Netflix trivia | 100 facts about the streaming service (part 2)

Netflix is a streaming service that has reached millions of households around the world. It is one of the most subscribed streaming services in the world.

So let’s dive into some trivia and facts about Netflix.

As of 2017, Netflix shares were mainly held by institutional investors, including Capital Group Companies, The Vanguard Group, BlackRock and others
For the fiscal year 2018, Netflix reported earnings of US$1.21 billion, with an annual revenue of US$15.8 billion
This was an increase of approximately 116% over the previous fiscal cycle
Netflix’s shares traded at over $400 per share at its highest price in 2018
Its market capitalization reached a value of over US$180 billion in June 2018
Netflix ranked 261 on the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States companies by revenue
Netflix was announced to be the number one best stock in the 2010s, with a total return of 3,693%
Netflix’s video on demand streaming service, formerly branded as Watch Now, allows subscribers to stream television series and films via the Netflix website on personal computers, or the Netflix software on a variety of supported platforms, including smartphones and tablets, digital media players, video game consoles and smart TVs
According to a Nielsen survey in July 2011, 42% of Netflix users used a standalone computer, 25% used the Wii, 14% by connecting computers to a television, 13% with a PlayStation 3 and 12% an Xbox 360
When the streaming service first launched, Netflix’s disc rental subscribers were given access at no additional charge
Subscribers were allowed approximately one hour of streaming per dollar spent on the monthly subscription
In January 2008, however, Netflix lifted this restriction, at which point virtually all rental-disc subscribers became entitled to unlimited streaming at no additional cost
However, subscribers on the restricted plan of two DVDs per month remained limited to two hours of streaming per month
This change came in a response to the introduction of Hulu and to Apple’s new video-rental services
Netflix later split DVD rental subscriptions and streaming subscriptions into separate, standalone services, at which point the monthly caps on Internet streaming were lifted
Netflix service plans are currently divided into three price tiers
The first is the lowest offers standard definition streaming on a single device
The second allows high definition streaming on two devices simultaneously
And the “Platinum” tier allows simultaneous streaming on up to four devices, and 4K streaming on supported devices and Internet connections
The HD subscription plan historically cost US$7.99
In April 2014, Netflix announced that it would raise the price of this plan to $9.99 for new subscribers
Though, existing customers would be grandfathered under this older price until May 2016
After this they could downgrade to the SD-only tier at the same price, or pay the higher fee for continued high definition access
In July 2016, a Netflix subscriber sued the company over the price increases, alleging he was told by a Netflix customer support representative in 2011 that they would pay the same price in perpetuity as long as they maintained their subscription continuously
On November 30, 2016, Netflix launched an offline playback feature, allowing users of the Netflix mobile apps on Android or iOS to cache content on their devices in standard or high quality for viewing without an Internet connection
The feature is primarily available on selected series and films, and Netflix stated that more content would be supported by the feature over time
Netflix will partner with airlines to provide them with its mobile streaming technology
This will start in early 2018 as part of an effort to get airlines to provide better in-flight Wi-Fi
In 2018, Netflix introduced the “Skip Intro” feature which allows customers to skip the intros to shows on its platform
They do so through a variety of techniques including manual reviewing, audio tagging, and machine learning
A “Netflix Original” is content that is produced, co-produced, or distributed by Netflix exclusively on their services
Netflix funds their original shows differently than other TV networks when they sign a project, providing the money upfront and immediately ordering two seasons of most series
In March 2011, Netflix began acquiring original content for its library, beginning with the hour-long political drama House of Cards, which debuted in February 2013
The series was produced by David Fincher, and starred Kevin Spacey
In late 2011, Netflix picked up two eight-episode seasons of Lilyhammer and a fourth season of the ex-Fox sitcom Arrested Development
Netflix released the supernatural drama series Hemlock Grove in early 2013
In February 2013, DreamWorks Animation and Netflix co-produced Turbo Fast, based on the movie Turbo, which premiered in July
Netflix has since become a major distributor of animated family and kid shows
Orange Is the New Black debuted on the streaming service in July 2013
In a rare discussion of a Netflix show’s ratings, Netflix executives have commented that the show is Netflix’s most-watched original series
In February 2016, Orange Is the New Black was renewed for a fifth, sixth and seventh season
On June 9, 2017, season 5 was premiered and the sixth season premiered on July 27, 2018
In November 2013, Netflix and Marvel Television announced a five-season deal to produce live-action Marvel superhero-focused series: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage
The deal involves the release of four 13-episode seasons that culminate in a mini-series called The Defenders
Daredevil and Jessica Jones premiered in 2015
The Luke Cage series premiered on September 30, 2016, followed by Iron Fist on March 17, 2017, and The Defenders on August 18, 2017
In April 2016, the Netflix series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe were expanded further, to include a 13-episode series of The Punisher
In addition to the Marvel deal, Disney announced that the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars would release its sixth and final season on Netflix, as well as all five prior and the feature film
The new Star Wars content was released on Netflix’s streaming service on March 7, 2014
In April 2014, Netflix signed Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz and his production firm The Hurwitz Company to a multi-year deal to create original projects for the service
The period drama Marco Polo premiered on December 12, 2014
The animated sitcom BoJack Horseman premiered in August 2014, to mixed reviews on release but garnering wide critical acclaim for the following seasons
The science fiction drama Sense8 debuted in June 2015, which was written and produced by The Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski
Bloodline and Narcos were two other drama series that Netflix released in 2015
On November 6, 2015, Master of None premiered, starring Aziz Ansari
Other comedy shows premiering in 2015 included Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Grace and Frankie, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, and W/ Bob & David
Netflix continued to dramatically expand their original content in 2016
The science fiction horror Stranger Things premiered in July 2016, music-driven drama The Get Down in August, historical drama The Crown in November, and the year’s premieres included comedy shows such as Love, Flaked, Netflix Presents: The Characters, The Ranch, and Lady Dynamite
Netflix released an estimated 126 original series or films in 2016
This is more than any other network or cable channel
On September 14, 2016, Netflix and 20th Century Fox jointly acquired the U.S distribution rights to the Canadian independent drama film Two Lovers and a Bear following its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2016
Netflix has also invested in distributing exclusive stand-up comedy specials from such notable comedians as Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Chris Rock, Jim Gaffigan, Bill Burr and Jerry Seinfeld
In January 2017, Netflix announced all Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee episodes and season 10 would be on their service
The company has started internally self-producing its original content, such as The Ranch and Chelsea, through its Netflix Studios production house
Netflix expected to release 1,000 hours of original content in 2017
In October 2017, Netflix iterated a goal of having half of its library consist of original content by 2019
Thus, nnouncing a plan to invest $8 billion on original content in 2018
There will be a particular focus on films and anime through this investment, with a plan to produce 80 original films and 30 anime series
In September 2017, Minister of Heritage Mélanie Joly also announced that Netflix had agreed to make a CDN$500 million (US$400 million) investment over the next five years in producing content in Canada
The company denied that the deal was intended to result in a tax break
A study found that Netflix had realized this goal by December 2018
In November 2017, Netflix announced that it would be making its first original Colombian series, to be executive produced by Ciro Guerra
In May 2018, chief content officer Ted Sarandos stated that Netflix had increased its spending on original content, with 85% of its new content spending that year being devoted to it
On December 31, 2018, a concert film of Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour was released on Netflix
In February 2019, Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop signed a deal to produce a wellness-themed documentary series for Netflix
This led to widespread criticism of the streaming company for giving Paltrow a platform to promote her company
Netflix currently has exclusive pay TV deals with several studios
The pay TV deals give Netflix exclusive streaming rights while adhering to the structures of traditional pay TV terms
Netflix’s United States library includes newer releases from Relativity Media and its subsidiary Rogue Pictures, as well as DreamWorks Animation, Open Road Films (this deal expired in 2017), Universal Animation (for animated films declined by HBO), FilmDistrict, The Weinstein Company, Sony Pictures Animation and the Walt Disney Studios (until 2019) catalog
Other distributors who have licensed content to Netflix include Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment and The Walt Disney Studios (including 20th Century Fox)
Netflix also holds current and back-catalog rights to television programs distributed by Walt Disney Television, DreamWorks Classics, Kino International, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Distribution, along with titles from other companies such as Allspark (formerly Hasbro Studios), Saban Brands, Funimation, and Viz Media
Formerly, the streaming service also held rights to select television programs distributed by NBCUniversal Television Distribution, Sony Pictures Television and 20th Century Fox Television
Netflix also previously held the rights to select titles from vintage re-distributor The Criterion Collection, but these titles were pulled from Netflix and added to Hulu’s library
One of the more significant acquisitions was for the show Breaking Bad, produced by Sony Pictures Television
Netflix acquired the rights after the show’s third season in 2010, at a point where original broadcaster AMC had expressed the possibility of cancelling the show
Sony pushed Netflix to release Breaking Bad in time for the fourth season and as a result, greatly expanded the show’s audience on AMC due to new viewers binging on the Netflix past episodes, and doubling the viewership by the time of the fifth season
Breaking Bad is considered the first such show to have this “Netflix effect”
Epix signed a five-year streaming deal with Netflix
For the initial two years of this agreement, first-run and back-catalog content from Epix was exclusive to Netflix
Epix films would come to Netflix 90 days after their premiere on Epix
However, the exclusivity clause ended on September 4, 2012, when Amazon signed a deal with Epix to distribute its titles via the Amazon Video streaming service
These include films from Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Lionsgate
On September 1, 2011, Starz ceased talks with Netflix to renew their streaming arrangement
As a result, Starz’s library of films and series were removed from Netflix on February 28, 2012
Titles available on DVD were not affected and can still be acquired from Netflix via their DVD-by-mail service
However, select films broadcast on Starz continue to be available on Netflix under license from their respective television distributors
Netflix also negotiated to distribute animated films from Universal that HBO declined to acquire, such as The Lorax, ParaNorman, and Minions
On August 23, 2012, Netflix and The Weinstein Company signed a multi-year output deal for RADiUS-TWC films
Later that year, on December 4, Netflix and Disney announced an exclusive multi-year agreement for first-run United States subscription television rights to Walt Disney Studios’ animated and live-action films, which were available on Netflix beginning in 2016
The agreement with Disney ended in 2019, as the company was preparing to launch a new streaming service that would carry all Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm releases