Today, the entertainment industry is certainly unimaginable without Netflix as the streaming service is pretty much a staple in every household. People enjoy the simplicity of choosing what they want to watch when they want to watch it, as well as what device they want to watch it on. Over the years Netflix has given viewers plenty of incredible original content like The Irishman, Orange is The New Black, Bridgerton, and much more — and fans certainly count on the streaming platform to produce even more binge-worthy content in the future.
Today, we're taking a look at some fun facts you probably didn't know about Netflix. From what they originally did to just how much original content they have produced over the years — keep on scrolling to find out!
10 Netflix Was Originally Called 'Kibble'
Yes, originally, Netflix wasn't called Netflix, and here is what co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, Marc Randolph revealed about the original name:
"First, I was very concerned about building a service that looked good, but that nobody wanted to use. So I choose Kibble to remind us of the old advertising adage that “It doesn’t matter how good your dog food advertising campaign is if the dogs won’t eat the dog food."
9 In 1998 Their Website Launched
While Netflix was founded in August of 1997 by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings it wasn't until a year later the company officially launched. Granted, back then the website looked nothing like we know it today — and it also served a completely different purpose as subscribers couldn't watch content on their computers just yet.
8 And In 1999 It Was Offering A Subscription-Based DVD-By-Mail Service
In 1999 Netflix started offering a subscription-based DVD-by-mail service that was certainly one of a kind. Users would order movies from the Netflix website and receive them via post.
Once they finished watching them they would simply send them back to Netflix in envelopes provided by the company. Of course, at the time this was great for people who did not have a video rental store nearby!
7 In 2013 Netflix Launched Its First Three Original Shows
Yes, it may seem as if Netflix originals have been around for quite some time but the reality is that Netflix launched its first three big-budget original shows back in 2013. That year House of Cards, Hemlock Grove, and Orange Is the New Black premiered and they quickly changed the game for show productions which now didn't have to be tied to television channels.
6 And Since Then It Has Produced Over 1,500 Original Titles
As of last month, Netflix has produced over 1,500 original titles since 2013 and plenty of their productions have been major hits. Needless to say that Netflix is planning on producing much more content in the future and at a much faster rate — so this number is bound to rise very quickly.
5 In 2016 Netflix Became Global
On January 6, 2016, Netflix launched in service internationally and the company made that announcement during a keynote by Co-founder and Chief Executive Reed Hastings at CES 2016. Here's what he said at the event:
"Today you are witnessing the birth of a new global Internet TV network. With this launch, consumers around the world -- from Singapore to St. Petersburg, from San Francisco to Sao Paulo -- will be able to enjoy TV shows and movies simultaneously -- no more waiting. With the help of the Internet, we are putting power in consumers’ hands to watch whenever, wherever and on whatever device."
4 41% Of Netflix Users Watch Without Paying
Yes, most people who have a Netflix account have shared their password with someone. According to CompariTech, friends make up 18% of the sharing — while the rest, of course, goes to family sharing.
In 2019 a MoffetNathonson survey found that 41% of Netflix users aren't actually paying for their accounts but rather using passwords from someone they know.
3 In 2017, Netflix Won Its First Academy Award
In 2017 Netflix actually won its first Academy Award in the category Best Documentary Short Subject for The White Helmets. Since then, Netflix has not been a stranger to winning plenty more Academy Awards for productions like Roma, Marriage Story, If Anything Happens I Love You, Icarus, American Factory, My Octopus Teacher, Period. End of Sentence, Mank, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and Two Distant Strangers.
2 And In 2018 Netflix Was Nominated For More Emmy Awards Than HBO
Only a year after taking home their first academy award Netflix has received more Emmy nominations than HBO. This may not sound like something special — but HBO has been dominating at the award show for over 17 years, up until that point. Last year, Netflix had a total of 16 Emmy nominations — 53 more than HBO!
1 Today, It Is More Popular Than Cable
Frankly, it's certainly not surprising that Netflix has become so big as more and more people prefer choosing their content over watching classic television. While other streaming services have also grown — none is yet as big as Netflix which has even taken over the throne from cable television when it comes to popularity in the United States. Yes, more people enjoy using the famous streaming service than paying for regular cable!