After years of keeping its streaming data secret, Netflix has finally pulled back the curtain and revealed viewing figures for its TV shows and movies. On December 12th, 2023, Netflix published its first ever “Top 10 on Netflix” engagement report, providing transparency into what content is actually being watched by its 233230 million global subscribers.
Most Watched Shows and Movies
The report discloses the top 10 shows and films worldwide based on total hours viewed from January 1 to June 30, 2023. Topping the list is the Mark Wahlberg action thriller The Night Agent, which was viewed for an incredible 812 million hours globally. Other top shows include fantasy drama Shadow and Bone (Season 2), Australian series Ginny & Georgia (Season 2), and reality show Is It Cake?.
In the movies category, action comedy The Man From Toronto starring Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson came out on top with over 215 million hours viewed. Search Party comedians Murder Mystery 2 and family animation The Sea Beast rounded out the top 3.
First Look at Netflix’s Secretive Data
The report provides an unprecedented look into Netflix’s historically secretive viewership data. For the first time, Netflix published hourly viewing metrics for almost all shows and films on service – over 18,000 titles. It plans to issue updated reports on a biannual basis moving forward.
Analysts have eagerly awaited access to Netflix’s internal statistics to better gauge the success of its huge investment in original content, which topped $33 billion over the past decade. The new transparency could impact Netflix’s programming decisions and shed light on how hits are made. It may also spark changes in how the company markets shows to subscribers.
Why Now?
So why is Netflix suddenly opening up? Experts point to rising competition in the streaming industry and the need to showcase value. As major players like Disney+, HBO Max and Peacock fight for market share, Netflix wants to flex its scale and popularity. After recent subscriber losses, transparency around its engagement could help attract new signups and assure investors.
There is also pressure for parity with TV networks that publicly report ratings. Unlike Netflix, competitors share select data with third parties like Nielsen to allow apples-to-apples comparisons. The new report brings Netflix closer in line with industry norms.
What About Other Streamers?
For now Netflix remains far ahead in providing transparency. Rival platforms still keep most viewership information private. Disney has begun selectively releasing some streaming stats, while Amazon Prime and HBO Max share virtually no empirical data.
But that may change soon. If Netflix’s report is well received, it could prompt other major streamers to pull back the curtains also. The battle for hearts, minds and screens may take place not just through splashy new shows, but raw data itself.
What Shows Are People Watching in Different Countries?
The report contains regional breakdowns indicating top performing titles across 93 countries. This table summarizes the most watched shows and films in key markets from January 1 to June 30, 2023:
| Country | Top Show | Top Movie |
|---|---|---|
| United States | The Night Agent | The Man From Toronto |
| Canada | Is It Cake? | Senior Year |
| UK | Stay Close | Enola Holmes 2 |
| France | Lupin Part 3 | The Takedown |
| India | Delhi Crime S2 | Jana Gana Mana |
| Japan | First Love | バイオハザード:アフターライフ |
| South Korea | Money Heist: Korea | Carter |
What Happens Next?
It remains to be seen how viewers, investors and the industry will respond to Netflix’s new era of data transparency. But one thing’s for sure – the streaming wars for subscriber eyeballs just got a lot more interesting! Rival platforms will be analyzing Netflix’s reveals closely and strategizing if and how to fire back.
In the meantime, Netflix subscribers have new insight into what content is hot across borders. Whether it’s discovering a new foreign sleeper hit or quantifying the success of their favorite show, Netflix has handed fans a trove of information to dig into. Love it or hate it, our global binge watching obsession now has numbers attached. So which title will you stream next?
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
