Netflix to Report Viewership Once a Year as It Shifts Focus From Watch Hours Numbers to Financial Performance

Netflix is changing how it reports audience engagement, announcing that it will publish its viewership data only once a year instead of twice. The move comes alongside the company’s continued shift away from subscriber counts and follows a second-quarter earnings report that fell slightly short of Wall Street expectations.

In its latest engagement report covering the first half of 2026, Netflix emphasized that watch time alone does not determine the success of its content. The company said it recorded more than 97 billion hours watched, its highest-ever total for a six-month period, spanning a wide range of genres and languages. However, Netflix argued that the value of those hours depends on the type of programming viewers consume rather than the total amount of time spent watching.

The decision marks another step in Netflix’s effort to focus investors on revenue and profitability instead of traditional audience metrics.

Netflix Says Engagement Is About More Than Watch Hours

In its report, Netflix stated,

“We measure engagement not only by the quantity of hours watched, but also the quality of that experience for our audiences. To be successful, we also need to have a variety of programming that appeals to different tastes and moods.”

Co-CEO Greg Peters reinforced that message during the company’s earnings call, saying not all watch hours “are created equal.” He pointed to Netflix’s growing investment in live events, explaining that while they may generate fewer viewing hours, they can drive subscriber acquisition and revenue more effectively.

Netflix also confirmed that this is the final semiannual engagement report it plans to release. Going forward, the company said annual reports will help

“keep the focus on our primary financial metrics—revenue and operating profit.”

The streaming company says engagement should be measured by the quality of viewing experiences, not just total watch hours. (Image via Netflix)

Earnings Miss and Growing Competition

The reporting change follows a quarter that disappointed some investors. Netflix reported $12.86 billion in revenue, below analysts’ expectation of $13 billion, while earnings per share came in at $0.82 compared with the projected $0.84. Its U.S. and Canada business also posted 10% year-over-year growth, a slower pace than in the previous four quarters.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Geetha Ranganathan told Yahoo Finance,

“This all points to some kind of slowdown, and I’m not necessarily sure management has articulated what they can do to reinvigorate the business here.”

Investor sentiment reflected those concerns, with Netflix shares falling nearly 8% after the earnings call.

At the same time, Netflix has continued expanding its creator-driven strategy by signing deals with major YouTube personalities, including Jay Shetty, Mythical (Rhett & Link), Hot Ones, and the Stokes Twins, as competition with YouTube for viewer attention continues.