During Netflix Q4 2021 earnings call , COO and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters revealed the company "subtitled 7 million run-time minutes in '21 and dubbed 5 million run-time minutes" of content to reach their 222 million subscribers worldwide. That's 116,666 hours of subtitles and 83,333 hours of dubs they produced before releasing titles anywhere across their 192-territory footprint. That's a massive undertaking.

As professionals involved in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry, we’re sure you are aware there are separate ratings for US film and TV content. What you may not be aware of are the differences between the two. This post will highlight these differences and describe how they impact the audience as content is distributed across various platforms. The Basics Ratings exist to inform parents and audiences about the appropriateness of content for their children and families. The problem ratings attempt to solve is that exposure to violent, sexual, adult, or suggestive language content can be harmful or offensive to specific audiences. Ratings provide a warning that those events are part of the production. Age is the primary determinant in assigning a rating, but presumed maturity within a rating category (e.g., PG vs. PG-13) may also be a factor. In other countries, criticism of the government, unflattering depictions of cultural norms, or negatively describing religion are grounds for content to be assigned higher age ratings or even banned. Those factors are not typically an issue with US age ratings for film or TV. The first thing to understand is the fundamental difference in the purpose, type, and reach between the two platforms. Movie ratings were established for the content shown in movie theaters. TV ratings were created for content displayed on TV screens. The similarity is content; the difference is paid admission versus 24/7 access in our living rooms. The former is controlled access by requiring payment for a ticket, and the latter may not be controlled at all. Parents can be in the audience with a child in a theater but might be away while the show is on the living room TV. As a result, content notification requirements are more granular and specific for TV ratings than for film. For example, there is no need for a comparable TV-Y or TV-Y7 rating in theaters because a G-rated film easily encompasses and addresses the guidance those ratings provide. Likewise, there is no market for NC-17 content on linear TV or streaming platforms, so TV has no comparable rating. The next thing to understand is two different groups developed the US ratings systems. The Motion Picture Association ( MPA ), an industry trade group, developed  US film ratings in 1968. Occasional updates have reflected changes in types of content, such as the introduction of the PG-13 rating following the release of an Indiana Jones film. We have previously written about this in more detail here . Television ratings were developed and maintained by the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board, also an industry trade group, in 1996. Its members include the MPA, the National Association of Broadcasters ( NAB ), the Internet and Television Association ( NCTA ), and five public interest groups. Their interests are related, but their ratings differ at the top and bottom of the age scale. TV ratings were created as a voluntary system following concerns expressed by the US Congress and complaints made to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) about objectionable TV content being aired without notice to parents. TV programs are self-rated by the networks or platforms in the US system. The Ratings Matrix Below is a comparison matrix that presents the difference between movie and TV ratings systems. US TV ratings also contain "content descriptors” that specify specific types of potentially objectionable content. The elements within those descriptors are: D – Suggestive dialogue (rarely used with TV-MA-rated programs) L – Coarse language S – Sexual content V – Violence FV – Fantasy violence (exclusive to TV-Y7-rated programs) These elements are shown below the rating and displayed for 15 seconds at the program’s beginning and following any breaks. Upon review, it’s clear that TV ratings closely resemble those used for movies; this is on purpose. The reason is to provide continuity and consistency for parents and regulators across all content distribution platforms, including theatrical, linear, retail, and online services. As a system, both have worked quite well and have served as a model for other countries worldwide who wish to provide consumers with helpful information about content and titles they may consider sharing with their children, families, and friends. Spherex: Localized Age Ratings Services Provider As the global industry authority and leading private provider of local age ratings worldwide, Spherex uniquely understands the importance of getting age ratings right, regardless of the platform.  Spherexratings™ and Spherexgreenlight™ provide content creators with the necessary knowledge to tailor titles to fit any age rating and identify their best markets. Greenlight™ is a first-of-its-kind AI/ML technology that culturally adapts content for markets worldwide. With this technology, content creators can increase engagement, drive more revenue faster, and avoid legal and regulatory risks. Take the guesswork and risk out of international expansion. Contact us today!

The past 12 months have seen significant change and disruption in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry. Due to the impacts of the persistent COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are now more accustomed to being entertained at home and on multiple devices. The growth of online subscriptions reached levels analysts had not predicted for another two or three years. For example, Disney+ achieved subscriber numbers that Netflix took seven years to reach. The amount of money spent to buy new content also increased, hitting $220B in 2021—the most ever by the industry.

Did you know the first Thanksgiving ever celebrated in the U.S. occurred 400 years ago this year? If you didn't, then don't feel bad. Most Americans couldn't tell you when or where it happened or why the natives attended in the first place. The vital lesson of that first celebration is that despite different cultures and traditions that are a literal world apart, overcoming language and cultural barriers can lead to productive relationships amongst people worth celebrating. Those lessons are as valid today as they were then, and we should be thankful for them.

From horses to boats to trains to planes and books to plays to movies to TV, the distances between people and ideas continue to shrink. Each of these advances, except for the horse, was the result of some technological advancement. Each was disruptive, exposing people to different perspectives, continents, climates, languages, customs , and cultures. Over time, these and others have all impacted or influenced life and society worldwide—whether anyone liked it or not. The advent of streaming media has disrupted what had been a primarily regional distribution of content. It forces us to look more closely at global content distribution and what it means for international audiences.

We generally don't write about specific shows unless something really goes wrong on the culture and localization side of things and highlights problems content creators may face when preparing for international release. Netflix's latest global hit, the South Korean title "Squid Game," falls squarely into this category for three reasons. First, it demonstrates the impact social media has on the public perception of a title. Second, it highlights how translations can tell a very different story in subs and dubs than in the native language. Finally, it points out how complex the localization process is and the sacrifices that are sometimes made to get a title released.

As the uproar over the Dave Chappelle comedy special "The Closer" refuses to die down, it is clear that Netflix has hit a nerve. Netflix is no stranger to controversies. Issues with its content continue to grow in international markets alongside the company's slate in local language programming.

Culture Matters:Award ceremonies have long been used by people in the media and entertainment industry to make statements about our world. Occasionally controversial, one consistent theme revisited year after year is culture and impact on content. One of the most memorable statements was when, in 1973, Marlon Brando refused the Best Actor Academy Award for his role in "The Godfather." Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather took to the stage and declined the award due to Brando's views of "the treatment of American Indians by the film industry, of TV movie reruns, and also recent happenings at Wounded Knee." Littlefeather thanked the audience for their indulgence and said her hope was "…in the future, our hearts and understandings will meet with love and generosity."

We spend a lot of time examining how different industries approach culture. One industry that has lessons for media and entertainment is advertising. Like film, advertising tells stories, albeit 30-90 seconds versus 30-90 minutes. Still, advertising's long history of initially getting culture wrong, learning from those mistakes, making relevant changes, and winning market share are valuable lessons for content creators.