Covid-19: How education has had a role in making Netflix popular

Dubai - The site has continuously evolved, and the pandemic has spawned online learning and changed the landscape.

Education has had a huge role in making Netflix the popular streaming platform that it is today, one of its executives have said.

Mitch Lowe, co-founding executive of Netflix, said that in this day and age — particularly in these challenging times — the site has continuously evolved, and the pandemic has spawned online learning and changed the landscape.

“The application of education created what has become Netflix. In all start-ups, it is how you take what you’ve learnt, whether it is from schooling or your life, and how you apply it to solving problems,” said Lowe, who was speaking at ‘Shaping the future of education’, an education conference put together by The Abrahamic Business Circle on Thursday.

The event was a melting pot of diverse cultures as a variety of speakers from different countries and continents assembled for the conference at the Taj Dubai.

The topics that were discussed by speakers ranged from education technology to intercultural behaviour, e-learning, education and immigration, as well as education and investment.

“When you dream big, if you take what you learnt at school, and you apply it and you build around yourself, people who are dedicated and focused and persevering, you can do things that you never expected,” he added.

Lowe, who is also an advisory board member of The Abrahamic Business Circle, a Khaleej Times-partnered event, was chuffed that many streaming sites around the globe, including Netflix, has played an integral part in education.

“What is really exciting today is that streaming sites all over the world are providing education tools. Documentaries on Netflix used to be less than five per cent of all the hours considered. Now, they are 20 to 25 per cent. Now, people are using streaming sites to learn about subjects, whether it is social platforms, or documentaries about other countries. And that is the fastest growing section on Netflix. Not only that, but you can also learn about different cultures and languages. I, myself, have lived in Mexico and I’ve learnt Spanish by watching TV shows with subtitles. My accent is horrible, but it is a wonderful way to get that diverse education about different cultures,” explained Lowe.

“There are also many, many education sites which we have seen during this pandemic, an increase in online learning. There are many places now to learn online. Much of this has been driven by the pandemic. We all know it is changing the way we do work, it is changing the way we do entertainment and much of it is going to stay like this,” he added.

Dr Raphael Nagel, founder and chairman of The Abrahamic Business Circle, said: “Everybody should have a chance at education.”

Ahmed Elmetwally, CEO and general manager at the Private Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, said: “We have to now educate ourselves about what will be the future because of the pandemic.”

Joy Malka Rothenberg, another advisory board member, said e-learning was the way forward. “E-learning is no longer an option but a necessity,” said Rothenberg, who is a USA-Ohio State Humanitarian of the Year Awardee.

“How can we best equip our youth for a better future? Educating our youth in the best way possible as they will be our future leaders. Learning from all of these challenges (the pandemic) makes us unite.”

And she quoted the great Mahatma Gandhi, who had said in 1931: “If we are to reach real peace in this world, we shall have to begin with children.”

james@khaleejtimes.com