Company Information:
The past half decade has seen the focus of the entertainment industry shift to a digital platform. Just like google changed the way we find information, just like our Facebook change the way we socialize, Netflix changed the way we consume media in a digital age. Netflix is the world’s leading internet entertainment service with over 130 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen.
Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.
Founded in 1997 by reed Hastings and Mach Randolph in Scotts valley, California Netflix began as a mail-order DVD service. Instead of going to a local store like blockbuster, Netflix delivered entertainment right to your door. It would be about 10 years before Netflix would be able to offer users an online streaming service that would allow customers the ability to watch film/TV on their personal computers.
In these ten years though Netflix had a following of over 4.2 million users which has only grown since. From the years 2008 to 2010 Netflix expanded there target audience from computer users to anyone that had an Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, iPod, iPad, iPhone, any internet connected TV as well as any other internet enabled device.
The biggest reason for the success of Netflix was that they offered a revolutionary new way of watching tv. Instead of airing episodes weekly, viewers could consume an entire season in one go. This phenomenon became so popular and came to be called as binge watching. Thanks to this new model some shows that struggle to attract an audience week in week out managed to avoid cancellation. Most famous example is Breaking Bad. Its creator Vince Gilligan once said, I think Netflix kept us on the air. Improvements in streaming technology and a rise in the use of handheld devices helped Netflixs growth, as did the platforms vast library of films and tv shows. But there was one problem, none of the content belong to Netflix. That meant the company wasnt just paying the original network for each show but they also had no guarantee they would be able to keep the rights forever. Their solution? To go from streaming tv to creating it. Netflixs first original show, House of Cards, was launched in February 2013 and made history later that year by becoming the first online-only television series to receive an Emmy nomination. With Kevin Spacey starring and David Fincher directing, it also showed that Netflix could attract top Hollywood talent to work on a web TV series. By 2016, Netflix grew to producing around 126 original programs a year, from childrens cartoons to feature-length documentaries. So far, they won one hundred and forty-seven awards, including one Oscar, 55 Emmys and two Golden Globes.