The current data shows: “The Night Agent” is currently the most viewed title.
Netflix has taken a step towards transparency and, for the first time, disclosed data on the success of thousands of films and series in the first half of 2023 (January to June). This information will now be published every six months. The streaming service had previously withheld specific figures so as not to provide competitors with extensive data.
More transparent into the future
In contrast to traditional television, which has developed a (supposedly) transparent system of audience quotas over decades, streaming providers have often been secretive about the success of their programs. For the past two years, Netflix has published at least one list of the most popular titles of the year. According to the platform’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, the secrecy in the early years was a strategic decision in order not to pass on information to competitors. However, this sometimes led to distrust in the industry – they now want to counteract this, he explained according to “Mirror” in a conference call.
“Starting today, we’re releasing ‘What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report’ twice a year. This is a comprehensive report of what people watched over a six-month period, including: The number of hours watched for each title – original and licensed – for over 50,000 hours,
the premiere date for each Netflix television series or film and whether a title was available worldwide,” Netflix announces on its own website.
“What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report” as a video:
“The Night Agent” and “Ginny & Georgia” top the list
From the report that Netflix received as an Excel file for download The first season of The Night Agent was the most watched title in the first half of 2023, with a total of 812.1 million hours. In second place is the second season of “Ginny & Georgia” with 665.1 million hours, closely followed by the first season of the Korean drama series “The Glory” with 622.8 million hours.
The entire list contains more than 18,000 titles. It is emphasized that the numbers provide guidance, but must also be put into perspective, as series have different running times and films are generally shorter.
Netflix concludes by publishing the figures on its website: “When reading the report, it is important to remember: Success on Netflix has many faces and is not determined solely by the number of hours watched. There are hugely successful films and series that have been watched for both fewer and more hours. It depends on whether a film or series delights its audience – and how large that audience is in relation to the economic viability of the title. To compare titles, it’s best to use our weekly Top 10 and Most Popular lists, which take running times and premiere dates into account.”