
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Netflix and the streaming services of NBC, Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery have all increased paid U.S. subscribers to their services so far this year, a feat four other major streamers failed to achieve amid a contentious war for paid viewers that only continues to intensify as more TV watchers cut the cord with traditional cable services.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix is by far the fastest-growing streaming service of the year with an addition of 2.6 million subscribers from the end of December to the end of May, the latest data available, according to Antenna, a platform that tracks paid subscriber numbers for advertisers.</p>



<p>Netflix scored almost twice as many new viewers as the next fastest-growing service, NBC’s Peacock, which added 1.38 million new paid subscribers so far this year.</p>



<p>Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max (once known as HBO Max) and Paramount Global’s Paramount+ (a successor to CBS All Access) are the other two streamers who’ve had a net positive change in paid subscribers in 2024, with 609,947 and 357,465 additions, respectively.</p>



<p>Each of the services that have gained subscribers has either played host to popular live content or streamed episodes of anticipated new shows—Paramount+, for example, carried the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/12/super-bowl-earns-record-123-million-viewers-most-watched-tv-event-since-apollo-11/">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;in February, and Max has had some of the most popular shows of the last year including “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/20/true-detective-night-country-viewership-surges-despite-mixed-reviews-like-these-other-word-of-mouth-shows/">True Detective</a>,” “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2023/03/03/the-last-of-us-viewership-has-nearly-doubled-since-episode-1/">The Last of Us</a>” and “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-debuts-to-78-million-viewers-down-22-from-shows-premiere/">House of the Dragon</a>.”</p>



<p>Peacock started streaming Olympic trials ahead of the 2024 Paris games and carries legacy &#8220;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/top-streaming-shows-most-watched-1235816555/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">comfort shows</a>&#8221; that are often subject to binge watching like &#8220;The Office,&#8221; &#8220;Parks and Recreation&#8221; and &#8220;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/12/19/bluey-becomes-most-streamed-show-ending-suits-streak---plus-this-years-other-most-popular-titles/">Suits</a>,” and Netflix, which has long been the winner of the streaming wars, had major wins this year with the live roast of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/08/netflixs-tom-brady-roast-was-viewed-2-million-times-on-its-debut-night/">Tom Brady</a>, release of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/bridgerton-dominates-streaming-ratings-in-may-but-young-sheldon-captures-more-viewers-overall/">”Bridgerton” Season 3</a>&nbsp;and “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/20/netflix-thriller-fool-me-once-claims-januarys-most-streamed-title/">Fool Me Once</a>.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fastest-growing-streaming-services-dec-2023-to-may-2024">FASTEST-GROWING STREAMING SERVICES (DEC. 2023 TO MAY 2024)</h2>



<ol>
<li>Netflix: added 2,638,628 paid subscribers, 64.8 million total</li>



<li>Peacock: added 1,379,162 paid subscribers, 28 million total</li>



<li>Max (HBO): added 609,947 paid subscribers, 19.8 million total</li>



<li>Paramount+: added 357,465 paid subscribers, 31.8 million total</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Antenna ranked the fastest-growing streaming services in terms of U.S. subscribers through the end of May. The company counts the number of paid accounts per service without including trial users who have not yet converted to paid subscriptions or select bundles or wholesale deals, such as Paramount+ via Walmart+ or Netflix for T-Mobile customers. Antenna uses information from several collection partners that provide digital purchase and cancellation receipts, banking and credit information and other data points to determine the number of paying service subscribers, cancellations and trial users.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Netflix is by far the biggest streaming service worldwide and, in April,&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2024/q1/FINAL-Q1-24-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;it had almost 270 million paid subscribers across the globe as of the first quarter of 2024, a 16% increase over the same quarter the year before. The company posted a&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2024/q1/FINAL-Q1-24-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">first quarter revenue</a>&nbsp;of $9.37 billion, up 14.8% year-over-year. Netflix was the first service to offer video-on-demand and it pivoted to original programming in 2012 and 2013 with &#8220;Lilyhammer,&#8221; &#8220;Orange Is The New Black&#8221; and &#8220;House of Cards.&#8221; Since then, Netflix has faced increasing competition as other companies spend billions to launch their own platforms and produce their own original content, as well as withhold their licenced works from streaming on Netflix. Shows like &#8220;The Office,&#8221; for instance, used to stream on Netflix but later left the service in favor of Peacock, the one owned by its original broadcast network NBC.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Four of the five shows that claimed the most-streamed title from January to May this year streamed on Netflix. “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/20/netflix-thriller-fool-me-once-claims-januarys-most-streamed-title/">Fool Me Once</a>,” was watched for 6.5 billion minutes to be the most-streamed show of January and “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/23/young-sheldon-final-season-premiere-was-last-weeks-most-watched-show-and-biggest-sitcom-premiere-in-months/">Young Sheldon</a>,” which streams old episodes on both Netflix and Max, claimed the title in February. In March, Netflix original shows “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/04/16/love-is-blind-most-popular-streaming-show-netflix-the-gentlemen-avatar-brooklyn-99-bluey/">Love Is Blind</a>” and “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/bridgerton-dominates-streaming-ratings-in-may-but-young-sheldon-captures-more-viewers-overall/">Bridgerton</a>” were the most watched shows in March and May, respectively. In April, Amazon Prime Video’s “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/14/fallout-amazon-most-popular-show-video-game-adaptation-ella-purnell/">Fallout</a>” was the most-watched show across all of streaming.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">CONTRA</h2>



<p>Starz, Apple TV+, Hulu and Disney+ have all&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/27/streamings-biggest-loser-starz-lost-almost-1-million-subscribers-in-2024-disney-plus-hulu-apple-tv/">lost subscribers this year</a>, according to Antenna. Those four services combined had 90 million paid subscribers at the end of May compared to the 144.4 million counted by Netflix, Peacock, Paramount+ and Max.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>$635 billion. That&#8217;s how much the subscription economy is expected to be worth by 2025, according to Antenna.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/27/streamings-biggest-loser-starz-lost-almost-1-million-subscribers-in-2024/">Streaming’s Biggest Loser: Starz Lost Almost 1 Million Subscribers In 2024</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/09/27/whats-really-the-most-watched-netflix-show-hollywood-writers-deal-could-bring-streaming-data-to-light/">What’s Really The Most-Watched Netflix Show? Hollywood Writers’ Deal Could Bring Streaming Data To Light</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2024/05/24/media-companies-continue-to-bundle-streaming-properties-heres-why/">Media Companies Continue To Bundle Streaming Properties</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Video Streaming Platforms Stock Photos

This Streaming Service Has Scored Twice As Many New Users As Any Other In 2024


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Fans of the original series that inspired the breakout hit “Bridgerton” TV show on Netflix were shocked in the final minutes of the season 3 finale when the character Michael Stirling was introduced by another name—Michaela—and played by a female actress, a change that sets the show up to include a lesbian love story down the line and pushed the series author to step up and defend the swap. (Spoilers below.)</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2152820585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62245" style="width:515px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2152820585.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2152820585-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong><em>Brigerton Author Julia Quinn(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix)</em></strong></figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The third season of “Bridgerton,” the second half of which was released last week, followed the relationship of Francesca Bridgerton and Earl of Kilmartin John Stirling, who introduces his new wife to his cousin in the final moments of the season.</p>



<p>That cousin, in the books named Michael, was instead introduced as Michaela Stirling and is played by actress Masali Baduza.</p>



<p>The swap likely went unnoticed—and seemed inconsequential—by those who have only watched the show, but fans of the books know that Michael Stirling and Francesca go on to fall in love after John Stirling&#8217;s early death.</p>



<p>With the swap, “Bridgerton” is setting itself up to tell the now-lesbian love story of Francesca and Michaela, a change that sparked such furious online discussion it prompted &#8220;Bridgerton&#8221; author Julia Quinn to issue a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliaquinnauthor/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;Monday.</p>



<p>Quinn said she is &#8220;deeply committed to the ‘Bridgerton’ world becoming more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen,&#8221; and said that, despite some fan “disappointment,” she is confident the season featuring the pair will be the &#8220;most emotional and heart-wrenching story of the show.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“Thank you to readers and fans for your feedback. I am grateful for your understanding and touched by your deep commitment to the characters of the Bridgerton world,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliaquinnauthor/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Quinn wrote</a>&nbsp;in her statement. “I ask that you grant me and the Shondaland team some faith as we move forward.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The “Bridgerton” TV show, which has broken records for Netflix and streaming since its first season released in 2021, is known for its inclusivity. The show heavily features characters of color despite its regency-era setting and focus on London’s wealthiest families (the queen of England is played by Black actress Golda Rosheuvel) and has included LGBTQ+ love interests before. Most notably, older Bridgerton family sibling Benedict explores his sexuality in the third season and shares several steamy scenes with a man named Paul Suarez. Male characters Brimsley and Reynolds, the queen and king&#8217;s secretaries, respectively, share an explicit romance in the spin-off series &#8220;Queen Charlotte&#8221; and a queer artist named Henry Granville features briefly in the first season of &#8220;Bridgerton.&#8221;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62246" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRIDGERTON_307_Unit_05670R-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong><em>Bridgerton. Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton in episode 307 of Bridgerton. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2024</em></strong></figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>5.5 billion. That&#8217;s how many minutes fans spent streaming &#8220;Bridgerton&#8221; on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/bridgerton-dominates-streaming-ratings-in-may-but-young-sheldon-captures-more-viewers-overall/">Netflix in May,</a>&nbsp;Nielsen data shows, making it the most-watched show across any streaming platform that month. That number includes streams of season 3 part 1, which released May 16, plus the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/15/bridgerton-season-3-netflix-premiere-time-release-date-binge-watch-regency-romance-most-viewed-top-shows/">binge-watching</a>&nbsp;of older seasons.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Season 4. Netflix back in 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/bridgerton-season-4-cast-release-date-news" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;a fourth season of &#8220;Bridgerton,&#8221; but when it will be released and which character will serve as the romantic lead is still unknown.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>The debut of the “Bridgerton” series on Netflix sent sales of Quinn’s original eight-book series soaring. In 2020, the year before the show&#8217;s release, Quinn sold 77,541 books, according to data from Circana Bookscan. The next year, that number shot to 1.6 million and remained high with 1.16 million in 2022. The series sold an additional 495,435 books last year and, so far in 2024, has sold 357,493.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/06/18/bridgerton-dominates-streaming-ratings-in-may-but-young-sheldon-captures-more-viewers-overall/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>&#8216;Bridgerton&#8217; Dominates Streaming Ratings In May-But &#8216;Young Sheldon&#8217; Captures More Viewers </strong></a></p>


BRIDGERTON_306_Unit_01860R

‘Bridgerton’ Gender Swap Controversy Explained: Why ‘Michaela Stirling’ Has Thrust Fans Into Turmoil


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>“The Night Agent” was the most viewed title on Netflix during the first half of 2023, the company announced Tuesday, giving its first sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;on viewership numbers beyond its weekly Top 10 list following demands from viewers and Hollywood writers for more transparency.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>“The Night Agent,” which came out on March 23, came out on top with 812.1 million hours viewed between January and June of this year.</p>



<p>Season two of “Ginny &amp; Georgia,” season one of Korean drama “The Glory,” season one of “Wednesday” and “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rounded out</a>&nbsp;the top five shows in terms of viewing hours during the first half of 2023.</p>



<p>The report, called “What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report,” was presented as a simple spreadsheet with four columns, showing the title, the release date, whether the title was available worldwide and the viewing hours, and is the first time Netflix is sharing viewership details after years of declining to share them with anyone, Bloomberg&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-12/netflix-releases-viewer-data-on-every-show-film-for-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</p>



<p>Over 60% of Netflix original titles released during the first half of this year made the platform’s weekly Top 10 lists, which show the 10 most viewed shows and films of the week, but not viewership numbers, Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>, showing that the platform’s originals are popular among viewers as writers for streaming services demand additional residuals if their shows are successful.</p>



<p>Non-English titles generated 30% of all viewing hours globally, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>, and Netflix original titles released before this year appeared to have “staying power,” Netflix said, such as “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which came out in October 2022, but generated 80 million viewing hours in the first half of 2023.</p>



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<p>Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-12/netflix-releases-viewer-data-on-every-show-film-for-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told reporters</a>&nbsp;the lack of transparency over viewership data caused “mistrust over time” with writers and other creatives, and that people have asked for more details on what audiences are watching “over the last 16 years of streaming.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Viewership numbers could explain why Netflix decides to cancel shows, as it has been previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/netflix-originals-cancelled-oa-altered-carbon-sense8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;the streaming service renews or cancels shows based on viewership and other data points, including how many accounts watch only one episode of a series, how many subscribers finish an entire season and the total amount of subscribers who watch a series.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Hollywood writers launched a five-month strike that started this summer, demanding more compensation from streaming platforms through higher wage floors, the regulation of mini-rooms (or&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/writers-guild-contract-negotiation-mini-room-1235568173/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">smaller</a>&nbsp;writers rooms that pay less), additional money from streaming residuals and transparency over viewership for their shows, the Wall Street Journal<em>&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/hollywood-writers-reach-agreement-with-studios-streamers-to-end-strike-57fb5dd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>. Writers, studios and streamers reached a tentative agreement in September that included a success-based residual in which writers for TV series and films on streaming services can receive a bonus if 20% or more of a streaming service’s U.S.-based subscribers watch the show within three months of its release,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/how-wga-streaming-residual-will-work-1235602660/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Hollywood Reporter.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/09/25/wga-and-studios-reach-exceptional-tentative-deal-to-end-writers-strike/?sh=4da6b38f1eb5">Hollywood Writers And Studios Reach ‘Exceptional’ Tentative Deal To End Strike</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/netflix-originals-cancelled-oa-altered-carbon-sense8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Netflix keeps cancelling your favourite shows after two seasons</a> (Wired)</p>


Watching Netflix On iPad

This Show Topped Netflix Viewership Earlier This Year—And It Might Not Be What You Think


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Two unnamed players from Netflix’s “Squid Game: The Challenge” are threatening to sue the streaming giant and the game show’s producers over claims they experienced hypothermia and nerve damage while shooting the show, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://deadline.com/2023/11/squid-game-the-challenge-contestants-threaten-injury-lawsuit-1235635675/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deadline</a>, which cited British personal injuries firm Express Solicitors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Express Solicitors said in a statement the contestants are seeking compensation for the alleged injuries suffered while filming in the U.K. early this year.</p>



<p>The injuries were allegedly sustained while the contestants played the “Red Light, Green Light” game, which tasks players with crossing a field of play and having to suddenly stop their advances anytime an announcer says “red light.”</p>



<p>Express Solicitors told Deadline the contestants were left with injuries “after spending time being stuck in painful stress positions in cold temperatures.”</p>



<p>The lawsuit threat comes several months after Netflix acknowledged that three players required medical attention while filming at a former Royal Air Force base in Bedford.</p>



<p>A spokesperson for the show confirmed to Deadline that no lawsuit has been filed by any of the contestants.</p>



<p>Express Solicitors did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>$4.56 million. That’s the cash prize for the show, which currently has five out of 10 episodes out on Netflix and will be won by one of its 456 contestants.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“We have sent letters of claim on behalf of contestants injured in this show,” Daniel Slade, chief executive officer at Express Solicitors, said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.expresssolicitors.co.uk/blog/express-solicitors-in-the-news#news1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a statement</a>. “From what we’ve been told they pushed the boundaries of safety in the name of entertainment.”</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The show’s contestants called out the show this year in an interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/netflix-squid-game-reality-show-frozen-inhumane-welfare-1235511809/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Variety</a>, saying the shooting conditions were “absolutely inhumane and had nothing to do with the game.” Contestants weren’t paid to participate in the show and were reportedly told the shoot would take about two hours to complete, though some players participated for nearly seven hours. The shoot also took place during a cold snap in the U.K., when temperatures dropped to 32 degrees fahrenheit and contestants collapsed, according to Variety, which reported cold and fatigue had hit players who dealt with eight hours of prep time before the game started. The game show is based on the South Korean dystopian drama, Squid Game, which raked in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/netflix-squid-game-is-even-bigger-than-you-thought-2-billion-hours-big/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more than 1.5 billion&nbsp;</a>of streaming hours from users and became one of Netflix’s most popular shows of all time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://deadline.com/2023/11/squid-game-the-challenge-contestants-threaten-injury-lawsuit-1235635675/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ Contestants Threaten Lawsuit After Claiming They Suffered Hypothermia &amp; Nerve Damage During Filming</a>&nbsp;(Deadline)</p>



<p><a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/netflix-squid-game-reality-show-frozen-inhumane-welfare-1235511809/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Inside Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ Reality Show Disaster: ‘The Conditions Were Absolutely Inhumane’</a> (Variety)</p>


Opening Of Gamescom In Cologne

‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ Players Threaten Netflix With Lawsuit Over Alleged Injuries


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Shares for Netflix rose by over 15% on Thursday, the largest single-day gain for the firm in nearly three years, after the streaming service reported growth that exceeded analyst expectations, and price increases.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix shares rose by 15.92% to $401.30 as of Thursday morning, following a more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/10/18/netflix-earnings-subscribers-swell-to-record-247-million-as-stock-soars/?sh=5f4a761f64df">10% jump</a>&nbsp;to over $390 after the company released its third-quarter earnings report on Wednesday.</p>



<p>This is the largest single-day gain for Netflix since January 20, 2021, when shares rose by 16.86% to $586.34 after the company&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2020/q4/FINAL-Q420-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;it had eclipsed the 200 million subscriber mark and announced it was considered stock buybacks.</p>



<p>Netflix added $8.54 billion in revenue and nine million net paid subscribers through a three-month period ending September 30, matching and exceeding estimates of $8.54 billion and 6.08 million, respectively.</p>



<p>A letter to shareholders on Wednesday also indicated Netflix was raising the price of its basic and premium plans to $11.99 and $22.99, up $3 and $2, respectively, as part of an effort to be competitive with other streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Paramount+.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>247.2 million. That’s how many global paid subscribers Netflix has, according to its latest earnings report.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Prior to the nearly 17% single-day gain for Netflix in 2021, the previous high for the streaming firm was a gain of 16.8% on October 18, 2016. The increase followed an announcement from Wells Fargo, which upgraded its price target for Netflix shares to $700 per share, up from $510, adding to similar announcements from other analysts, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/20/netflix-stock-soars-13percent-on-subscriber-growth-and-possible-buybacks.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNBC</a>.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Netflix reported earnings up to $3.73 a share on Wednesday, as chief executive Greg Peters said the firm was “incredibly pleased” with its recent growth, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-18/netflix-will-raise-prices-after-best-subscriber-growth-in-years?utm_content=business&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bloomberg</a>. Shares for the company have jumped by nearly 36% this year, and by just over 47% since October 2022. The stock crashed about 75% in the first half of 2022, after Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/19/netflix-shares-plunge-over-20-after-company-says-it-lost-subscribers-for-the-first-time-in-10-years/?sh=77df0caa1650">reported</a>&nbsp;its first loss of subscribers in a decade. Netflix has continued to report subscriber growth, after announcing a crackdown on password sharing and a cheaper subscription tier that includes ads. The company also added a paid sharing option—requiring users to pay extra for accounts they share with others—that was called a “primary revenue accelerator in the year” by chief financial officer Spencer Neumann.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/10/18/netflix-hikes-prices-for-some-plans-as-subscriber-numbers-surge/?sh=73f2ded756e0">Netflix Hikes Prices For Some Plans As Subscriber Numbers Surge</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/10/18/netflix-earnings-subscribers-swell-to-record-247-million-as-stock-soars/?sh=5f4a761f64df">Netflix Earnings: Subscribers Swell To Record 247 Million As Stock Soars</a> (<em>Forbes</em>)</p>


In this photo illustration the Netflix logo seen displayed

Netflix Shares Surge 15% After Subscriber Growth—Largest Single-Day Gain Since 2021


<p>A new deal between Hollywood studios and writers will for the first time require streamers like Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ to report viewership numbers of original and syndicated content, shining a light on what experts have called a “black hole” of information that has allowed companies to largely avoid justifying in-house programming decisions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/09/27/hollywood-writers-strike-ends-deal-finalized-after-148-day-work-stoppage/?sh=e88fb758cbf3">new contract</a>&nbsp;negotiated between the Writers Guild of America union, which ended its 148-day strike on Wednesday, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will force services to report to the union how many hours a show has been streamed domestically and across the world, a first for a collection of streaming companies that have historically kept a dark veil over the information.</p>



<p>Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Paramount+, Netflix, Hulu and HBOMax are among the companies that have shared what the&nbsp;<em>Verge&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/26/23891835/wga-contract-summary-ai-streaming-data" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">called&nbsp;</a>“weird metrics or meaningless self-referential rankings” instead of the actual viewership data available for broadcast networks and cable channels like ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN, Fox News, CNN and others.</p>



<p>The data was a sticking point in the tense union negotiations as writers called for measurable performance metrics that could be translated into residuals—long-term payments sent when their show or movies rerun or are purchased—for union members who work on hit shows.</p>



<p>Writers have for decades been paid every time their show or movie is re-aired on its original network or on cable television, or when someone buys a DVD, but that stopped on on-demand streaming platforms, and writers who’ve had network shows become popular on streaming services complain they have not been adequately compensated for its secondary success on those platforms.</p>



<p>It’s possible the numbers studios provide will be subject to nondisclosure agreements and therefore not released to the public, but the WGA may still be able to release aggregated data.</p>



<p>Representatives for WGA, Netflix and Hulu did not immediately respond to&nbsp;<em>Forbes’&nbsp;</em>request for comment Wednesday.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>Not knowing the numbers is “very frustrating,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-09-14/wga-writers-strike-sag-aftra-actors-strike-netflix-ratings-data-transparency?_gl=1*ywpsu6*_gcl_au*MTQ5MzQ4MjQ4OS4xNjk1ODIwNzQ4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said&nbsp;</a>Gloria Calderón Kellett, the co-showrunner for Netflix’s reboot of&nbsp;<em>One Day at a Time</em>, which was canceled. “Because you just don’t know what you don’t know. You are in this black hole.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Historically, a lack of data has led to a lack of accountability for streamers when it comes to making programming decisions. Without viewership information, Nexflix and other companies have been allowed to make decisions on canceling and renewing projects without any transparency, and they can claim a project has or hasn’t been successful on a whim. Viewers have expressed discontent about the cancellation of shows that seemed to do well in the public eye—like&nbsp;<em>Daredevil, Warrior Nun, The OA&nbsp;</em>and&nbsp;<em>Inside Job</em>—only to be shut down by the streamer. It has also shielded companies from having to admit when a high-budget show flops. Netflix CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters told Bloomberg earlier this year that the streamer has “never canceled a successful show.” Netflix is slightly more transparent than its competitors, it does provide a weekly top-10&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">breakdown&nbsp;</a>of the top movies and shows by country, but it only covers the most popular programs and provides no indication as to what isn’t doing well. Others, like Disney+, will on occasion release how many people watched a popular show’s premiere or finale but not in any kind of context to other services or shows on the same platform. Nielsen, the media data company that tracks viewership behavior, provides a top-10 list of streaming platform ratings based on the devices people use to stream (think smart TVs or video game consoles).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>15.2 million. That&#8217;s how many views Netflix says its original film<em>&nbsp;Love At First Sight</em>, the most-watched English movie of the week, got between September 18 and September 24.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Sharing streaming data with the public could put publicly traded companies like Netflix, Disney and Paramount in the hot seat when it comes to their shareholders. Michael Smith, a professor of information technology and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, told&nbsp;<em>Forbes&nbsp;</em>he doesn’t think sharing the data privately with the WGA will have a dramatic impact on how stocks perform, but that they could be impacted if the world knows an expensive project ultimately flopped. Measuring the performance of a streaming company now is largely based on revenues, costs and an aggregate number of subscribers (which not all streaming services have made public), Smith said, but streamers have fought tooth and nail against revealing streaming data because of a potential impact to share prices. He added that streamers differ from traditional broadcast channels that rely on viewership numbers to sell ad space, while platforms like Hulu have more flexibility in their advertising options. “I think this is the most interesting part of the (WGA) deal,” Smith said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/09/27/hollywood-writers-strike-ends-deal-finalized-after-148-day-work-stoppage/">Hollywood Writers Strike Ends: Deal Finalized After 148 Days Of Work Stoppage</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellechemtob/2023/09/26/forbes-daily-another-strike-on-the-horizon-as-sag-aftra-authorizes-second-walkout/">Another Strike On The Horizon As SAG-AFTRA Authorizes Second Walkout</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/09/26/swifties-take-nfl-ratings-soared-for-chiefs-game-as-taylor-swift-cheered-on-travis-kelce/">Swifties Take NFL: Ratings Soared For Chiefs Game As Taylor Swift Cheered On Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>


Stay at home and watch TV

What’s Really The Most-Watched Netflix Show? Hollywood Writers’ Deal Could Bring Streaming Data To Light


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Netflix users in the U.S. will no longer be able to share accounts with others who don’t live with them, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/update-on-sharing-may-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, after the same password crackdown was instituted in four other countries earlier this year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/update-on-sharing-may-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;U.S. users an “account is for use by one household,” urging subscribers to sign out their accounts on devices that “shouldn’t” have access to the user’s account, and set a primary location for the account.</p>



<p>Netflix users who want to share their account with someone outside their household can either pay $7.99 for a “sub account” or they can transfer a profile to a new membership that someone else pays for—a move that would allow users to keep their watch history and saved list.</p>



<p>Users will still be able to watch Netflix from their personal devices or log into new TVs at hotels or other locations, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/update-on-sharing-may-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Earlier this year, Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/an-update-on-sharing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;it was instituting password-sharing restrictions in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. At the time, Netflix said similar measures would be coming to the U.S. in the coming months. Netflix began testing paid sharing, with the same restrictions U.S. users will now face, in its Latin America market last year. Netflix is one of the first major streaming services to start cracking down on password sharing, in a move likely prompted by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/09/netflix-loses-subscribers-as-disney-catches-up-heres-how-the-major-streaming-services-are-faring-so-far-this-year/?sh=2f446c22a1c4">last year’s</a>&nbsp;loss of subscribers and the need for additional revenue.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p><strong>100 million.</strong>&nbsp;As of February, that’s how many households share their passwords, Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/an-update-on-sharing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/02/08/netflix-password-crack-down-begins-in-canada-new-zealand-portugal-spain/?sh=3ff300a22f34">Netflix Password Crack Down Begins In Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonytellez/2023/02/02/netflixs-password-sharing-crackdown-and-what-amazon-prime-hulu-others-are-doing-explained/?sh=61031c7d56ea">Netflix’s Password Sharing Crackdown—And What Amazon Prime, Hulu, Others Are Doing—Explained</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/09/netflix-loses-subscribers-as-disney-catches-up-heres-how-the-major-streaming-services-are-faring-so-far-this-year/?sh=2f446c22a1c4">Netflix Loses Subscribers As Disney+ Catches Up: Here’s How The Major Streaming Services Are Faring So Far This Year</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><em>CORRECTION (5/23): This story has been updated to clarify that Netflix users will not have to set a primary location and to clarify that users will not need one-time access codes to log into Netflix from other locations.</em></p>


Netflix Starts Long-Awaited Password-Sharing Crackdown—Here’s How


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Netflix gained 2.4 million new paid subscribers in the third quarter of this year, the company said in an&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q3/FINAL-Q3-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earnings report</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, a reversal for the streamer after reporting losses for the first time in 10 years over the last two consecutive quarters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix reported 223.09 million subscribers, up from the 220.67 million it reported in July and 213.56 million in the third quarter of last year.</p>



<p>The streaming service beat its&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q2/FINAL-Q2-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">own forecast</a>&nbsp;of 221.67 subscribers.</p>



<p>Netflix predicted it will continue to grow its subscriber base and add 4.5 million paid users by the end of the fourth quarter.</p>



<p>The company generated $1.4 billion in net income in the third quarter, down nearly 4% from a year ago, and revenue grew 5.9% to $7.9 billion, both of which&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q2/FINAL-Q2-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat the company’s forecasts</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Much of the growth came from the Asia-Pacific region, where 1.4 million paid memberships were added in the third quarter.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Netflix’s share price jumped more than 12% in after-hours trading Tuesday and stood at $275.40 as of 8 p.m., after closing at $240.86.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>In November, Netflix plans to launch a cheaper ad-supported tier, the first time ads will be coming to the streaming service. Amid tight competition for viewers attention, Disney+ is also launching an ad-supported tier in December. When HBO Max and Discovery+&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/04/hbo-max-and-discovery-will-combine-into-one-streaming-service/?sh=d604f3319312">combine</a>&nbsp;into one streaming service next year, a free ad-supported tier will be offered.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In April, Netflix reported its first subscriber loss in a decade, losing 200,000 subscribers. The company&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q1/FINAL-Q1-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blamed</a>&nbsp;the suspension of its service in Russia amid the country’s conflict with Ukraine, as well as competition with other streaming services and the “large number of households” that share accounts with each other. It suffered another loss of 970,000 subscribers in July. Netflix has since said it is exploring ways to monetize people who share one account and crack down on password-sharing, and launched a “profile transfer” feature this week that allows a user to move their data between accounts. Roughly 450 Netflix staffers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/23/business/media/netflix-layoffs.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">were laid off</a>&nbsp;this year. Netflix credited its third-quarter subscriber boost to programming, including the release of the fourth season of&nbsp;<em>Stranger Things</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story</em>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



<p>In the third quarter, Netflix produced 1,024 episodes of original TV content, according to a report published last week by research firm MoffettNathanson. That’s a record for the company, and five times that of any other streaming service, the report said. Nearly 160 original shows were launched on the platform during that time period.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/10/13/netflixs-cheaper-ad-supported-tier-launching-november-3/?sh=2433f53d47db">Netflix’s Cheaper Ad-Supported Tier Launching November 3</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/10/12/netflix-produced-a-record-1024-original-television-episodes-this-quarter/?sh=41d8786437f9">Netflix Produced A Record 1,024 Original Television Episodes This Quarter</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Netflix Adds 2.4 Million Subscribers After Months Of Declines


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>As streaming services continue to battle for the attention—and wallets—of viewers, subscriber numbers have changed over the last few months, with Netflix on a decline for the first time in a decade as Disney+ continues to grow and HBO Max and Discovery+ prepare to merge.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix remains the leader of the pack, with 220.67 million global subscribers as of June according to earnings reports, but as competition with newer platforms becomes tighter, it&#8217;s also one of the only streaming services to lose paid subscribers, falling by almost 1 million subscribers since March and nearly 1.2 million since December.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Disney’s bundle of streaming services—including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+—rose from 196.4 million subscribers in January to 205.6 million in April, the company reported, making it a real competitor to Netflix, but Disney+ pulls most of the weight, with 137.7 million subscribers in April (up 7.9 million from January) compared to Hulu&#8217;s 45.6 million (up roughly 300,000 in three months).</p>



<p>HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+—all of which have been owned by Warner Bros. Discovery since April—counted a combined 92.1 million subscribers in June, up just 1.7 million from March, the company says (it’s unclear how plans to merge the streaming services together into one platform will affect subscriber numbers).&nbsp;</p>



<p>Paramount+, owned by CBS’ owner Paramount Global, reported just 43 million subscribers in June—but the streamer has gained over 10 million since December.</p>



<p>Peacock, NBCUniversal parent Comcast’s streaming network, had 13 million paid subscribers as of last month, roughly the same amount that Comcast reported in April, and 27 million active monthly accounts—unlike some of the other streaming platforms, it offers a free version of its service with select programs and movies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND&nbsp;</h2>



<p>2022 has been a tumultuous year for streaming services, as media companies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2020/10/12/disney-reorganizes-to-prioritize-streaming/?sh=59da0776ab09">increasingly</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dbloom/2022/02/16/rebranded-paramount-global-focuses-on-streaming-future-with-huge-array-of-announcements/?sh=2feb09b2203e">prioritize</a>&nbsp;streaming platforms instead of traditional television. Warner Bros. Discovery, which was formed after Discovery and AT&amp;T’s former subsidiary WarnerMedia merged in April, announced plans last week to integrate HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single service next summer. The company also shut down news streaming service CNN+ just one month after it launched, amid a push to control costs and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/24/business/media/cnn-plus-discovery-warner.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">belief</a>&nbsp;that niche streaming platforms tend to fare worse than more all-encompassing services. More changes are to come: After Netflix suffered its first subscriber losses in over a decade earlier this year, the company said it would launch a cheaper ad-supported tier and cut down on password sharing, which it blamed for some of the deficit. The company shut down service in Russia after the country invaded Ukraine, resulting in a loss of 700,000 subscribers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



<p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/06/streaming-viewers-feel-overwhelmed-by-options-nielsen-survey-suggests/?sh=7676f543705f">survey from Nielsen</a>&nbsp;released earlier this year found that there are more titles than ever available to stream, and the time Americans spend watching streaming content each week is on the rise. Still, 64% of respondents said they wish there was a streaming service bundle, and 46% said it’s hard to find the programs they want to watch because there are too many streaming services.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/04/hbo-max-and-discovery-will-combine-into-one-streaming-service/?sh=5747ddd71931">HBO Max And Discovery+ Will Combine Into One Streaming Service</a>(Forbes)&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/04/discovery-and-hbo-max-swap-content-as-warner-bros-discovery-reportedly-plans-to-restructure/?sh=62747fb2313e">Discovery+ And HBO Max Swap Content As Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Plans To Restructure</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/21/cnn-will-reportedly-shut-down-after-only-one-month-of-service/?sh=721b85b865bb">CNN+ Will Shut Down After Only One Month Of Service</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/06/streaming-viewers-feel-overwhelmed-by-options-nielsen-survey-suggests/?sh=7676f543705f">Streaming Viewers Feel Overwhelmed By Options, Nielsen Survey Suggests</a>(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Netflix Loses Subscribers As Disney+ Catches Up: Here’s How The Major Streaming Services Are Faring So Far This Year


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Shares of Netflix surged after the closing bell Tuesday despite the streaming giant’s disclosure in its second-quarter earnings report that it lost subscribers for a second quarter in a row, as the total was lower than investors had feared—with the company optimistic about adding back subscribers later in the year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix’s stock jumped nearly 7% to around $215 per share in after-hours trading, with investors cheering the better-than-expected second-quarter&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2022/q2/FINAL-Q2-22-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earnings report</a>.</p>



<p>The streaming giant reported that it lost 970,000 subscribers in the latest quarter—significantly less than the company’s previous forecast of losing 2 million subscribers—and management remains optimistic about adding back customers later in the year.</p>



<p>Analyst estimates for Netflix’s second-quarter subscriber loss had ranged from as much as 4 million subscribers to as little as 1.5 million, with some analysts citing the strong performance of season four of&nbsp;<em>Stranger Things</em>, which was Netflix’s most watched English-language show yet.</p>



<p>Investors were hoping for an improvement after a dismal first quarter, when Netflix reported its first subscriber loss in more than a decade (losing 200,000 customers) and shares&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/19/netflix-shares-plunge-over-20-after-company-says-it-lost-subscribers-for-the-first-time-in-10-years/?sh=6c6311101650">plunged 35%</a>&nbsp;in one day.</p>



<p>Netflix reported mixed financial results for the second quarter: Earnings came in above Wall Street expectations, though revenue was weaker-than-expected at $7.97 billion versus a consensus analyst forecast of $8.04 billion, according to Refinitiv.</p>



<p>In order to offset recent slowdowns, Netflix is looking to introduce a cheaper ad-supported subscription plan, announcing last week that it will be partnering with Microsoft in order to do so—but Netflix COO Greg Peters said that the project is still in “very early days.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE:</h2>



<p>“There’s very little not to like,” says Charles Lemonides, founder and chief investment officer of ValueWorks. “These results read like the negative news was just a tiny blip in the long-term growth story.” He remains highly bullish on the company, which he argues is still the “strongest streaming platform with the greatest ability to spend dollars on creating new content—and that’s a tough position to compete with.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND:</h2>



<p>Netflix’s stock has cratered roughly 70% this year. Like other tech stocks, Netflix shares were especially hard-hit by concerns over surging inflation and rising rates, but a significant portion of the company’s recent struggles have revolved around slowing subscriber growth, which has spooked investors. Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/19/netflix-shares-plunge-over-20-after-company-says-it-lost-subscribers-for-the-first-time-in-10-years/?sh=6c6311101650">lost 200,000 subscribers</a>&nbsp;globally in the previous quarter—far below the 2.7 million additions expected, which prompted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/20/netflix-stock-crash-growth-story-is-dunzo-for-now-as-analysts-slash-outlooks/?sh=249317dd5187">wave of downgrades</a>&nbsp;from Wall Street analysts at the time.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR:</h2>



<p>“While a meaningful 2Q or 3Q subscriber beat or miss might temporarily move Netflix shares post-earnings, we expect shares will revert to their trading range as visibility will remain low and the company’s pivot to advertising does not even begin in earnest until late 2022,” Credit Suisse analyst Douglas Mitchelson wrote on Tuesday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING:</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/19/netflix-shares-plunge-over-20-after-company-says-it-lost-subscribers-for-the-first-time-in-10-years/?sh=3bad91591650">Netflix Loses Subscribers For The First Time In Ten Years, Shares Plunge 35%</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/20/netflix-stock-crash-growth-story-is-dunzo-for-now-as-analysts-slash-outlooks/?sh=4629f9e45187">Netflix Stock Crash: Growth Story Is &#8216;Dunzo For Now&#8217; As Analysts Slash Outlooks</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/annakaplan/2022/07/13/netflix-partners-with-microsoft-for-ad-supported-service-amid-subscriber-losses/?sh=5825950b7ee9">Netflix Partners With Microsoft For Ad-Supported Service Amid Subscriber Losses</a> (<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Netflix Shares Jump Over 6% After It Reports Smaller Subscriber Loss Than Forecast

Russia And Technology Companies Photo Illustrations

Netflix, TikTok, Major Accounting Firms Suspend Service—Here’s The List Of Companies Cutting Ties With Russia Over Invasion


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>In the latest example of Netflix quickly pouncing on a true-crime tale, the company said Friday it had ordered a docuseries on alleged cryptocurrency launderers Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan—who only came to public attention with their arrest Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GettyImages-1231249886.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-52704" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GettyImages-1231249886.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GettyImages-1231249886-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GettyImages-1231249886-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>BRAZIL &#8211; 2021/02/18: In this photo illustration the Netflix logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Lichtenstein and Morgan–the latter of whom has attracted attention as much for her awkward rap videos as their alleged crimes– have been accused by federal prosecutors of attempting to launder $4.5 billion in bitcoin, $3.6 billion of which was recovered in what the Department of Justice says was its largest financial seizure ever.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While Netflix and other streaming services have been churning out more ripped-from-the-headlines “insta-docs” and reality content for years, the pandemic gave the trend&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/coronavirus-tiger-king-reality-producers-double-down-docuseries-1288063/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more impetus</a>: viewers were stuck at home with nothing to do but watch TV and producers could make use of archival footage instead of risking their health to shoot something new.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Last week Netflix put out&nbsp;<em>The Tinder Swindler</em>, a documentary about a man who was arrested in 2015 for allegedly defrauding women he met on dating apps of money, and this month will also release documentaries about Bubba Wallace’s 2021 NASCAR season and the 2018 and 2019 Boeing Max 737 crashes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Friday the scripted series&nbsp;<em>Inventing Anna</em>&nbsp;premiered on Netflix, Shonda Rhimes’ fictional take on the real story of Anna Sorokin, a woman who pretended to be a Germain heiress and was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/us/anna-sorokin-found-guilty/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found guilty</a>&nbsp;in 2019 of stealing over $200,000 from banks and people she socialized with.</p>



<p>Last year, several documentaries were released about recent scandals, including the downfall of WeWork, the college admissions scandal, and Rudy Giuliani’s Four Seasons and Total Landscaping post-election mistake.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Crypto Couple docuseries will be directed and executive produced by Chris Smith, who was behind Netflix true-crime hits&nbsp;<em>Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Tiger King</em>, and will also be executive produced by Nick Bilton, of&nbsp;<em>HBO’s The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley</em>—works that made&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/aaronkwittken/2019/01/22/catching-fyre-what-marketers-can-learn-from-mini-madoff-mcfarland/?sh=3a41b2c26140">Billy McFarland</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakim/2022/01/28/tiger-king-star-joe-exotic-resentenced-to-21-years-in-prison-for-murder-for-hire-plot-one-year-less-than-original-term/?sh=6f92178d59c0">Joe Exotic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/01/03/elizabeth-holmes-found-guilty-on-wire-fraud-charges/?sh=6ab26e6f46b6">Elizabeth Holmes</a>&nbsp;household names.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Since the success of Netflix’s 2015 hit&nbsp;<em>Making A Murderer</em>, the platform and other streaming services have ramped up production of true-crime documentaries, docuseries and fictional spinoffs of real-world stories. In 2016,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-is-a-documentary-powerhouse-heres-why-2017-3#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">68 million people</a>&nbsp;watched documentaries on Netflix, and 73% of their subscribers watched at least one. After being released at the onset of the pandemic,&nbsp;<em>Tiger King&nbsp;</em>became the most popular show on the streaming services in 2020. Netflix is one of the biggest buyers in the world of unscripted TV programming,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-11/netflix-hbo-amazon-buying-up-reality-tv-shows-for-streaming-services" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bloomberg</a>&nbsp;reported in November. And as pop culture remains fixated on true crime and scammers, there is no sign the streamer plans to slow down.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Lichtenstein and Morgan, a married couple living in New York City, were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and and conspiracy to defraud the United States for attempting to launder billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin that was stolen during a 2016 Bitfinex hack, though they haven’t been charged over the hack itself. The couple worked their way into entrepreneur and tech circles, with Morgan writing as a contributor&nbsp; for Forbes.com on business and entrepreneurship, until she was cut in September 2021. The government alleged the couple used fake identities and other &#8220;sophisticated laundering techniques&#8221; to launder the cryptocurrency. As news of their arrest and the seizure broke, Morgan’s odd rap videos posted on YouTube&nbsp; under the stage name Razzlekhan became an object of fascination. A lawyer for the couple&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/10/frozen-embryos-will-keep-accused-bitcoin-money-launderers-from-fleeing.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;in a court filing Thursday that Lichtenstein and Morgan would not flee the U.S. if allowed on bail because the couple has frozen embryos in a NYC hospital and wouldn’t want to jeopardize “access to their ability to have children.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2022/02/08/feds-seize-36-billion-in-stolen-bitcoin-arrest-couple-five-years-after-massive-crypto-exchange-hack/?sh=3e4163b97c95">Feds Seize $3.6 Billion In Stolen Bitcoin, Arrest Couple Five Years After Massive Crypto Exchange Hack&nbsp;</a>(Forbes)&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidjeans/2022/02/09/heather-morgan-ilya-lichtenstein-bitcoin-seizure/?sh=30bab60a1ea2">How The Crypto Couple Went From Wannabe Tech Luminaries To Targets In The Biggest Financial Seizure In Justice Department History</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cyrusfarivar/2022/02/10/heather-morgan-ilya-lichtenstein-cat-bitcoin-raid/?sh=c64b9e7405a0">Hollowed-Out Books, Fake Passports And Burner Phones: What Led To The Feds’ Raid On The Crypto Couple</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Netflix Orders Series On Crypto Couple Only Three Days After They Came To Fame, Highlighting Rise Of ‘Insta-Doc’


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Though it comes as no surprise given the show’s unprecedented success, a second season of the Korean drama <em>Squid Game </em>is in the works at Netflix, according to the streaming giant’s co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Sarandos&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGGThGUZp4g" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;during a discussion of Netflix’s fourth-quarter earnings, “The&nbsp;<em>Squid Game&nbsp;</em>universe has just begun,” and replied “absolutely,” when asked if the show would be getting a second season.</p>



<p>The show’s creator Hwang Dong-hyuk&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/APEntertainment/status/1458060909319004170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1458060909319004170%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvariety.com%2F2021%2Ftv%2Fnews%2Fsquid-game-season-2-netflix-1235108088%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;the Associated Press in November that&nbsp;<em>Squid Game&nbsp;</em>would “indeed” be getting a second season, but Sarandos’ confirmation is the first word from a Netflix official.</p>



<p>Hwang said that actor Lee Jung-jae will return as the show’s protagonist, Seong Gi-hun.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Netflix&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/squid-game-all-time-most-popular-show-netflix-1235113196/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;in November the show generated 1.65 billion hours viewed in its first four weeks on the platform.</p>



<p>In the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2021/q3/FINAL-Q3-21-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">third-quarter</a>&nbsp;earnings letter in October, it reported&nbsp;<em>Squid Game</em>&nbsp;had reached 142 million member houses, making it its biggest show ever.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Leaked Netflix estimates seen by Bloomberg in October said the show would create nearly <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-17/squid-game-season-2-series-worth-900-million-to-netflix-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$900 million</a> in value for the streaming giant.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



<p>The show’s popularity hasn’t translated to a huge spike in subscribers the way shareholders would hope. Netflix gained 4.4 million net subscribers in the quarter&nbsp;<em>Squid Game&nbsp;</em>was released, with just 70,000 coming from the U.S. and Canada. The company’s fourth-quarter earnings report, which showed a continued dip in subscriber growth compared to its early-pandemic success, contributed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/masonbissada/2022/01/20/netflix-stock-plunges-20-following-disappointing-earnings-report/?sh=425085d56326">20% drop</a>&nbsp;in its stock price in after-hours trading Thursday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Hwang said in November the show’s season 2 release date was unclear: “I do think it’s too early to say when and how that’s going to happen,” he told the AP.</p>



<p><strong><em>By Mason Bissada, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Logo Photo Illustration

‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Is Happening, Netflix CEO Confirms


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Netflix has reportedly suspended three employees who crashed a virtual executives meeting in the wake of controversy surrounding Dave Chappelle’s recent comedy special <em>The Closer</em>, which has been <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/10/07/dave-chappelle-netflix-special-controversy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">criticized</a> for transphobia, according to a Monday <a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/news/dave-chappelle-netflix-suspends-trans-employee-1235086394/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> by <em>Variety</em>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>In&nbsp;<em>The Closer</em>&nbsp;— ranked the third most popular program on Netflix in the U.S. as of Monday afternoon — Chappelle makes a number of comments that have been condemned for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1043435919/dave-chappelle-new-netflix-special-the-closer-review" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">going “too far”</a>&nbsp;as one reviewer put it,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/10/07/dave-chappelle-netflix-special-controversy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">for instance</a>&nbsp;when he “compares the genitalia of trans women to vegetarian substitutes for meat products.”</p>



<p><em>Variety</em>&nbsp;reported Monday one of the three employees suspended was senior software engineer Terra Field, who identifies as trans and whose&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RainofTerra/status/1445914236668895236" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extensive Twitter thread</a>&nbsp;responding to the special went viral last week.</p>



<p>Sources told the magazine that Field was suspended because she and the other two unidentified employees showed up at a meeting with top executives uninvited, not because of her comments on Twitter in which she&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RainofTerra/status/1445914240963940352" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">objected</a>&nbsp;to the harmful effects of such content on trans people, and Black trans women in particular.</p>



<p>Netflix did not respond to a request for comment from&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>, while Field&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RainofTerra/status/1447658522301198337" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweeted</a>&nbsp;“Oh god is this all happening on #NationalComingOutDay?” apparently in reference to the news.</p>



<p>The revelations came shortly after&nbsp;<em>Variety</em>&nbsp;also&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/news/dave-chappelle-stand-up-netflix-controversy-1235086299/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;that Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos had defended Chappelle in a Friday memo to staff citing “artistic freedom.”</p>



<p>According to&nbsp;<em>Variety</em>&nbsp;the memo was sent after the company’s two-day quarterly business review meeting, during which Sarandos “offered guidance” on how to deal with those speaking out against Chappelle; Netflix declined&nbsp;<em>Variety</em>’s request for comment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC</h2>



<p>Chappelle’s comments in&nbsp;<em>The Closer</em>&nbsp;were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/10/07/dave-chappelle-netflix-special-controversy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">roundly criticized</a>&nbsp;by advocacy groups including&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/glaad/status/1445870767548231685?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GLAAD</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HRC/status/1445760431574814731" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Human Rights Campaign</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MSNBCweekends/status/1447335467242901506" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Black Justice Coalition</a>. Jaclyn Moore, a showrunner on Netflix’s series&nbsp;<em>Dear White People</em>, announced that she was&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/dear-white-people-jaclyn-moore-dave-chappelle-netflix-1235083197/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">boycotting</a>&nbsp;the streaming behemoth,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUtktAcNre0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">saying</a>&nbsp;she wouldn’t work for them “as long as they keep promoting and profiting from dangerous transphobic content.” Chapelle has been&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MSNBCweekends/status/1447335467242901506" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quoted</a>&nbsp;as saying he has “never had a problem with trans people,” but during the special the comedian did embrace the term “TERF” — which stands for “trans-exclusionary radical feminist” and represents an ideology that does not recognize trans women as women. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/dave-chappelle-backed-by-family-of-late-transgender-comedian-daphne-dorman-from-the-closer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defended</a>&nbsp;recently by the family of the late trans comedian Daphne Dorman, a friend of Chappelle’s who died by suicide in 2019. Dorman’s younger sister described Chappelle as “an LGBTQ ally” to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/dave-chappelle-backed-by-family-of-late-transgender-comedian-daphne-dorman-from-the-closer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Daily Beast</em></a>, adding that the family was not offended by his jokes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>In her Twitter thread, Field&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RainofTerra/status/1445914242335473669" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">explained</a>&nbsp;why she found his comments in&nbsp;<em>The Closer</em>&nbsp;so problematic: “Promoting TERF ideology (which is what we did by giving it a platform yesterday) directly harms trans people, it is not some neutral act. This is not an argument with two sides. It is an argument with trans people who want to be alive and people who don’t want us to be.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>It’s not the first time a Netflix special of Chappelle’s has been denounced for containing incendiary material including jokes aimed at trans people: his 2019 show&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vox.com/2019/8/29/20835637/dave-chappelle-netflix-special-hidden-ending-cancel-culture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Sticks &amp; Stones</em></a>&nbsp;and 2017 special&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2018/01/dave-chappelle-transgender-jokes-netflix-equanimity-1201912946/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Equanimity</em></a>&nbsp;were both criticized upon their release.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p>“<a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/news/dave-chappelle-netflix-suspends-trans-employee-1235086394/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix Suspends Three Employees, Including Trans Person Who Spoke Out Against Dave Chappelle, for Crashing Leadership Meeting</a>” (<em>Variety</em>)</p>



<p>“<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/11/22720724/netflix-suspends-trans-employee-tweeted-dave-chappelle-the-closer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix suspends trans employee who tweeted about Dave Chappelle special</a>” (The Verge)</p>



<p>“<a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/news/dave-chappelle-stand-up-netflix-controversy-1235086299/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Defends Dave Chappelle Special in Staff Memo: ‘Artistic Freedom’ Is Different for Stand-Up (EXCLUSIVE)</a>” (<em>Variety</em>)</p>



<p>“<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/dave-chappelle-netflix-special-critics-cancel-culture-1235028197/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dave Chappelle Talks Cancel Culture After Netflix Special Controversy</a>” (<em>The Hollywood Reporter</em>)</p>



<p>“<a href="https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/dear-white-people-jaclyn-moore-dave-chappelle-netflix-1235083197/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Dear White People’ Co-Showrunner Jaclyn Moore on Why She’s Boycotting Netflix Over Transphobic Dave Chappelle Special (EXCLUSIVE)</a>” (<em>Variety</em>)</p>



<p>“<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/dave-chappelle-backed-by-family-of-late-transgender-comedian-daphne-dorman-from-the-closer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dave Chappelle Backed by Family of Late Transgender Comic Daphne Dorman</a>” (<em>The Daily Beast</em>)</p>



<p>“<a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2018/01/dave-chappelle-transgender-jokes-netflix-equanimity-1201912946/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dave Chappelle Criticized Once Again For Making ‘Offensive’ Transgender Jokes in Netflix Special ‘Equanimity’</a>” (IndieWire)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Téa Kvetenadze, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Hollywood Exteriors And Landmarks – 2021

Netflix Suspends Employees For Crashing Meeting Amid Chappelle Transphobia Controversy


<p>IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE SOUTH AFRICAN entertainment scene, the term <em>JIVA </em>is not foreign to you. Netflix has now marked South African dance on the map with this new original five-part series. FORBES AFRICA spoke to the stars of the show, Noxolo Dlamini and Candice Modiselle, a day before its release.</p>



<p>South African actor and dancer Dlamini, who plays Ntombi in <em>JIVA</em>, is ecstatic about her breakthrough lead role, not only from a personal perspective but also from the lens of highlighting how “deeply rooted” the South African dance scene is.</p>



<p>“I am hoping audiences will take away that we are more alike than we seem but more importantly, highlight how big the dance culture is in South Africa,” Dlamini says. “And also how seriously we take it.”</p>



<p>South African <em>BBC</em>’s <em>Strictly Come Dancing </em>professional, Oti Mabuse, took to Instagram to celebrate the release of the new series, also commenting on how the show touches on the importance of South African dance.</p>



<p>“How they use our homegrown dance styles and [how] they’ve managed to capture how we see South Africa,” she posted.</p>



<p>“The riots, taxis, street markets, the difference between living in the township, city, and the countryside and all inspired by dance or through dancers’ eyes!”</p>



<p>Dlamini and Modiselle hope that this will educate people in understanding and respecting traditional artists not only in South Africa but in Africa as a whole.</p>



<p>“The world needs to realize what work we can bring on an international level,” says Dlamini.</p>



<p>“The [world needs to know the] fact that we have seen Africa as a whole being documented from a very Eurocentric and Western lens and perspective in a way that does not do justice to the authenticity of who Africa is,” Modiselle adds.</p>



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Tag: Netflix

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA