Streaming pioneer Netflix paved the way for Hulu, HBO Now and all the other on-demand streaming services that cord-cutters use to fill in the gaps after they cancel their cable TV subscriptions. Netflix is available in almost every country now and it’s still very affordable, even after several recent price hikes.
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How Did Netflix Get Started?
In the early days of Netflix, the DVD rental service didn’t deliver actual flicks via the net. However, Netflix founder Reed Hasting came up with the name Netflix for a reason. Even as far back as 1999– the year when Netflix first started operating– Hastings knew that the internet was the future. He could see that internet services were getting faster and cheaper all the time.
Netflix waited until 2007 to launch its streaming service. When that service finally debuted, most critics were impressed with how well it worked and how easy it was to use. The only problem was lack of quality content. Reihan Salam of Slate wrote that the selection of titles that was available at the time seemed like it was thrown together by “some schlock curator from an Ivy League cinema studies department.”
Netflix not only survived, it thrived and grew into a household name. The decision to begin debuting original content helped make the Netflix brand unique. That gamble worked and Netflix’s high quality originals have helped it accumulate 151 million subscribers. Its in-house titles have racked up six Academy Awards and 37 Emmy Awards.
Where is Netflix Available?
Netflix is available in so many regions now that it’s much easier to answer the question: where isn’t Netflix available? There are only four correct answers: China, North Korea, Syria and Crimea. You can sign up for Netflix in any other part of the world.
Related: Here Are All the Regions Netflix Isn’t In – And Why
Who is Netflix For?
Since Netflix is relatively inexpensive and offers lots of high quality on-demand content, many people use Netflix to fill in the entertainment gaps when they can’t find anything interesting to watch live. Cord-cutters use Netflix and other streaming services to fill the void after they cancel their cable subscriptions.
A closer look at Netflix’s user demographics gives us a more detailed picture of the type of people that like and use Netflix. According to a study from Civic Science, Netflix’s United States user base mirrors the country’s general population in terms of gender, income, education and age. Around half of Netflix users use the service several times a week and the bulk of its user base fall into the 25 to 44 age bracket.
Where are Netflix’s goals for 2020?
Facing an increasingly crowded domestic market for streaming services, Netflix is now aiming to grow its customer base abroad.
Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit in India, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced his company’s plans to spend over $400 million on Indian content in 2019 and 2020. As part of Netflix’s plan to attract Indian streamers, the streaming giant recently released a $2.80/month mobile-only subscription option that’s only available in India.
Netflix will open a Paris office on the 17th of January. Hastings believes that winning over French streamers is a key part of gaining traction in Europe. Since 2018, Netflix has “developed, produced and/or launched” 15 French originals according to Variety.
What Kind of Content is on Netflix?
Netflix offers an extremely wide range of new and old TV shows and movies, from comedies to documentaries to dramas, thrillers, horror flicks and more. In 2018, there were 5,599 titles in the Netflix catalog.
To help its users identify content they might like, Netflix sorts its deep catalog into incredibly specific micro-genres like “tearjerkers from the 1970s, “showbiz Movies based on real life.” The fact that there are more than 76,000 Netflix micro-genres in all provides evidence that Netflix truly offers a little something for everyone.
Alex Munkachy is a freelance writer, game developer and hobby robotics enthusiast. You can find his blog about robotics news and reviews at robotfanatics.com.
