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Netflix reports third-quarter results and forecasts slower sales growth

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 9 outlets across the spectrum.

13 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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Netflix reported third-quarter results on Tuesday. Bloomberg reports sales of $12.9 billion, in line with Wall Street expectations, and a fourth-quarter forecast of $13.4 billion that falls short of analyst predictions. Reuters, carried by the New York Post, reports slower revenue growth and a weak forecast. Several outlets report layoffs of about 6 percent of staff and changes to the content chief and head of feature films, and Netflix acknowledged that viewership has stalled. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the company needs better execution in its US shows and movies. Semafor reports that shares fell more than 5 percent.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Netflix reported third-quarter sales of $12.9 billion, in line with Wall Street expectations.

    One outletBloomberg· Left

  2. Netflix forecast fourth-quarter sales of $13.4 billion, below what analysts had predicted.

    Reported byLeft1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Right
    New York Post

  3. Netflix cut about 6 percent of its staff and changed its content leadership, including its content chief and head of feature films.

    Reported byLeft2Center2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Business Insider, NBC News
    Center
    Financial Times, Semafor

  4. Netflix acknowledged that viewership has stalled, particularly in the US and Canada.

    Reported byLeft1Center2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The New York Times
    Center
    Financial Times, Semafor

  5. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the company needs better execution in its biggest market, the US, for its shows and movies.

    One outletBusiness Insider· Left

  6. Netflix shares fell after the results were released.

    Reported byLeft1Center2Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Business Insider
    Center
    MarketWatch, Semafor
    Right
    New York Post

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Whether Netflix’s third-quarter results beat or missed expectations.

    Bloomberg reports earnings exceeded Wall Street expectations and sales were in line, but the fourth-quarter forecast fell short of analyst predictions. The New York Post, citing Reuters, describes a weak forecast, and the Financial Times describes a downbeat outlook.

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every side reports Netflix’s third-quarter results and a weaker sales forecast; left and center also cite stalled viewership. The main difference is emphasis: left headlines stress strong revenue behind a viewership problem, while center and right headlines stress slowing growth and investor reaction.

  • the left

    4 outlets

    Headlines frame the story as a business problem behind strong revenue, centering stalled viewership, executive shake-ups and investor worry about growth.

    Netflix Is Great at Making Money. Its Problem Is Keeping Viewers Hooked.
    The New York TimesLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    3 outlets

    Headlines lead with slowing growth and a weak outlook, often placing the investor reaction and the company’s own statements beside the numbers.

    Netflix grapples with slowing revenue growth
    SemaforCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    2 outlets

    The only right-side headline is a Reuters report run by the New York Post, leading with the 7 percent share drop and a weak forecast.

    Netflix shares tank 7% as streamer reports slower revenue growth, issues weak forecast
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left1

    dramatic

  • Center2

    hits dry upbouncing both its content chief

  • Right0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    dramaticMore neutral: content executive shake-up

    The word adds drama to a shake-up that the report describes without any such judgement.

    Netflix shares sink on earnings after a dramatic content executive shake-up

    Used byBusiness Insider (Left)

  • Sensational language

    hits dry upMore neutral: viewership growth slows

    The figurative phrase suggests a sudden collapse, which the rest of the report does not establish.

    Netflix gives downbeat outlook as streaming hits dry up

    Used byFinancial Times (Center)

  • Loaded verb

    bouncing both its content chiefMore neutral: removing its content chief

    The verb “bouncing” is informal slang for removing people from their jobs, so it adds a tone the plain word “removing” does not.

    After laying off 6% of employees and bouncing both its content chief and head of feature films last week, Netflix reported its third straight…

    Used bySemafor (Center)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

4 outlets

Leads with

  • stalled viewership
  • executive shake-ups and layoffs
  • weaker sales forecast

Leaves out

  • the size of the share price fall

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 4 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

3 outlets

Leads with

  • slowing revenue growth
  • investor reaction
  • leadership and content problems

Leaves out

  • the 12 percent revenue increase reported by the New York Times
  • Sarandos’s remark that US shows and movies need better execution

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 3 headlines from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

2 outlets

Leads with

  • share price drop
  • weak forecast
  • slower revenue growth
See the 3 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    The New York Times, Oct 20, 4:01 PM EDT

  • Center

    9 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 4:10 PM EDT

  • Right

    45 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 4:45 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The New York TimesLeftOct 20, 4:01 PM EDT
  2. Business InsiderLeftOct 20, 4:08 PM EDT
  3. Financial TimesCenterOct 20, 4:10 PM EDT
  4. New York PostRightOct 20, 4:45 PM EDT
  5. MarketWatchCenterOct 20, 4:54 PM EDT
  6. BloombergLeftOct 20, 5:58 PM EDT
  7. NBC NewsLeftOct 20, 7:07 PM EDT
  8. SemaforCenterOct 21, 8:14 AM EDT
  9. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 21, 10:49 AM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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