Learner Resource 2

Comprehension actitivites: The impact of digital

technologies – Is Netflix changing TV?

YouTube VIDEO SOURCE A

Newsweek - How Netflix Changed TV (29/04/17) 2.56 mins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL6zNexyt8o

Task
 Watch the short video and answer the questions below.
 You will need to stop and start the video where necessary in order to answer all of the
questions.

What happened to Netflix in April 2017

It reached 100 million subscribers

Which companies does Netflix now have more subscribers than?

Amazon Prime and Hulu

How many countries is Netflix available in?

190 countries

Which countries is Netflix not available in and why might this be?

China, North Korea, Crimea and Syria. This could be due to tensions with the US

Where do half of Netflix’s subscribers, 50 million, come from?

The US

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 When was Netflix founded, who by and where?

It was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California.

What did Netflix begin as and how did it change the service?

It began as a service which posted DVDs rather than Blockbuster which you had to go out and
buy. It then changed so you could access the content online.

When did Netflix expand into Internet video on demand (VOD)?

10 years later after delivering its billionth DVD, in 2007.

What was revolutionary about the way they offered viewing?

Instead of episodes airing weekly, you could watch an entire series in one go.

How did this new model of viewing (binge-watching) help shows that may have
otherwise struggled to be aired?

What has helped Netflix’s growth?

The rise in the use of handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets, as well as the
platforms wide library of films and tv shows

What were some of the problems that Netflix had?

None of the content belonged to Netflix

What was Netflix’s solutions to these problems?

They began to produce their own shows,

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 What was Netflix’s first original show and when was it launched?

House of cards which was launched in February 2013

How did House of Cards make history?

Was the first online only television series to receive an Emmy nomination

What else did the drama show in terms of cast and crew?

It featured very famous Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey and David Fincher as the director

By 2016, how many original programmes a year was Netflix producing?

126 original programmes a year

How many awards have they won?

147 awards, including 1 Oscar, 55 Emmys and 2 Golden Globes

How are competitors trying to address Netflix’s place in the market?

They are also creating their own online streaming services

How does Netflix plan to stand out from the crowd?

Plan to double the original programming by end of 2017 expanding native language and
unscripted content.

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 YouTube VIDEO SOURCE B
Business Insider - How Netflix is Killing traditional TV (06/01/15) 2.34 mins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBafi8PsaHo

Task: Watch the short video and answer the questions below.

1. What does DVR and VOD allow viewers?

It gives viewers more freedom to watch outside of the regularly scheduled times.

2. What is ‘our future’ for watching TV?

Streaming services and unbundling

3. Which company has been the most disruptive to the traditional TV model?

Netflix has been the most disruptive

4. Is Netflix a perfect substitute for traditional TV?

No due to the fact many viewers still have favourite shows that are only available on
traditional

5. Why do audiences have fewer reasons to be tied to their cable box or TV?

As lots of channels that are on cable box or TV are now creating streaming services or are
also available online

6. Pay per view (PPV) TV subscribers have fallen by how many since 2013?

389,000

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7. How many subscribers have Netflix increased since 2013?

11 million

8. How many worldwide subscribers were Netflix predicted to reach in 2017?

100 million

9. What is the main reason given for the prediction that Netflix audiences will grow?

Cable TV watchers are much older and Netflix consumers are much younger so will be
around longer to consume video for a long time.

10. What will happen to linear and cable TV?

It will eventually die

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 WRITTEN SOURCE 1
The Guardian
Steve Hewlett – Will Netflix really steal traditional TV’s crown? (12/06/16)
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jun/12/will-netflix-really-steal-traditional-tvs-crown

Task: Read the article and answer the questions below.

1. What 4 reasons are given to explain how Netflix can be seen to be an Internet era
success story?

It went from a domestic DVD rental service to a Global leader in On-demand entertainment
in just 20 years

It has impressive numbers with 79 million subscribers in 192 countries

Billion dollar revenues

Company has a growing commitment to creating original content

2. What is it about TV that Netflix suggests people don’t love?

People don’t love the linear TV experience

3. How are the changes Netflix are making ‘revolutionary’?

It’s the leading player in the death of traditional TV

4. Has Netflix had the same impact on traditional TV viewing in the UK as it has in the US?

It has had a different effect in the UK as subscribers of Netflix are also subscribers of Sky
or virgin pay TV services.
5. What 4 reasons or statistics are given to show how UK viewing preferences for Netflix
and traditional, linear TV compare?

Netflix generates 38 minutes of viewing in households that have it whereas linear TV gets
3.5 hours

2 hours a day of linear TV just from the younger generation of ‘Netflix viewers’

1 billion hours streamed by Netflix compares to 65 billion hours by linear TV

People are just adding it to their existing TV diet rather than replacing the old one

6. How much have Netflix spent on content and original content respectively?

Near the $10billion mark

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7. What is Netflix’s ‘strategic vulnerability’?

Largely still dependant on movies and TV series that have been licensed by the big
players in traditional TV

8. Which 2 factors are at play that, according to the writer of the article, do not go in
Netflix’s favour?

All the already established players have their own online streaming services

The more successful Netflix becomes, more people will make a play for their content

WRITTEN SOURCE 2:

The Guardian
Dan Gilmore - Ways of watching: How technology is changing our TV habits (15/02/13)
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/15/ways-watching-technology-
television

Task: Read the article and answer the questions below.

1. What is ‘time-shifting’ and why might audiences like it?

It means recording a TV show so you can watch it later on. Audiences might like this due
to the fact if they miss an episode they are able to watch it when they are free.

2. How does ‘binge-watching’ help audiences catch up with popular dramas?

Binge-watching helps as it means they can watch multiple episodes in one go so they are
up to date.

3. What does the writer prefer to call ‘binge-watching’?

Immersive viewing

4. In which 2 ways does ‘immersive viewing’ (time-shifting/binge-watching) affect

traditional TV models?

It means their initial runs which make the most profit aren’t watched as much so the
streaming watches fall into the bonus revenue

Advertisements in the shows are being watched less which means less money

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5. What/who does the writer compare the ‘next general of professional motion picture
storytellers’ to?

Blogging and other online media liberated newspaper journalists

6. How does the long form TV series House of Cards fit into the format of ‘unlimited story
cycles’?

As it’s a self-contained drama with story arcs that allow for exploration of the characters
and subplots.

7. What does this shift in the way we view TV bring for audiences?

A ‘golden-age’ for storytelling that is in a serial format.

8. What has new digital technology enabled with Video on Demand?

Viewers to be able to find something to watch all the time and also record hours and hours
of TV that they might watch.

9. Why is the writer worried about issues of privacy and streaming?

As it’s allowing the big companies and then in turn the government see what we want to
watch and read when we are online.

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 WRITTEN SOURCE 3:
Netflix Media Centre
Erin Dwyer – Ready, Set, Binge (17/11/17)
https://media.netflix.com/en/press-releases/ready-set-binge-more-than-8-million-viewers-
binge-race-their-favorite-series

Task: Read the article and answer the questions below.

1. How has Netflix changed the way the world engages with stories?

Viewers watch how when and where they want to and at whatever pace they want.

2. What kind of fan has this given rise to?

‘The binge-racer’

3. What characterises the ‘binge-racer’?

Being able to watch a series, which might take others a week, a day to finish. They want to
be the first to finish a seriers within 24 hours of its release.

4. How many members have chosen to ‘binge-race’ on Netflix?

8.4 million

5. Which kinds of content do binge racers like to watch?

They watch from 30 minute comedies like ‘Glow’ or ‘Masters of none’ to hour long thrillers
like ‘Stranger Things’

6. Are differences in consumption preferences dependent on where the viewer is globally?

Give some examples in your answer.

Yes, for instance in Ecuador the most watched show is ‘Fuller house’, in Mexico it is ‘Club
de Cuervos’ and in Korea it’s ‘Marvel’s The Defenders’

7. Which country has the most binge-racers and what is the most ‘binged’ drama?

The country with the most binge-racers is Canada and the most binged drama is Gilmore
Girls: A Year in the Life

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8. List 5 of the top 20 binge raced shows that you have seen. Is your set product in the
top 20 list?

5 examples of the top 20 would be ’Orange is the new black’, ‘Atypical’, ‘Santa Clarita
Diet’, ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ and ‘Chewing gum’. The top 20 list includes Stranger
Things.

9. What are the top 5 countries for binge racing?

Canada, United States, Denmark, Finland and Norway

10. Why has the concept of binge racing grown more than 20 times in the last 4 years?
What reasons can you give for this?

With the grow in Netflix, there is an increase in talk on social media about the shows being
released, people are more likely to see spoilers for the whole series as it is normally
released all at once. Therefore, if they finish it in a day there is less risk of them seeing a
spoiler for it.

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The impact of digital technology – Is Netflix
changing TV?
Feedback Grid
You have now considered a number of different ideas about the ways in which digital
technologies, and Netflix as an example of an online streaming platform, can be seen to
change how long form TV dramas are broadcast and viewed by audiences.
Use the grid below to record the 5 key points about technology, Netflix, TV viewing and some
of the issues associated with this from each of the 5 sources we have studied.

Newsweek - How Netflix Changed TV (29/04/17)

By April 2017, Netflix reached 100 million subscribers
It’s not available in China, North Korea, Crimea and Syria
It was made in 1997
It allows people to watch series in one go instead of weekly episodes
They now create their own content
Business Insider - How Netflix is Killing traditional TV (06/01/15)
DVR and VOD allows people to have freedom with when they want to watch something
People haven’t completely switched over from traditional TV as it still contains peoples
favourite shows that aren’t available online
Netflix’s audience will continue to grow as their consumers are younger so will be around
longer
Linear and cable TV will eventually die
More cable or box TV channels are creating their own online streaming sites.
Steve Hewlett – Will Netflix really steal traditional TV’s crown? (12/06/16)
In just 20 years Netflix went from a DVD rental service to the biggest on-demand
entertainment.
In the UK, it hasn’t had the same effect because of Sky and Virgin.
Netflix gets 38 minutes of viewing in a household with it whereas linear TV gets 3.5 hours
Netflix have spent around $10billion on original content
Netflix is still largely dependent on movies and TV series that are owned by big players in the
industry
Dan Gilmore - Ways of watching: How technology is changing our TV habits (15/02/13)
Time-shifting allows people to record something so they can watch it later
Viewers can always find something to watch as they can record hours and hours of content
This means the companies make less profit off of it as people aren’t watching the ads as
much
Creates a privacy issue as the big companies and in turn the government are able to see
what we like reading and watching online
It’s the ‘golden-age’ for storytelling in a serial format.

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Erin Dwyer – Ready, Set, Binge (17/11/17)
Viewers now have full control over when how and where they want to watch something
People now binge series, and aim to finish it within 24hours of its release
8.4 million people are ‘binge-racers’
The country with the most binge watchers is Canada
The most binged series is Gilmore Girls : a year in the life

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