices.

Which show has been cancelled because of TBBT, a show that ended almost 5 years ago?

The more people watch TBBT, the more Netflix is motivated to maintain the license to keep it in the library (and while I'm not positive about this, I thiiiiink the more they have to pay to maintain that license).

Money they take out of their budget to keep TBBT in their library is money they can no longer spend to keep shows that I, personally, care for alive.

It's the same thing as cable: by paying for a Netflix subscription, I'm partially paying for them to keep TBBT on their network, and I don't think it's a stretch to say if they didn't have TBBT they'd have a (or more than one) different show instead, that I might be more interested in.

TBBT isn't specifically the problem. But it's pretty emblematic of the lowest-common-denominator chaff that's currently clogging up streaming services. I don't even think it's a bad show, necessarily, in of that people do get joy from it. But I think broad-appeal, low risk, low effort content is horrendously overvalued in our society compared to more interesting, creative work, which is honestly not that hot of a take.

Tl;dr I want more people to like the sorts of things I like so that they get more financial support and become more prevalent compared to the sorts of things I care for less. This is not an unusual take.

Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#324

Post by BobaFloutist »

vinaypai wrote: post #311
BobaFloutist wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because they influence the perception and renewal chances of my entertainment choices.

If that's the case it makes more sense to say "too bad show x isn't more popular".

I also feel that way.

Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#325

Post by thebradbain »

antientropic wrote: post #256
thebradbain wrote: post #118

For anyone else wondering “why they’ve decided to do this”— This is an outcome of the WGA strike negotiations. Now writers (and actors, and anyone else) can use this information to better negotiate their worth with studios, rather than it being 1-sided. All other streaming services should be following suit soon. https://www.wgacontract2023.org/the-campaign/what-we-won > Streaming data transparency: Companies agree to…

Your quote left out "subject to a confidentiality agreement". Streamers are not obliged to make this information public, and I don't expect companies like Amazon to do so since they're extremely secretive about viewership numbers.

Nice eye — I did do remove that clause, but because the understanding in the industry is that the data shared with Guild members (for which there are 12k WGA writers and 100k+ SAG actors) can still be shared by those members. And even if they can’t, someone would likely leak them: good luck finding who broke an NDA with that many members!

I.E. They do not have to release the numbers publicly, but they’re not really bound by NDA either.

I imagine most, if not all, will go the direct route so they can spin the numbers how they want.

Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#326

Post by firebirdn99 »

danielscrubs wrote: post #232
nomel wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or, to look at it another way, they're giving their paying customers what they want.

They are not. They removed the five star rating because they thought people lied to themselves, but in reality they just couldn’t handle the data. What they will give you is what I call the lowest common denominator of shows.

> lowest common denominator of shows this is a good description, they've gone the CBS route with cable TV type programming, and Reality TV. There's been a lot of documentation over this- https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/bela-bajaria-global-tv-netf... https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/01/16/how-much-more-...

I guess it's sadly what brings most viewers. I think there's some truth in the overall dumbing down of society.

Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#327

Post by jamiek88 »

dwayne_dibley wrote: post #318

I know this is nothing new, but imagine what we could do with billions of hours worth of brain time if we all collectively decided not to watch TV (or even just stopped watching Big Bang)

We’d be reading trashy novels, listening to trashy radio shows, watching trashy plays, leaving silly comments on message boards etc. Human nature is human nature.

You think Isaac Newton wouldn’t be working on the principia if big bang theory tv show existed back then?

Would Stephen Hawking have actually unified field theory if Coronation Street didn’t exist?

Shakespeares audience was the drunken masses.

Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#328

Post by rchaud »

BobaFloutist wrote: post #323
rchaud wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which show has been cancelled because of TBBT, a show that ended almost 5 years ago?

The more people watch TBBT, the more Netflix is motivated to maintain the license to keep it in the library (and while I'm not positive about this, I thiiiiink the more they have to pay to maintain that license). Money they take out of their budget to keep TBBT in their library is money they can no longer spend to keep shows that I, personally, care for alive. It's the same thing as cable: by paying for a Netflix sub…

> Money they take out of their budget to keep TBBT in their library is money they can no longer spend to keep shows that I, personally, care for alive.

On the same token, money spent keeping TBBT on the network reduces customer churn and increases earnings, which can be invested in other shows.

TBBT is the symptom, not the problem. Netflix would be delighted to not pay CBS a fortune every year. The problem is that Netflix doesn't have enough customers whose tastes skew towards your own.

Re: What We Watched: A Netflix engagement report

#329

Post by thebradbain »

blitzar wrote: post #288
thebradbain wrote: post #118

For anyone else wondering “why they’ve decided to do this”— This is an outcome of the WGA strike negotiations. Now writers (and actors, and anyone else) can use this information to better negotiate their worth with studios, rather than it being 1-sided. All other streaming services should be following suit soon. https://www.wgacontract2023.org/the-campaign/what-we-won > Streaming data transparency: Companies agree to…

I expect they fought for, and won, something that will ultimately work against their best interests. Netflix etal. didnt hide this data to pay writers less, they hid to to juice their stock price. If they disclosed how few views they recieved for the piles of cash they were throwing at original content the magic money tree would have dried up.

And then the WGA and SAG would’ve gone back to primarily working on network television, as they have since the 60s—as that sector of the industry has shown it actually knows how to run a sustainable business.

If Netflix can’t run a sustainable business, then it’s everyone’s best interest—workers and investors—that they shut it down. That’s just business.

Their numbers suggest otherwise, though— that they can run an extremely profitable business, and now those they depend on can better negotiate for their piece of the pie.

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