Netflix’s tumbling stock price has caused the streamer to reexamine all of its traditional practices. This week, CNBC compared Netflix’s “all at once” releasing a model for its series to Disney’s “week-by-week” releases on Disney+.
Netflix broke through culturally by dropping an entire season of its original series on a single day, allowing eager viewers to binge-watch a season of episodes for popular series such as OZARK and SQUID GAMES. This approach has had some success, with the most recent season of STRANGER THINGS breaking records for viewership.
However, these spikes in interest can be fleeting, with viewing hours dropping precipitously after a few weeks. Disney has used a more traditional approach with its original series on Disney+, with a new episode appearing every week throughout the season. This has resulted in sustained interest over time, and less pressure to produce an increasing volume of content. Disney+ has also experienced a somewhat lower churn rate than Netflix, causing some to suggest that Netflix should also consider the merits of spreading out its new episode releases over time.