Originally posted Tuesday, July 9, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Netflix reports that more than 40 million people watched at least part of Atlanta-produced “Stranger Things” the first four days since season 3 was released July 4. About 18 million finished all eight episodes.
That makes the shows popularity comparable to the peak years of recent hits such as “NCIS,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “The Walking Dead.”
But warning: Netflix is selective when it comes to releasing ratings information and it’s typically super flattering. Any numbers they release are not verified by a third party like Nielsen so take anything they offer up with a grain of salt.
Still, it’s not a surprise that “Stranger Things” is drawing huge audiences given that it’s very much infused in pop culture now, possibly more than any other show now that “Game of Thrones” is over.
Netflix though has reason to worry about the competition as many of its offerings from Disney and Warner Brothers will soon go to competing streaming services.
A survey of 1,000 Netflix users by KilltheCableBill.com found that while three-quarters of Netflix subscribers find the cost reasonable, a quarter do not. And that leaves an opening for rivals such as the upcoming Disney+, which could possibly bundle with ESPN and Hulu to be a strong rival to Netflix.
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Black women are the heart and soul of Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network.
So it’s now bringing those women to the fore in a town-hall style show called “Black Women OWN the Conversation” to be shot in Atlanta in early August.
Hylton Casting is seeking black women 18 or older who can be available for one of four tapings August 6 through 9 in the evenings. Each taping will take four to five hours. Apply here. There is no financial compensation.
Carlos Watson will host the one-hour episodes featuring a panel of celebrity guests and 100 black women. Each show will feature intimate dialogues, honest opinions, and surprising solutions focusing on key issues such as beauty, love, motherhood and mind, body and soul. In other words, very very Oprah.
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Tonight's "America's Got Talent" features a hoop dancer Matthew Richardson of Savannah who graduated from Northgate High School in Coweta. Here's his performance, which came out early online. It's very Cirque du Soleil:
