Ever wanted to sneak a peak into your favourite TV show or movie before it comes to Netflix? Well, your chances of doing this have just improved. After losing record number of subscribers in the first two quarters of the year, streaming giant Netflix held out in the third quarter by adding 2.41 million new subscribers. Now, it looks to build up on this by letting tens of thousands of users across the globe to preview content before they are released.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Netflix is looking to expand its “Preview Club,” which lets its members watch a handful of shows or films before they are widely made available. Currently, the number of previewers stand at well past 2000, but could soon expand into tens of thousands.
And the best bit? The increase in the number of previewers could happen as early as next year.
The Preview Club, which began in Netflix over a year ago but is quite commonplace in Hollywood for many years, serves a dual purpose. Not only does it offer users with a glimpse into the upcoming shows and films before they are made available to the broader public, but it helps Netflix provide netter quality of content to its audiences.
Previews of the content before they are made available for all make it possible for filmmakers and creators of TV shows to gather meaningful feedback from the previewers, which they can then incorporate into their content to improve it ahead of the public release. The report by the Wall Street Journal made mention of Don’t Look Up – a film that starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence and was released last year. It reportedly benefitted from the feedback of the previewers and the filmmaker toned down the seriousness of the film with a greater touch of comedy. It went on to be nominated for four Academy Awards and set a new record for the most viewing hours in a single week on Netflix.
If a greater number of Netflix subscribers are part of this Preview Club, then one can expect upcoming projects on the platform to take note of extensive feedback and improve their works. At a time when its competitors are getting ahead in the race and an economic downturn bodes ill for startups and companies alike, Netflix will need every advantage available to remain relevant and a strong name in the streaming market.
