A Billion Hours of Viewing: Netflix’s Report Highlights Latino Content’s Global Reach

Netflix, in a move that surprised many, recently released its comprehensive global streaming numbers to the public in a report titled “What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report,” offering an unprecedented glimpse into the viewing habits of global audiences from January to June 2023. The most surprising revelation? The global popularity of Latino and Latino-led content.

Why Latino Shows are Dominating Global Streams

Despite making up only 3% of Netflix’s overall library, two Latino-influenced shows, “La Reina del Sur: Season 3,” a Spanish-language telenovela, and “Wednesday,” starring Mexican/Puerto Rican actress Jenna Ortega, rank in the top 10 most-streamed shows worldwide, amassing nearly one billion viewing hours together.

Fig. 1: Top 10 most-streamed shows on Netflix (January-June 2023), showcasing the popularity of both Latin American and Latino-led content, including ‘La Reina del Sur’ and ‘Wednesday.’

This high ranking is probably due to a few factors:

Cultural specificity – Shows like “La Reina del Sur” embrace specific Latino social realities.

Rising Latino talent – Stars like Jenna Ortega in “Wednesday” showcase thriving universal stories with Latina faces.

Platform reach – Netflix offers a global reach offering multilingual programming from across the world.

Latino Viewership: Beyond the Numbers

Nielsen data from this year shows that young Hispanic adults aged 18-49 streamed over 30 billion minutes of content in early 2023. Stacie de Armas, Nielsen’s Senior Vice President, notes that “Latinos represent 19% of the US population, but they account for 42% of the country’s most-watched content on streamers.” This data suggests that Latino or general viewers appreciate specific Latino experiences while also enjoying stories that transcend race, language, and ethnicity.

Kate del Castillo as ‘La Reina del Sur’ and Jenna Ortega as ‘Wednesday’

Spanish vs. English-Language Content: A Comparative Analysis

Also interesting, Spanish-language titles like “Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal” and “Chiquititas” command a larger Latino viewership overall than their English-language counterparts like “Jane the Virgin” and “The Lincoln Lawyer”. The graphic below illustrates global audiences have a bigger appetite for Spanish-language programming. One explanation could be the combined allure of the telenovela format and crime dramas, which resonate more strongly with audiences than American-Latino TV narratives.

Fig. 2: This graph highlights the global popularity of Spanish-language content. Shows like “La Reina del Sur” and “Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal” surpass their English-language counterparts in viewership.

Netflix’s report highlights the popularity of Latino content globally. However,  more demographics are required for a comprehensive understanding of the audience. Are the viewers primarily US Latino, Latin American, or non-Latino? Will Netflix and Hollywood invest in more Latino narratives and stars?

The Future of Latino Storytelling in Global Media

For Latino creators, the data is a resounding affirmation that their stories and voices do matter. It reflects the Latino audience’s growing influence and acceptance on the mainstream and global media stage.

As more Latino storytellers continue to rise to prominence, Netflix’s report makes one thing clear. The world is having a fascination with Latino culture. Our stories and stars are capturing the attention of international audiences and putting their unique stamp on classic franchises. Make no mistake – the future is ours to shape.