Dr. Mike Wayne publishes research about discourses related to Netflix audience data

Portrait picture of Michael Wayne
Dr. M.L. (Michael) Wayne

In this study, Dr. Wayne uses the media industry studies perspective how the discourses surrounding Netflix audience data have changed over time. 

Using the media industry studies approach, this article provides a history of the industrial discourses surrounding Netflix’s audience data. From Netflix’s entry into the streaming market in 2007 until late-2018, the company did not publicize information about viewership. During this time, executives’ public discussions of proprietary data are understood in relation to multiple organizational goals: differentiating the streaming platform from the traditional television industry, denigrating traditional television industry practices, and deflecting criticism. In late-2018, the company began selectively publishing viewership numbers for a small number of original titles to highlight the popularity of the platform’s original content. Although the company maintains its anti-transparency policies, the shift toward selective data releases has significant implications regarding Netflix’s relationship with the traditional television industry. The article will be published in the journal Media, Culture & Society and is currently available Online First.

Read the full article Netflix audience data, streaming industry discourse, and the emerging realities of ‘popular’ television

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Dr. M.L. (Michael) Wayne

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