Netflix says password crackdown working as it adds 8.8m new users

  • 10/18/2023
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Netflix announced its global crackdown on password sharing was working and unveiled plans to increase prices as it announced its latest quarterly results on Wednesday. The streaming media company added 8.8 million new subscribers over the last three months, far better than expected and up from 2.4 million in the same quarter last year. The increase came even as a strike by Hollywood actors and writers threatened to affect the rollout of new shows. The price of a basic Netflix subscription in the US will rise by $2 to $11.99, while premium subscriptions will rise by $3 to $22.99. In the UK, a basic subscription will rise by £1 to £7.99, with premium memberships increasing by £2 to £17.99. Netflix began cracking down on people using shared passwords to access its service this summer. The company said the “cancel reaction” has been lower than expected. The company also launched a cheaper, ad-supported service a year ago but said it would take time to build the service “from scratch”. “We remain very optimistic about our long-run opportunity in this very big market,” the company said in a statement. Hollywood writers agreed to end their strike after a five-month walk out triggered in large part by grievances over the lack of revenue sharing from Netflix and other streaming services. Hollywood’s actors are still negotiating and remain on strike. The dispute led to delays and cancellations that have cut Netflix’s expenses for the year. The company expects to invest about $13bn in content this year, down from the $17bn it expected to spend earlier this year. Netflix reported revenues of $8.54bn, in line with projections. Net profit rose 20% to $1.68bn in the third quarter, topping its forecast. Netflix’s share price rose over 11% in after-hours trading.

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