Netflix's rise as an online content provider has been well documented and much debated in the popular press and in academic circles. It has been praised as the future of television and also decried as the end of TV's Golden Age. Much of the research on Netflix has dealt primarily with the algorithmic culture and binge watching. This panel seeks to extend this conversation and to especially examine issues of concern for an AoIR audience, namely, analyses of the Netflix platform and an attention to user practices.
This panel presents research from an upcoming edited essay collection on Netflix that explores the impact of the streaming platform on television viewing practices, considering the implications of the company at the level of the platform, the content on the streaming service, and the nature of Netflix user practices. The work contained on this panel is especially concerned with user practices with the Netflix platform and user perceptions of different elements of the platform. One study on this panel examines perceptions of Netflix recommendation algorithms and analyzes user interactions with the platform. Another study examines changes in individuals' television viewing habits with the introduction of Netflix to that market, and the last study considers second screen applications in connection to Netflix viewing practices. This panel also takes a transnational approach in considering the larger, global impact of Netflix, as well as local perceptions of Netflix and its influence. One study was conducted in Italy, one analyzed user practices in Singapore, and the third emphasized American viewers. This transnational approach demonstrates the importance of studying streaming video not only from distinct local contexts, but also in considering the more global impact of video streaming services, as much of Netflix's original content is available in multiple countries and regions. The work contained in this panel also represent a diversity of methods for studying Netflix and similar platforms, including content analysis, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Together, this panel seeks to contribute to a continued examination of Netflix and streaming television viewing practices.
