Since 1997, Netflix has managed to garnish over 150 million subscribers. Although the service has usually been the #1 go-to for people to watch their series/movies, some others have recently decided to go to other services for their binge-watching needs, and there are numerous reasons for the big change in subscribers.

According to CNBC, Netflix lost $16 billion in market value back in July. Although the company had forecast 5 million global net adds for the quarter, but only saw 2.7 million. Netflix shares fell 10.3% after a loss in domestic paid subscribers for the first time since 2011. Netflix had remained hopeful after the ordeal, believing that certain programs (Stranger Things, Orange is the New Black, The Crown, etc) would help bring in viewers, but that may not be the case in why there has been a significant loss in subscribers.

If you’ve had Netflix over the last few years, then you’ve most likely experienced a certain series or movie being deleted from the service. The deletion of content is because the primary licenses they obtain from studios and content providers expire. Although some of the deleted content could resurface, other programs aren’t very lucky. While observing on Facebook, people have been expressing disinterest about the service after (Blue Bloods, Santa Clarita Diet, etc) was deleted, not to mention talk about the potential deletion of Friends and The Office. Using Netflix over the last few years, I can include myself in having this issue multiple times with my favorite series and movies.

Recently, there was news about Netflix partnering with Nickelodeon to gain viewership after Hulu’s partnership with Disney, not to mention the Disney + release on November 12. As of this time, some Nickelodeon series and movies are available on Netflix including Victorious, Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, Big Time Movie, etc. Although some people have expressed interest in this unexpected change, others are still unamused with these other Netflix issues that have recently occurred, some even expressing their desire to leave the service and switch to Hulu on Facebook.

After interviewing Mrs. Dement, I was able to gain another ‘positive’ outlook on Netflix subscribers:

Q: “How often do you watch Netflix?”
A: “We only have Netflix so we use it everyday.”

Q: “Do you believe Netflix has personally gotten better or worse over the years?”
A: “I am indifferent on this one – there are several shows that my kids like that are not available on Netflix, but there are so many other options available for them. I can also usually find something on Netflix that I am interested in watching and personally like that I can watch shows at my own pace and catch up on past episodes.”

Q: “What is your opinion on Netflix Originals?”
A: “I have watched several Netflix originals that were good. Movie theatre worthy? Maybe not, but most of them are entertaining. My kids also really like several shows that are only available on Netflix.”

Q: “Finally, have you had a show/movie deleted from the service, and if yes, how did you feel about it?”
A: “They removed several kids shows/movies that my kids liked, but it wasn’t a big deal because there were other things available that they enjoy watching. I have also watched a show that I later looked for that had been removed, but I simply found something else to watch. We aren’t die-hard TV watchers, it’s just something we do mostly in the evenings before bed.”

While Netflix may seem to be decreasing in viewership, the company may be able to keep some of its viewers, especially if they continue to partner with Nickelodeon. According to Forbes, “while Netflix is losing share, Hulu is gaining. Hulu is expected to surpass 40% of paid OTT subscription users.” As of right now, it just seems to be a continuous battle of viewership between the two popular streaming services.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/18/netflix-loses-16-billion-in-market-value-following-earnings-miss.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danafeldman/2019/08/21/netflix-is-expected-to-lose-us-share-as-rivals-gain/#212caf7866d6