According to Deadline, Netflix is changing its advertising approach by releasing a new measuring system for its ad-supported tier, marking yet another step in the company’s expanding position in the commercial streaming industry. As of this week, the platform claimed to have over 190 million monthly active viewers worldwide.

Netflix defined these “monthly active viewers” (MAVs) as people who have watched at least one minute of ad-supported content each month, multiplied by the average number of watchers per household. As noted by Deadline, this adjustment replaces the company’s prior “monthly active users” (MAUs) statistic, which failed to account for co-viewing, particularly during large events and live broadcasts.

Last year, Netflix announced 94 million MAUs, a figure that sparked widespread disagreement in the industry. The company’s transition to MAVs reflects its desire to provide advertisers with a more accurate knowledge of actual audience engagement. “Our move to viewers means we can give a more comprehensive count of how many people are actually on the couch, enjoying our can’t-miss series, films, games, and live events,” Netflix said in a recent company blog post, reported by Deadline.

As stated by Deadline, Netflix initially entered the ad-supported space in 2022, marking a significant departure from years of shunning ads. At the time, the firm led by co-CEOs Ted Sarandos (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Maestro) and Greg Peters (The Crown, Lupin) collaborated with Microsoft to develop its ad infrastructure. The agreement paved the way for the global expansion of ad sales and targeting capabilities.

Since then, the company has expanded its commercial services to include live programs like WWE Raw, NFL Christmas games, and other large-scale events that draw large co-viewing crowds. As streaming fees grow, Deadline reports that Netflix’s $9 ad-supported plan has become a popular choice for price-sensitive users.

Per Deadline, now in its fourth year of ad operations, Netflix boasts thousands of advertisers worldwide and has fully transitioned to its in-house ad-tech platform. The company also partners with major measurement and programmatic platforms like Amazon, Google Display & Video 360, and The Trade Desk, among others. Moreover, Netflix works with more than 50 global ad measurement vendors and has reached what it calls “critical scale” in every market.

As mentioned by Deadline, looking ahead, Netflix is testing interactive video ad formats in the U.S. and Canada, aiming to better personalize content for viewers while giving advertisers access to audience-based creative templates. Early results have been promising, and the company plans a global rollout by the second quarter of 2026.

Deadline stated that the update underscores Netflix’s continued focus on innovation and audience measurement as it competes for advertisers’ attention in a crowded streaming marketplace.