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For the first time in Netflix‘s history, the number of Original and Exclusive titles in the US catalog counted for more than 50% of all available content in March 2022.
According to Ampere Analysis‘ Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) tracking data, the Netflix US library currently boasts over 3700 Original-branded (i.e., Original and Exclusive) movies and TV seasons, up from roughly 7000 titles in the previous three years.
Netflix is second only to the much smaller Apple TV+ in terms of original-branded content among the big SVoD platforms. It outperforms Amazon Prime Video (9%) and Hulu (9%), all of which have been around for a long time (4 percent).
Netflix’s content strategy has focused on original series. When Originals & Exclusives accounted for barely 5% of the company’s US portfolio in September 2016, then-CFO David Wells set a target of a 50/50 balance between original and licensed titles within a few years. The majority of Netflix’s original titles are a result of the company’s market-leading investment.
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According to Ampere‘s Markets: Content data, the Group has regularly outspent every other SVoD company on original content since 2013, and has steadily raised its annual investment. Netflix spent $6.2 billion (€5.8 billion) on original content in 2021, more than double the next highest spender, Disney+, which spent $2.8 billion.
Netflix has risen in popularity as a popular content distributor as a result of such investments. According to Ampere‘s patented Popularity Score, Netflix Originals and Exclusives accounted for 12 percent of the 100 most popular titles available on SVoD in the United States in Q1 2022, the highest percentage of any SVoD platform.
The final season of the crime thriller Ozark and the second season of the period drama Bridgerton, which recently became Netflix’s most-watched English-language TV series, are two notable titles.
Netflix’s increasing content self-sufficiency is necessary for today’s streaming market. The rise of studio-led direct-to-consumer platforms has led to a shrinking pool of licensable content as studios prefer to keep productions in-house. Original content also allows platforms to offer exclusive titles internationally without additional licensing costs. This is particularly important as Netflix sets its sight on acquiring more international subscribers to compensate for maturity in developed markets.
Joe Hall, Analyst at Ampere Analysis
By the end of 2024, Ampere forecasts that 75% of the movies and TV seasons available on Netflix will be Originals or Exclusives, based on current growth rates.
