Netflix has taken a groundbreaking step by unveiling its viewership statistics, providing creators with unprecedented insights into the popularity of their content.

In a momentous announcement, Netflix introduced its inaugural "What We Watched" report on Tuesday, presenting a comprehensive ranking of nearly all its shows and movies based on total viewing hours over the past six months. This represents a significant departure from Netflix's previous practice of closely guarding its viewership data, which had sowed seeds of skepticism within the creator community. Addressing these concerns head-on, co-CEO Ted Sarandos acknowledged during a conference call with reporters that Netflix's historical lack of transparency had fostered mistrust among creators.

For years, Netflix had maintained secrecy around its viewership metrics, citing the necessity of safeguarding proprietary data while nurturing an environment conducive to experimentation. Sarandos underscored that the data disclosed in the report mirrors the same metrics used internally to guide business decisions, underscoring the company's commitment to transparency as a publicly traded entity.

With a global subscriber base nearing 250 million, Netflix stands as the undisputed leader in the streaming landscape, providing Sarandos with the confidence to reveal viewership statistics unabashedly. This newfound transparency arrives at a pivotal juncture, with industry stakeholders, including Hollywood actors and writers, advocating for fair compensation commensurate with audience engagement. The enhanced transparency also aligns with Netflix's recent venture into an advertising tier, necessitating greater visibility into viewership patterns to meet brand demands.

Sarandos highlighted the multifaceted advantages of this transparency, noting its potential to cultivate a more equitable environment for industry stakeholders, encompassing guilds, producers, creators, and the press. Shedding light on the viewing trends unveiled in the report, Sarandos revealed that the first season of "The Night Agent," a gripping Netflix original action thriller, emerged as the most-viewed show, amassing a staggering 812 million viewing hours over the preceding six months. Meanwhile, "The Mother," featuring Jennifer Lopez, clinched the title of Netflix's top movie during the same period.

The report laid bare viewing information for over 18,000 titles, covering an astounding 99% of all viewing activity on the platform, with each title garnering more than 50,000 hours of viewership receiving recognition. Notably, Sarandos disclosed that 55% of Netflix's viewing during this period stemmed from original films and series, underscoring the platform's burgeoning dominance in the realm of original content creation.