Between data and dialogue: Audience research practices at a Dutch streaming service

The television industry’s shift to streaming has enabled unprecedented access to granular viewing data, yet traditional audience testing methods persist. This article explores how the Dutch streaming service Videoland combines big data with small-scale qualitative research to inform decisions about content. Despite extensive metrics on user behavior, the company returns to methods from the broadcast era such as surveys, interviews, and test screenings to understand audience sentiment and preferences. The findings highlight the enduring value of established industry research practices and reaffirm the relevance of television studies and cultural studies approaches in understanding contemporary media audiences. This contribution is part of the Cultural Commons special issue on ‘Energy! The Power of Audience Research as Field, Practice and Critique’, edited by Joke Hermes, Linda Kopitz and Helen Wood.