Netflix subs pass 62 million

Netflix has seen global subscriber numbers surge past 62 million, thanks to recent launches in territories such as Australia and New Zealand.

The US video-on-demand (VoD) service attracted a total of 4.88 million customers in the first quarter of this year, more than any other three-month period since it launched eight years ago. Currently, its total number of members stands at 62.3 million.

In a letter to shareholders during the release of its first quarter financial results, the Californian firm said that its expansion abroad was driven by “strong” growth in the more than 50 countries it serves, including Australia and New Zealand, where it launched in March.

The company also said its original series, such as Washington DC thriller House of Cards, helped to attract eyeballs.

“Our original content strategy is playing out as we hoped, driving lots of viewing in an economic way for Netflix while bolstering the positive perception of our brand and service around the world,” the letter added.

Netflix posted a 24% sales gain in the first quarter and US$1.57bn in quarterly revenue.

However, the firm’s profits fell by more than half to US$23.7m, compared with US$53.1m in the same period last year. Netflix blamed the lower profits on “currency-related transaction losses.”

Yesterday the US streamer announced an ambitious push into factual commissioning, with eight-part blue-chip wildlife series Our Planet. The series will be filmed over four years by the producers of Blue Planet and Frozen Planet, which came from the BBC.