20+ Surprising Facts About Netflix
Netflix is undoubtedly the best video streaming service out there. It’s famous for its vast collection of original movies and TV shows, as well as its amazing feature that allows you to download content and watch it offline. But did you know that there’s a lot more to Netflix than meets the eye? In this article, I’ll reveal some fascinating facts and statistics about Netflix that you probably didn’t know before.
Netflix’s Hidden Movie Codes and Secrets
What sets Netflix apart from other streaming services? Well, there are a ton of reasons. Let’s dive in and explore some of the secrets behind this popular platform.
The Untold Story of Netflix
#1
Did you know that a movie rental mishap inspired the creation of Netflix? It all started when Reed Hastings rented a movie called Apollo 13 and ended up paying a whopping forty dollars in late fees. Frustrated by this unfair business model, he decided to start his own company. And that’s how Netflix was born.
Source: Apollo 13 Movie
#2
Did you know that Netflix is actually a whole year older than Google? I find it pretty mind-blowing! Netflix was started by Reed Hastings, their CEO, and Marc Randolph back on August 29, 1997.
#3
Get this: Reed Hastings had a chance to sell almost half of Netflix, a whopping 49% stake, to Blockbuster. At the time, Blockbuster was this huge rental company worth a crazy $4.8 billion! But guess what? They turned it down! And you want to hear something really ironic? Blockbuster ended up going bankrupt in 2010. Can you imagine if they had taken the deal? This whole story would have taken a completely different turn.
#4
In 2003, after being in business for seven years, Netflix achieved a significant milestone – it turned a profit. With $272 million in revenues, the company made $6.5 million.
#5
When it first started, Netflix wasn’t a streaming service. Rather, it operated as an online movie rental store in the United States. People could subscribe and receive DVDs by mail. However, in 2007, a year before the recession, Netflix introduced its streaming service.
#6
According to a 2013 Netflix survey, a striking 61% of respondents admitted to regularly binge-watching. These individuals reported watching at least 2-3 episodes of a TV show in a single sitting. Do you find yourself binge-watching too?
#7
Hey there! Did you know that Netflix has made a huge splash around the world? Back in 2007, they started offering their streaming service in 60 countries. Can you believe it? But they didn’t stop there! In just nine years, by 2016, they had expanded their reach to a whopping 130 countries. Now, they’re available in over 190 countries! Wow, that’s a lot of places. If we take a look at the map below, you’ll see that Netflix has pretty much covered the whole globe. Well, almost. There are still a few spots where they can’t reach, like China, Crimea, North Korea, and Syria. But hey, they’re still doing an amazing job of making their content available to people all over the world.
The Culture and Workplace at Netflix
#8
Ever since 2008, when Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, made the decision to ditch the traditional office setting, I’ve been wondering how he manages to run the company with just a smartphone. It turns out, he prefers to have meetings with people all around the office building, rather than being confined to a desk. Talk about breaking the mold!
#9
Here’s another thing that sets Netflix apart: their employees have the freedom to take as much time off as they need, as long as they are still able to fulfill their work responsibilities. Can you imagine having that kind of flexibility? It’s definitely a perk that makes Netflix an attractive place to work.
#10
But wait, there’s even more to love about working at Netflix! Did you know that they have a unique job position called a “tagger”? As a tagger, you have the opportunity to watch content from the comfort of your own home and get paid for it. Your job would be to categorize and tag the content, helping to improve the recommendations for other viewers. Talk about getting paid to do what you love!
#11
When Netflix first started out, its executives in California went out and visited people in their homes. They wanted to hear directly from the users and learn about their experiences with the website. It was like a personal conversation, where they could ask questions and get real feedback. And as a thank you for their time and input, Netflix would even treat them to a cup of coffee.
Netflix’s Worldwide Dominance
#12
Guess what? Netflix is now more popular than cable and satellite TV! In 2018, a whopping 58% of people chose Netflix as their go-to streaming service because it’s way more affordable.
#13
Not only is Netflix the top dog when it comes to streaming services, but it also takes up a huge chunk of the global market with a 26.58% share. And get this: Netflix accounts for a staggering 15% of all the internet traffic in the whole wide world!
#14
Can you believe that Netflix is accessed from a mind-boggling 450 million different devices? That’s about 15% of all the smartphones in the entire world. Talk about global domination!
#15
Netflix is making history by becoming the first streaming service to join the prestigious Motion Picture Association of America. Yep, that’s the same club that includes Hollywood heavyweights like Disney, Paramount, Sony, Fox, and Warner Bros.
#16
Guess what? On January 7, 2019, we Netflix subscribers watched a whopping 350 million hours of movies and TV shows! Isn’t that mind-blowing? And get this, on an average day, we stream a staggering 140 million hours of video content across the globe. Can you even imagine?
#17
Let me tell you something exciting! Netflix is taking over the entire planet! Right now, we already have more than 148 million subscribers, and guess what our goal is? We’re aiming for 335 million or more by 2028. Talk about ambition! Even our competitors, HBO and Amazon Prime, can’t keep up. HBO claims to have 142 million subscribers, while Amazon Prime only has 100 million. We’re on top!
Original movies & shows
#18
Back in 2013, Netflix released three original series for the first time. They were called “House of Cards,” “Hemlock Grove,” and “Orange is the New Black.” And guess what? These shows were so good that they got 31 Primetime Emmy nominations!
#19
In 2018, the most popular show on Netflix was “The Office (U.S.),” and it wasn’t even a Netflix original! It was viewed by a whopping 7.19% of Netflix users. But when it comes to Netflix originals, the top spot went to a show called “13 Reasons Why,” which was watched by 0.58% of viewers.
#20
Last year, Netflix originals raked in a massive 112 Emmy nominations. That’s a big jump from the 90 nominations they received the year before. And get this, they actually beat HBO, a network known for its great shows, in Emmy nominations. Can you believe it?
#21
So, get this. According to Flixable, this search engine for Netflix, I found out that Netflix was seriously slacking in movie choices back in 2018. Can you believe it? In 2010, they had a whopping 530 shows and 6,755 movies. But fast forward to 2018, and what do we get? A measly 3,839 movies! And get this, only 596 of those movies were Certified Fresh. That’s like, 15.5% of the whole bunch. I mean, c’mon Netflix, really? But hey, on the bright side, they did manage to step up their TV show game with a total of 1,569 shows. Tripled, baby!
Let’s discover some interesting facts
#22
Wow, did you know that for a moment, Netflix was even bigger than Disney? Back on March 24, 2018, its market capitalization reached a staggering $153 billion!
#23
Netflix is one of the largest internet companies in the world when it comes to revenue. In 2018 alone, they made a mind-blowing $15.8 billion, with profits of $1.21 billion. Impressive, huh?
#24
Hold on tight, because this one might surprise you. Last year, Netflix had a whopping $4.8 billion in debt. However, when you consider that they spent $6.9 billion on creating their own original movies and TV shows, it’s not so surprising anymore! They’re really investing in their content!
