Random Coolest Things You Didn't Know About Netflix (53 items)

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  (#1) The Company Started Rolling Out An 'Ultra' Tier In July 2018

  In July 2018, Netflix announced they had started trials of a new Ultra pricing tier, which allows users to view the streaming service's HDR content. The trials started in Europe, where select users are charged an additional €3 ($3.50) for the service. 

  Netflix said the new service is to "understand how consumers value Netflix." High Dynamic Range content offers its viewers more vibrant colors and a higher level of contrast. Prior to this test, the Premium plan – which costs $13.99 a month – already included 4k Ultra HD for up to four screens. 

   
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  (#2) Netflix’s First Name on Paper Was Kibble

  The company kicked around a lot of names - Replay.com, Directpix.com, Luna.com to name a few - but it was initially called Kibble.com for incorporation purposes. Kibble was the name of Marc Randolph - the founding CEO's - dog, and the temporary name was designed to remind everyone at what would be called Netflix of an old advertising maxim: "No matter how good the advertising, it’s not a success if the dogs don’t eat the dog food."

   
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  (#3) New Netflix Employees Start at Around $18-an-Hour

  Employees may also take as many days off as they want. Plus, they get a free Netflix subscription. 
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  (#4) There Was Once A Funny Glitch Only A Few Viewers Saw

  In 2014, a bug caused one-sentence summaries of different titles to merge, creating completely nonsensical and hilarious mashup descriptions. The titles were removed, but many subscribers still managed to grab delightful screen shots and one even created a popular Twitter, @SummaryBug.    

  Just one example of the bug read: "Legendary business man and Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, changed the way Americans live, think, and work, before his extraterrestrial activity." 
  
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  (#5) It's The Largest Contributor Of Internet Traffic

  According to the numbers in 2015, Netflix's combined bandwidth traffic accounts for 36.5% of peak traffic in North America. Amazon and Hulu, meanwhile, accounted for less than 2% of peak traffic. 
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  (#6) You Need To See The First Film Netflix Ever Made

  Now, Example Show is no race horse from 1878, but it does have a fountain, moonwalking, soccer ball juggling, and manmade sound FX.  Very French. Very art house. Luckily, the 11-minute film was simply a test and isn't meant for consumers to actually view. That doesn't mean you can't find it, though!

   
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  (#7) What Does Binge-Watching Actually Do to Us?

  A study done in 2015 at the University of Texas revealed that binge-watching may make us more likely to be depressed. The study was made up of 316 people. It also revealed that binge-watching can make people feel like they have a lack of self-control, which can highlight a person's perceived loneliness. 

  ”Our findings in our research show that those who feel more depressed tend to watch more programs," said Yoon Hi Sung, a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. 

  
  
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  (#8) Netflix Almost Got Sucked into the Blockbuster Black Hole

  CEO Reed Hastings nearly handed Netflix over in 2000. He sought to align himself with Blockbuster, the rental giant across 7,700 stores worldwide. “We offered to sell a 49% stake and take the name Blockbuster.com. We’d be their online service,” he said.

  Much to their later dismay, Blockbuster turned him down. And now there are tumbleweeds and pet store chains where the Blockbuster franchise used to be. 
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  (#9) The Origin Of 'Netflix & Chill'

  Kevin Roose at Fusion actually tracked down the origin of the phrase. When Netflix began offering streaming service in 2007, people might say something like, “I’m going to go home and watch some Netflix and chill,” which contextually meant "going home, flopping down on the couch, and watching Netflix." Then, Black Twitter started spinning that phrase, using it as a code word for a hook up or booty call. 

  Roose says that Twitter user @nofacenina was the first to tweet, “I’m about to log onto Neflix and chill for the rest of the night” back in 2009. @TeviStateofMind was the first to tweet the phrase with the ampersand. “bouta hop on this netflix & chill for the rest of the day! shower first tho lol.” By summer 2015, the phrase had begun to shed its connotations of relaxed isolation and begun to be used as a euphemism. The rest is history.
  
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  (#10) According To Netflix, You Spend About Two Minutes Deciding What To Watch

  The company estimates that users spend only one to two minutes browsing for a title before choosing one or simply giving up.
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  (#11) Netflix Pulls In More Than $6 Billion A Year

  The company closed out the 2015 fiscal year with estimated $6.78 billion in revenue with $1.75 billion in profits.

   
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  (#12) The Secret Menu To Adjust Bit Rate/Buffering And How To Use It

  On a PC, pressing Shift, Alt, and left clicking launches a troubleshooting menu that allows you to adjust the bit rate of a stream so it doesn’t buffer. On a Mac, it's Shift, Option. You want to press these while streaming the title to bring up the diagnostic screen. Then click Screen Manager. Then select Manual to alter the streaming rate. Lower numbers lower the image quality, but do allow for uninterrupted viewing.  

  When using video game consoles and other streaming devices, try inputing the code Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Up, Up, Up, Up on the controller or remote to deactivate Netflix, then reboot it.

  If you're watching on an Apple TV, though, buffering must remain a fact of life.
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  (#13) Netflix Adopted A 'God Mode' For Browsers

  Hate scrolling horizontally? Independent developer Renan Cakirerk didn't, so he created a “god mode” revealing all of the user’s viewing options all at once in a single vertical menu. The work-around proved so popular that Netflix incorporated the feature into a total redesign of the site, and Cakirerk's bookmarklet is no longer available. It remains a testament to his unauthorized ingenuity and Netflix's responsiveness, however.

   
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  (#14) Netflix Hired A Spoiler Expert To Understand The Changing Social Climate

  Cultural anthropologist Grant McCracken was brought in by Netflix to understand spoilers within the context of binge-watching. McCracken said that when you have information about a show that no one else knows about, you have power.  

  “I live in the future that you are about to occupy,” McCracken said. Netflix used McCracken’s data to ask viewers how they classify spoilers. A quick survey determines whether your loose typing on social media has ruined plot lines, or if you're super locked down about that kind of thing. Or somewhere in the middle.  

  Netflix was also interested in finding out whether spoilers ruin a title’s appeal. “Our whole fate is tied up in understanding the behavioral changes of people when it comes to watching television and consuming content,” said content chief Ted Sarandos. McCracken said that spoilers don’t tend to have impact on a well done television series or film. “You can know about the key scenes and still want to watch the show."
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  (#15) Does Netflix Have Higher RatingsThan HBO? Netflix Believes So

  The two biggest content-making giants in the world - HBO & Netflix - have locked horns over ratings and subscriber claims. By early 2014, it was generally accepted that Netflix had eclipsed HBO, with the streaming giant racking up an estimated 33.4 million US users to the cable powerhouse's 28 million. As for ratings, exact figures aren't available, as Netflix guards numbers. Still Netflix's Ted Sarandos claims that an unspecified streaming show lures more viewers than Game of Thrones, which is officially the top-rated cable series.

  Netflix’s Ted Sarandos told the UBS Global Media Conference in 2015 that he’s fine with that perception, but doesn't really believe it, despite not offering up numbers as proof. “We’re pleased to take the number two spot, but think it’s number one because they don’t measure all the devices,” Sarandos said. 
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  (#16) Subscribers Watch Two Hours Of Content A Day

  Many of you think that’s super low, right? But if you consider that viewers watch five hours of live TV a day, Netflix owns you. 
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  (#17) Netflix Helps Parents Trick Their Kids Into Going To Bed Early

  From fake New Year's Eve countdowns to short, five-minute videos designed to let kids watch "one more episode" before bed without actually letting them stay up late, Netflix is a parent’s best friend.

   
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  (#18) Netflix Put Together House Of Cards Based On David Fincher And Kevin Spacey’s Popularity

  What began as a gamble for Netflix has become a sure thing. House of Cards is a remake of a British original, and its American version was not guaranteed success. Netflix came up with the series after analyzing viewership data showing many viewers watched the films of director David Fincher through to the end.

  A significant chunk of these viewers also regularly watched Kevin Spacey's work, as well as the original British House of Cards. From this simple observation, a TV titan was born.

   
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  (#19) Netflix Had Its Own Awards Show Called The Flixies

  Netflix briefly experimented with its own awards show. The Flixies, which were not very serious, were announced plenty of publicity in 2013, but the votable awards didn't return for another round after the first year.

   
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  (#20) Adam Sandler Isn’t Going Anywhere

  Love him or hate him, Sandler signed a four-picture deal with Netflix. Sandler’s films rack up millions of views on the platform, so the deal makes a lot of sense.  

  “People love Adam’s films on Netflix, and often watch them again and again. His appeal spans across viewers of all ages,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said. Sandler's first Netflix picture, The Ridiculous 6, set viewing records on Netflix with the most robust first 30-day performance in the company's history.  

  Sandler’s reasoning for agreeing to the deal? “Netflix rhymes with Wet Chicks,” he said. Go ahead. Roll your eyes. 
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  (#21) Jenji Kohan Discovered A New Audience With 'Orange Is The New Black'

  Kohan took Weeds to Showtime because the network gave her the freedom to create. She found the same freedom with Netflix, coupled with new narrative possibilities thanks to entire seasons becoming available to viewers at once.

  "There are no rules. It's Netflix," she explained. "I could do a whole season in a week if I wanted, not that I necessarily would, but that's the joy of this."
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  (#22) Who’s Older? Netflix Or Google?

  Technically, Netflix precedes Google by one whole year. Google came on the scene in 1998, during the early days of the Internet. In 1997, Netflix offered unlimited rental DVDs through the mail for a monthly subscription, then began offering streaming services in 2007. 
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  (#23) Subscribers Accidentally Got Hardcore Porn In 1998

  Back before it entered the streaming business, Netflixwanted to give subscribers something fresh, and put footage of President Clinton’s Grand Jury testimony up for rent on DVD. The duplication house mixed up their hardcore Chinese hardcore porn order with the Clinton discs, and sent out a few hundred DVDs by mistake. 
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  (#24) The Late Fee Origin Story Isn’t Actually True

  Part of Netflix's origin story is the classic tale of the time that CEO Reed Hastings was charged $40 in late fees for renting Apollo 13 at his local video rental store. He allegedly didn't return the VHS for six weeks, and his wife was getting pretty annoyed with him for racking up so many late fees.  Hastings said, “I had misplaced the cassette. It was all my fault. I didn’t want to tell my wife about it. And I said to myself, ‘I’m going to compromise the integrity of my marriage over a late fee?’ Later, on my way to the gym, I realized they had a much better business model. You could pay $30 or $40 a month and work out as little or as much as you wanted."

  Former Reuters reporter Gina Keating wrote an in-depth book, Netflixed, that debunked some myths about the company. She clears up the late fee story. “We all know that story as journalists because that’s the story that they sell. I was told after interviewing the Netflix founding team that that [story] began as a construct to explain to people how Netflix worked because the model in 1997 was very foreign to consumers. Nobody really shopped online. The idea of renting a movie online and then having to send it back, nobody did that. So the idea was to tell that story so that people would understand you didn’t have to pay late fees and you could keep it as long as you wanted,” Keating said. 
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  (#25) Netflix Is Taking Over The World

  As of January 2016, Netflix reported it had 74.8 million subscribers worldwide across the 190 countries where the service is available. They also stream two billion hours of movies and TV shows per month. As part of its huge push into international markets, Netflix’s goal is to be in 200 countries by the end of 2016. 
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  (#26) The Wacky and Awesome Netflix Publicity Tour of 2006 and 2007

  In 2006 and 2007, Netflix put together a publicity tour featuring actors who have bands, and who also happen to star in their most popular movies. Events were held in filming locations with performances by Kevin Costner (Dyersville, Iowa - Field of Dreams), Bruce Willis (Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral - Armageddon), Kevin Bacon (Baltimore - Diner), and Dennis Quaid (New Orleans - The Big Easy). 
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  (#27) Netflix Keeps Its Viewing Numbers A Secret - Nielsen Will Track Them Anyway

  Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Crackle, Vudu, and other streaming services don’t disclose ratings, but that hasn’t stopped Nielsen from at least attempting to track viewership. Actual numbers would have a huge impact on negotiations for streaming rights.  

  "Our clients will be able to look at their programs and understand: Is putting content on Netflix impacting the viewership on linear and traditional VOD [video on demand]?" Nielsen senior VP Brian Fuhrer told The Wall Street Journal. To measure ratings, Nielsen will collect audio data, but not from mobile devices.  

  Other independent research groups have attempted to gain a sample. Luth Research polled 2,500 and determined that 4.4 million people watched Daredevil in the first 11 days. That’s more than Netflix’s other original titles House of Cards and Bloodline.  
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  (#28) There Were Over 5 Million+ Subscribers In Latin America In 2015

  The Latin American audience is the the company's market with the fastest growth. “We are investing in content that would be attractive to (Latin America), but would also appeal to viewers across the world,” Netflix communications chief Jonathan Friedland told Variety in 2015.

   
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  (#29) Unique Netflix Subscribers Grew To Over 74 Million Worldwide In 2015

  As Netflix adds more original programming as well as more content and expands into previously-untapped global markets, subscriptions have boomed, bringing the total subscriber total to just under 75 million. While US members aren't joining as rapidly, the company expects to add roughly 6 million new customers a quarter.

   
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  (#30) Netflix Has More Data About How And What Viewers Watch Than Anyone In Hollywood

  The Netflix recommendation algorithm provides a central component of the company, and it's based on a staggeringly vast amount of information. Their desire is to mind-meld with users to discover specific tastes that each individual user might have. That’s why there are nearly 77,000 unique "micro-genres" describing each film and TV show exactly.

  We can thank Netflix’s taggers for this meticulous breakdown. This wealth of knowledge is a goldmine for studios, independent filmmakers, and content makers worldwide. 
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  (#31) The Term 'Binge-Watch' Has Been Around Since The ‘90s

  “'Binge' is an old Lincolnshire dialect word that made its way into common English in the 19th century,” international publisher at Collins Learning Elaine Higgleton said. “Binge-watch” was named Collins word of the year in 2015. The practice of binge-watching has been around since the ‘80s, when networks would program marathons of specific shows.

   
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  (#32) Why Does Your Video Get Pixelated At Certain Times?

  Ever see Frank Underwood’s face get a little pixelated or blurry while he’s breaking the fourth wall? That’s because millions of subscribers are using around 35% of U.S. Internet bandwidth between and 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. 
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  (#33) You Customize Your Recommendations

  Your secret binge-watching habits have probably messed with your recommendations list. The best way to reset what Netflix offers is to rate the titles you watch. If you have multiple viewers in the house and you want to distinguish your viewing tastes from My Little Pony and Way of the Dragon, go to your Netflix My Account and set up viewing profiles for each family member. 
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  (#34) Netflix Once Called Canada a Third World Country

  "It's almost a human rights violation what they're charging for Internet access in Canada,” chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in 2012.  

  It’s probably not really close to a human rights violation, but because of the high rates, Internet usage is limited, and Netflix Canada comes in standard definition. So, Netflix thinks Canada deserves a third world distinction for that. In outrage, Canadians shrugged and then politely went back to watching a pixelated episode of The Great British Baking Show. 
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  (#35) By 2015, About 60% of Netflix Users Were Binge-Watching Content

  Every few weeks, an estimated 60% of users binge-watch their stories on Netflix. Which shows sucked people in instantaneously? Breaking Bad, Bates Motel, and How I Met Your Mother were some of the top shows to pull people in quickly, kickstarting binges within two episodes.

   
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  (#36) Just How Big Is Netflix’s Content Library? Over One Petabyte

  Besides it’s humongous storage size, Netflix also designs its own hardware. When you’re streaming all of that content, you're going to need a giant pipeline. Netflix uses two types of servers: a hard disk based server, and a flash drive based server, built for low-power usage and high density. The design is updated every year. 
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  (#37) Netflix Held A Contest Prize For $1 Million; They Never Used The Algorithm

  In 2009, Netflix was more than happy to invest in improving it’s recommendation algorithm, Cinematch. They held a competition with a prize purse of $1 million. The Korbell group spent 2,000 hours cracking the code, and finally won the competition a year in. They were able to improve the algorithm by 8.43%.  

  But Netflix didn’t use it. “We evaluated some of the new methods offline but the additional accuracy gains that we measured did not seem to justify the engineering effort needed to bring them into a production environment,” Netflix said. 
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  (#38) Pirate Sites Drive Netflix’s Programming

  Netflix studies top illegally downloaded titles on sites such as BitTorrent to determine what should be added to its line-up. This practice not only informs domestic tastes, it also helps Netflix program for international markets. 
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  (#39) Dream Job: Netflix Might Pay You To Watch Content At Home

  If you love binge-watching, you’d enjoy being a tagger for Netflix. Ever wonder just who’s rating all of those shows and films? Taggers. Netflix hired their first taggers in 2007 when the company started offering streaming. Taggers watch three to eight titles a week. They also collect data, categorize, and then tag and subtag. One two-hour movie can take up to an hour to tag. So it’s not like you’re just rifling through content.  

  "I use a projector and a 110-inch screen. I close the shades, get light down, grab snacks, soda or beer and get to work,” tagger Josh Garrell said. The jobs are part time and highly sought after. Netflix is also very picky about who they choose to tag.  

  Vice president of production innovation Todd Yellin explained, "We are very selective in the hiring process. A tagger is someone with an analytical mind; someone who can deconstruct a movie or TV show into its core elements; and someone who has a deep passion for video entertainment," Yellin said. "Many of our taggers have studied film in college and have experience as screenwriters, film critics, or script supervisors."
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  (#40) Find Out What’s On Netflix Any Time With Instant Watcher

  Instant Watcher lets you check Netflix and Amazon titles whenever you feel like figuring out what's on Netflix without actually going to the site. This site also rates movies by what’s popular, what's new and noteworthy, by release year, by genre, and by the main star of the title. Plus, the site shares critics and audiences ratings.  

  There’s also What’s New On Netflix. The site is organized by release dates with links directly to the Netflix title. 
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  (#41) Use Your Phone Or Mobile Device As A Remote

  On your on PlayStation 3, instead of using the game controller, use your phone or tablet to tool around on Netflix. Sync your mobile device and your PS3 on your WiFi network. Fire up the Netflix app on both devices. Then, use your phone or device like a remote. This also works when you watch Netflix on Google Chromecast.  

  iPhone also has a remote app for Apple TV as well as Roku, so you can control Netflix that way too. 
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  (#42) How To Change Your Subtitle Style

  If you are a regular watcher of international content, you’re probably picky about how you want to see subtitles, and you might also want choices. There are eight different choices in the Your Account settings on your web browser. You can change the font, the size, and the positioning of the subtitles. 
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  (#43) Netflix Changed the Television Programming Game

  The company produced 66 original titles in 2015, and those titles have proven to be a respected gauge of audience tastes. BoJack Horseman, Chef’s Table, Club de Cuervos, Dawn of Croods, Dragons: Race to the Edge, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Grace and Frankie, Happy Valley, Making a Murderer, and Master of None were just a few of the hugely popular titles on the streaming service.
  
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  (#44) Netflix Was Nominated for Its First Oscar in 2014

  The Square documented the 2011 Egyptian revolution and immediately grabbed the attention of Academy voters. 
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  (#45) Netflix Was the First Streaming Service to Win a Major Hollywood Award

  Robin Wright’s Best Actress Golden Globe for House of Cards in 2014made Netflix the first streaming service of its kind to win such an award. 
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  (#46) What Happens When Disney, Netflix, and Marvel Team Up?

  The move to produce multiple live-action series was great news for Marvel fans. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage kicked off the line-up, with a miniseries titled The Defenders eventually uniting all four characters.
  
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  (#47) How to Erase Your Viewing History

  Don’t want anyone to know that you watched The Ridiculous 6? Go to Your Account, select Viewing Activity, and then check the titles you want to disappear. 
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  (#48) NBC Irritates Netflix with a Crack at Numbers

  Shots were fired in January of 2016 when NBC hired Symphony Advanced Media to hack Netflix ratings using audio recognition. The results: From September to December in 2015, Jessica Jones  was watched by 4.8 million between the ages of 18-49, over Master of None with 3 million and Narcos with 3.2.  

  Netflix’s COO Ted Sarandos was not amused, and said that the numbers aren’t correct. ”The methodology and the measurement and data itself doesn't reflect any sense of reality of anything we keep track of. You can cancel Netflix with one click. If they're not watching, they will quit," he said. 

  Orange is the New Black creator Jenji Kohan, staying squarely in the middle, said, "I want to know how many people are watching, I want to know who's watching. It's sort of a waste of time to speculate. But at the same time, the number thing can make you crazy, because then it's like the scale - you're watching it go up, watching it go down."
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  (#49) Open the Netflix Vault with This URL Code Hack

  Sick of seeing those same titles at the top of each genre, preventing you from getting your binge on? Behold, the thousands of choices of titles of Netflix. Each genre has a specific number at the end of the URL. By changing that number, you can now enjoy a lot more genres like Creature Features - http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/6895 -  or Movies for Ages 11 to 12 - http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/6962. 

  Find the complete genre code list here. 
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  (#50) Netflix Is Spending $6 Billion on New Content in 2016

  Netflix's chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, noted that the company will have 600+ hours of original content streaming in 2016 alone, and that Netflix's budget for that content over the year is at least $6 billion. That's a lot of new TV shows! 

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