Netflix cuts viewership reports to once a year
Netflix says its What We Watched data will move to an annual release in 2027 as executives stress revenue, profit and programming variety.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Netflix is putting its viewership data on a slimmer schedule.
The streamer said Thursday that its “What We Watched” engagement report will move from twice-yearly publication to an annual release in the first quarter, starting in 2027. Deadline reported that the change follows four years of biannual viewership reports from the company.
The final report under the current setup covers the first half of 2026. After that, Netflix said in its shareholder memo, the viewing-hours disclosure will arrive once a year.
Netflix framed the move as part of a broader push to have investors focus less on raw viewing volume. In the letter, company leadership said engagement includes viewing hours as well as the quality and variety of its programming.
The company also said separating the viewing report from earnings is meant to keep attention on its main financial measures: revenue and operating profit.
Deadline noted that Netflix had begun tying the “What We Watched” reports to quarterly earnings only last year. Before that, the reports were released on their own schedule.
Returning series are under the microscope
The timing lands as Netflix has faced questions about how some returning shows perform after breakout first seasons. Deadline reported that Netflix has pushed back on the idea of a broad “sophomore slump” affecting titles including “The Night Agent,” “Beef” and “Nobody Wants This.”
On the company’s second-quarter earnings call Thursday, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the streamer is not seeing a material shift in second-season viewing compared with first seasons. He said returning seasons are performing within Netflix’s expectations.
Sarandos also said drop-off from season one to season two is common across television, and said it can appear more pronounced at Netflix because the platform launches shows at a large scale.
Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva has reported that some returning titles have seen notable declines. According to that reporting, “The Four Seasons” was down by as much as 63% or more, while “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,” “Running Point” and “Beef” also posted significant drops when they returned.
New shows crowded the latest chart
The latest “What We Watched” report showed fresh titles taking a lot of space near the top. Deadline reported that five of the 10 most-watched TV series in the first half of 2026 premiered during that same period.
“His & Hers” led that group with more than 100 million views since launch. Among returning series, “Bridgerton,” “The Night Agent” and “One Piece” were the ones that made the top 10.
That marked a shift from the second half of 2025, when Deadline reported that seven of the 10 most-watched seasons were popular returning titles and earlier installments of those shows.
Netflix Head of UCAN Scripted Series Jinny Howe recently pointed to “Bridgerton” in a Deadline interview while disputing concerns about retention, calling Season 4 one of the streamer’s biggest seasons.
Deadline reported that “Bridgerton” Season 4 ranked as the second most-watched title in the first half of 2026, though it was slightly below Season 3 when it arrived in February. The fourth season also did not make Netflix’s all-time most popular list, unlike the show’s first three seasons. Seasons 1 and 3 remain on that list.
The annual schedule will leave fewer regular data points for tracking Netflix shows. Deadline noted, however, that Netflix still provides more scheduled viewing disclosure than major streaming rivals, which do not release comparable viewing data on a regular basis.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.