movies

  • Netflix announces new ad-supported tier launch date

    Stranger Things 4 was a bright spot in an otherwise challenging quarter for Netflix — it has become the company’s most-watched English TV series ever with 1.3 billion hours viewed so far. Microsoft was last week selectedto build the ad-supported offering, viewed by the ad industry as a surprising choice. While Microsoft owns ad business Xandr, which itacquired from AT&TDecember, it has less traction in connected TV than many of its counterparts. Netflix is forecasting the ad-supported business to be “equal or maybe even better” than the revenue it generates from its subscription-only tier, Peters said. Brands and holding companies have displayed ‘a lot of excitement’ about the opportunity in early discussions, Peters said.

    Netflix’s first-quarter revenue grew 10% to $7.87 billion, slightly below Wall Street’s forecasts. It suffered losses of 8 per cent and 37 per cent in advertising revenue and content revenue respectively. These services hold unique value propositions in their markets and often trade upon pre-existing relationships in local media ecosystems. Viaplay has a long history as a satellite television network in Sweden while Stan is a venture of local Australian free-to-air broadcaster Nine Network.

    by subscriber loss may offer adsupported

    The video streaming giant also fired more than 300 employees because of the losses which the company experienced. The disruption caused by Netflix was only temporary, according to McNutt, who adds that its characteristics, such as binge releases and a lack of commercials, are gradually being changed by other streaming services. The “future of television will appear closer to the past of television than we would have thought,” notwithstanding what might have been true five years ago. It appears that the business of “rescuing” cancelled shows from elsewhere, which Netflix did for, among others, NBC’s “Manifest” and Fox’s “Lucifer,” has gone to the free streaming services. Name-brand series are assisting those streamers in their competition for a seat at the table. To increase its revenues and customer subscriptions, Netflix will roll out a new ad-based subscription option in November 2022.

    Great television and movies are ultimately a lovely to have rather than a necessity like food, water, or clothing. It has seen that our streaming preferences are converting as some people find the shows less enticing, their household finances are being stretched, Netflix’s Covid boom is over, and competitors are trying to whip up a better product. The ad-supported tier will undoubtedly be less expensive than the current subscription options. Not all of the current content will be available on the ad-supported tier.

    Amazon has released the Prime Video Mobile Edition, which costs Rs 599 per year

    The Information is not intended to offer advice, target or solicit any particular customer or group of customers to buy or sell securities. The streaming giant has already expanded its platform to other parts of the world, focusing on regional content. Netflix now aims to work Wpf Dynamically Setting Number Of Rows on more affordable, ad-supported subscription plans over the year or two, Hastings announced. Microsoft is investing heavily to expand their multibillion advertising business into premium television video, and we are thrilled to be working with such a strong global partner.

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    • One market observer said Netflix’s stock has benefited from expectations of perpetual growth.
    • Netflix has introduced an advertising-supported version of the streaming service mostly in developed markets.
    • Discovery, and Walt Disney Co. spending substantially on their own streaming services.

    Peters did not rule out introducing more than one ad-supported tier, but he said Netflix, which has always favored simplicity, will slowly introduce a more complex pricing structure to avoid overwhelming its customers. This subscription may include Netflix’s original titles, but it is just speculation. What Is A Game Developer? As the consequences spread, There may be significant changes made by Netflix. Streaming TV is starting to resemble basic cable more and more as bundles like Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ arise, advertising becomes more prevalent, and episodes are increasingly provided weekly rather than all at once.

    In a nutshell we cover almost everything that influence Business, Economy, Finance, Money, GDP, Growth & Development Of Country. Netflix, a well-known video streaming service, reported a loss of roughly one million paid customers in the second quarter of this year. As per a report by USA Today, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said on Tuesday that the company is now “open” to offering lower-priced tiers with ads, after years of opposing advertisements on its streaming service. Because Netflix lacks the foundation for an ad-supported model, it will most likely be at least a year before consumers see a lower-priced tier option. It was reported that Netflix lost around 2 lakh followers in the past 12 months.

    Netflix just ignored the phenomenon of password sharing, hoping that the freeloaders would someday become paid users. Discovery, Paramount, NBC, Apple TV, and other streamers, the move appears to have backfired big time. American subscription-based streaming service Netflix, starting in November, will finally roll out its new ad-supported tier for just a few bucks a month. Last month, Netflix CFO Spencer Neumann signalled the streaming platform’s willingness to consider adopting an ad-supported tier. “It’s not like we have religion against advertising, to be clear,” Neumann said at a Morgan Stanley investment conference.

    The company said in a letter to shareholders that it had conducted a more thorough investigation into the slowdown and had discovered a variety of contributing factors, including password sharing, competition, and a bad economy. Netflix’s prospects have changed after years of strong expansion as a result of rivals like Apple Inc., Warner Bros. Discovery, and Walt Disney Co. spending substantially on their own streaming services. Y-o-Y, Netflix’s revenue rose 9.8%, the slowest since Q when it began to report revenue growth numbers in its earnings statement.

    walt disney

    Now, it appears the culprit is a combination of competition and the number of accounts sharing passwords, making it harder to grow. Netflix has introduced an advertising-supported version of the streaming service mostly in developed markets. A lower-priced tier could help Netflix reduce the number of people canceling their service or appeal to new customers in markets where growth has slowed.

    As the pandemic-led surge in home-based entertainment ended, Netflix lost 1.2 million customers in the first half of this year. Investors shunned the California-based media company on concerns that the best days of its growth are behind it and fears that it will struggle to compete in the crowded video-streaming market. Netflix had announced the ad-based subscription plan last month, bringing Microsoft on-board as a partner for implementation of the new ad-based model.

    Till then, however, Discovery has to manage both its linear drop and the costs incurred in combining the two companies. While most of users hate the idea of advertisements some Twitter users point the about the amount amazing content on the site and how they still will hire ukrainian software developers support Netflix because of their exceptional content. Indeed, that is partly why Netflix has been making inroads into other businesses, through the acquisitions of Scanline VFX, a visual effects company in 2021, and Boss Fight Entertainment, a gaming company in 2022.

    Alpaca Securities LLC, a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation , will transmit your orders to the stock exchange and will serve as the custodian for your securities account. In the event that Alpaca Securities LLC, fails and is placed in liquidation under the Securities Investor Protection Act, securities in your brokerage account may be protected up to $500,000. Netflix has laid considerable groundwork on this front, expanding in phases and catering to specific local needs. Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times’ newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we’ve got you covered. Netflix might be exploring a new tier that is not only cheaper but will include ads before the end of 2022, according to a new report.

    Most Innovative Companies 2022

    Given the uniqueness in the market of this pureplay focus, streaming scholar Amanda D. Lotz termed Netflix “a zebra amongst horses” to describe the company’s relationship to other SVOD services. Tap the name of the person, people, or group that shared the song to reply to them using the Messages app. Ted Sarandos, CEO of Netflix has further confirmed that the platform will roll out ad-supported plans soon, but no time was mentioned. Although it was a tough road for more than a year for Netflix, now the company has been working on introducing ad-supported cheaper plans.

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    by subscriber loss may offer adsupported

    The latest Digital Media Trends survey from Deloitte, released in late March, revealed that Generation Z, those consumers ages 14 to 25, spend more time playing games than watching movies or television series at home, or even listening to music. The launches of Disney+ in 2019, HBO Max in 2020, and Paramount+ in 2021 has seen these US-based entertainment companies step into streaming. Every major studio that launches a platform means less content Netflix can distribute – when the major studios launch they remove their content from Netflix. This might interest you but there are a number of competitors of Netflix who are the rivals based in India and they have low-cost ad-supported plans. Streaming platforms like Zee5, Disney+ Hotstar, Voot and MX Player are a few to name, which offer ad-supported subscription plans to the users.

    Netflix will surprise you with cheaper plans soon: All you need to know

    Netflix’s first-quarter revenue grew 10% to $7.87 billion, slightly below Wall Street’s forecasts. It reported per-share net earnings of $3.53, beating the Wall Street consensus of $2.89. While the company remains bullish on the future of streaming, it blamed its slowing growth on a number of factors, such as the rate at which consumers adopt on-demand services, a growing number of competitors and a sluggish economy. Account-sharing is a longstanding practice, though Netflix is exploring ways to derive revenue from the 100 million households watching Netflix through shared accounts, including 30 million in the United States and Canada.

    The company cited growing competition from other streaming launches by traditional entertainment companies

    Its average revenue per user in the US and Canada is almost double of that in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. According to an analysis by Comparitech, its ARPU in India ($9.70) in Q1 of 2021 was the same as the ARPU in richer countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea. The company is expecting to nail down its ad-supported streaming strategy over the next year or two, Hastings said, “but think of us as quite open to us offering even lower prices with advertising as a consumer choice.” “Those who have followed Netflix know that I’ve been against the complexity of advertising, and a big fan of the simplicity of subscription,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings was quoted as saying by Reuters. “But, as much as I’m a fan of that, I’m a bigger fan of consumer choice.”

    There are “legitimate shorter-term concerns” such as inventory glut, competition, and a softening macro backdrop, said BofA, but Netflix’s advertising-based video-on-demand, or AVOD, offering will be accretive on the company’s ability to drive engagement. As well, there should be “extraordinary advertiser demand” as they reach for Netflix’s younger viewers and for cord-cutters. In a call with investors on Tuesday, Netflix chief operating officer Greg Peters revealed plans to launch the new tier in early 2023, starting in a handful of “mature ad markets” before a broader launch. The second quarter was better than expected in membership growth, and foreign exchange was worse than expected , resulting in a 9 percent revenue increase , according to the earnings release.

  • February 20 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 1339 – The Milanese army and the St. George’s (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti clash in the Battle of Parabiago; Visconti is defeated.
    • 1472 – Orkney and Shetland are pawned by Norway to Scotland in lieu of a dowry for Margaret of Denmark.
    • 1547 – Edward VI of England is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.
    • 1685 – René-Robert Cavelier establishes Fort St. Louis at Matagorda Bay thus forming the basis for France’s claim to Texas.
    • 1792 – The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by United States President George Washington.
    • 1798 – Louis-Alexandre Berthier removes Pope Pius VI from power.
    • 1813 – Manuel Belgrano defeats the royalist army of Pío de Tristán during the Battle of Salta.
    • 1816 – Rossini’s opera The Barber of Seville premieres at the Teatro Argentina in Rome.
    • 1835 – The 1835 Concepción earthquake destroys Concepción, Chile.
    • 1846 – Polish insurgents lead an uprising in Kraków to incite a fight for national independence.
    • 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Olustee: The largest battle fought in Florida during the war.
    • 1865 – End of the Uruguayan War, with a peace agreement between President Tomás Villalba and rebel leader Venancio Flores, setting the scene for the destructive War of the Triple Alliance.
    • 1872 – The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens in New York City.
    • 1877 – Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake receives its premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
    • 1901 – The legislature of Hawaii Territory convenes for the first time.
    • 1909 – Publication of the Futurist Manifesto in the French journal Le Figaro.
    • 1913 – King O’Malley drives in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra.
    • 1920 – An earthquake kills between 114 and 130 in Georgia and heavily damages the town of Gori.
    • 1931 – The U.S. Congress approves the construction of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge by the state of California.
    • 1933 – The U.S. Congress approves the Blaine Act to repeal federal Prohibition in the United States, sending the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution to state ratifying conventions for approval.
    • 1933 – Adolf Hitler secretly meets with German industrialists to arrange for financing of the Nazi Party’s upcoming election campaign.
    • 1935 – Caroline Mikkelsen becomes the first woman to set foot in Antarctica.
    • 1942 – Lieutenant Edward O’Hare becomes America’s first World War II flying ace.
    • 1943 – American movie studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor movies.
    • 1943 – The Saturday Evening Post publishes the first of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms in support of United States President Franklin Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union address theme of Four Freedoms.
    • 1944 – World War II: The “Big Week” began with American bomber raids on German aircraft manufacturing centers.
    • 1944 – World War II: The United States takes Eniwetok Island.
    • 1952 – Emmett Ashford becomes the first African-American umpire in organized baseball by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League.
    • 1956 – The United States Merchant Marine Academy becomes a permanent Service Academy.
    • 1959 – The Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate.
    • 1962 – Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the earth, making three orbits in four hours, 55 minutes.
    • 1965 – Ranger 8 crashes into the Moon after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts.
    • 1971 – The United States Emergency Broadcast System is accidentally activated in an erroneous national alert.
    • 1979 – An earthquake cracks open the Sinila volcanic crater on the Dieng Plateau, releasing poisonous H2S gas and killing 149 villagers in the Indonesian province of Central Java.
    • 1986 – The Soviet Union launches its Mir spacecraft. Remaining in orbit for 15 years, it is occupied for ten of those years.
    • 1988 – The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast votes to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia, triggering the Nagorno-Karabakh War.
    • 1991 – In the Albanian capital Tirana, a gigantic statue of Albania’s long-time leader, Enver Hoxha, is brought down by mobs of angry protesters.
    • 1998 – American figure skater Tara Lipinski, at the age of 15, becomes the youngest Olympic figure skating gold-medalist at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
    • 2003 – During a Great White concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island, a pyrotechnics display sets the Station nightclub ablaze, killing 100 and injuring over 200 others.
    • 2005 – Spain becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout.
    • 2009 – Two Tamil Tigers aircraft packed with C4 explosives en route to the national airforce headquarters are shot down by the Sri Lankan military before reaching their target, in a kamikaze style attack.
    • 2010 – In Madeira Island, Portugal, heavy rain causes floods and mudslides, resulting in at least 43 deaths, in the worst disaster in the history of the archipelago.
    • 2014 – Dozens of Euromaidan anti-government protesters died in Ukraine’s capital Kiev, many reportedly killed by snipers.
    • 2015 – Two trains collide in the Swiss town of Rafz resulting in as many as 49 people injured and Swiss Federal Railways cancelling some services.
    • 2016 – Six people are killed and two injured in multiple shooting incidents in Kalamazoo County, Michigan.

    Births on February 20

    • 1358 – Eleanor of Aragon, queen of John I of Castile (d. 1382)
    • 1469 – Thomas Cajetan, Italian philosopher (d. 1534)
    • 1523 – Jan Blahoslav, Czech writer (d. 1571)
    • 1549 – Francesco Maria II della Rovere, Duke of Urbino, last Duke of Urbino (d. 1631)
    • 1552 – Sengoku Hidehisa, Daimyō (d. 1614)
    • 1608 – Arthur Capell, 1st Baron Capell of Hadham (d. 1649)
    • 1631 – Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, English politician, Treasurer of the Navy (d. 1712)
    • 1633 – Jan de Baen, Dutch painter (d. 1702)
    • 1705 – Nicolas Chédeville, French musette player and composer (d. 1782)
    • 1726 – William Prescott, American colonel (d. 1795)
    • 1745 – Henry James Pye, English poet and politician (d. 1813)
    • 1751 – Johann Heinrich Voss, German poet, translator, and academic (d. 1826)
    • 1753 – Louis-Alexandre Berthier, French general and politician, French Minister of Defence (d. 1815)
    • 1759 – Johann Christian Reil, German physician, physiologist, and anatomist (d. 1813)
    • 1774 – Vicente Sebastián Pintado, Spanish cartographer, engineer, military officer and land surveyor of Spanish Louisiana and Spanish West Florida (d. 1829)
    • 1784 – Judith Montefiore, British linguist, travel writer, philanthropist (d. 1862)
    • 1792 – Eliza Courtney, French daughter of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (d. 1859)
    • 1794 – William Carleton, Irish author (d. 1869)
    • 1802 – Charles Auguste de Bériot, Belgian violinist and composer (d. 1870)
    • 1819 – Alfred Escher, Swiss businessman and politician (d. 1882)
    • 1839 – Benjamin Waugh, English activist, founded the NSPCC (d. 1908)
    • 1844 – Ludwig Boltzmann, Austrian physicist and philosopher (d. 1906)
    • 1844 – Joshua Slocum, Canadian sailor and adventurer (d. 1909)
    • 1848 – E. H. Harriman, American businessman and philanthropist (d. 1909)
    • 1857 – A. P. Lucas, English cricketer (d. 1923)
    • 1866 – Carl Westman, Swedish architect, designed the Stockholm Court House and Röhsska Museum (d. 1936)
    • 1867 – Louise, Princess Royal of England (d. 1931)
    • 1870 – Jay Johnson Morrow, American engineer and politician, 3rd Governor of the Panama Canal Zone (d. 1937)
    • 1874 – Mary Garden, Scottish-American soprano and actress (d. 1967)
    • 1879 – Hod Stuart, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1907)
    • 1880 – Jacques d’Adelswärd-Fersen, French author and poet (d. 1923)
    • 1882 – Elie Nadelman, Polish-American sculptor (d. 1946)
    • 1887 – Vincent Massey, Canadian lawyer and politician, 18th Governor General of Canada (d. 1967)
    • 1888 – Georges Bernanos, French soldier and author (d. 1948)
    • 1889 – Hulusi Behçet, Turkish dermatologist and physician (d. 1948)
    • 1893 – Elizabeth Holloway Marston, American psychologist and author (d. 1993)
    • 1895 – Louis Zborowski, English race car driver and engineer (d. 1924)
    • 1897 – Ivan Albright, American painter (d. 1983)
    • 1898 – Ante Ciliga, Croatian politician, writer and publisher (d. 1992)
    • 1899 – Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, American businessman and philanthropist (d. 1992)
    • 1901 – René Dubos, French-American biologist and author (d. 1982)
    • 1901 – Louis Kahn, American architect, designed the Salk Institute, the Kimbell Art Museum and the Bangladesh Parliament Building (d. 1974)
    • 1901 – Muhammad Naguib, Egyptian general and politician, 1st President of Egypt (d. 1984)
    • 1901 – Ramakrishna Ranga Rao of Bobbili, Indian lawyer and politician, 6th Chief Minister of Madras Presidency (d. 1978)
    • 1902 – Ansel Adams, American photographer and environmentalist (d. 1984)
    • 1904 – Alexei Kosygin, Russian soldier and politician, 8th Premier of the Soviet Union (d. 1980)
    • 1906 – Gale Gordon, American actor (d. 1995)
    • 1912 – Pierre Boulle, French soldier and author (d. 1994)
    • 1912 – Johnny Checketts, New Zealand flying ace of the Second World War (d. 2006)
    • 1913 – Tommy Henrich, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2009)
    • 1914 – John Charles Daly, South African–American journalist and game show host (d. 1991)
    • 1916 – Jean Erdman, American dancer and choreographer
    • 1918 – Leonore Annenberg, American businesswoman and diplomat (d. 2009)
    • 1919 – James O’Meara, English soldier and pilot (d. 1974)
    • 1920 – Karl Albrecht, German businessman, co-founded Aldi (d. 2014)
    • 1921 – Buddy Rogers, American wrestler (d. 1992)
    • 1923 – Victor G. Atiyeh, American businessman and politician, 32nd Governor of Oregon (d. 2014)
    • 1923 – Forbes Burnham, Guyanese lawyer and politician, 2nd President of Guyana (d. 1985)
    • 1923 – Rena Vlahopoulou, Greek actress (d. 2004)
    • 1924 – Gloria Vanderbilt, American actress, fashion designer, and socialite (d. 2019)
    • 1925 – Robert Altman, American director and screenwriter (d. 2006)
    • 1925 – Tochinishiki Kiyotaka, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 44th Yokozuna (d. 1990)
    • 1926 – Matthew Bucksbaum, American businessman and philanthropist, co-founded General Growth Properties (d. 2013)
    • 1926 – Gillian Lynne, English ballerina, choreographer, and director (d. 2018)
    • 1926 – Richard Matheson, American author and screenwriter (d. 2013)
    • 1926 – Bob Richards, American Olympic track and field athlete
    • 1926 – María de la Purísima Salvat Romero, Spanish Roman Catholic nun; later canonized (d. 1998)
    • 1927 – Roy Cohn, American lawyer and political activist (d. 1986)
    • 1927 – Ibrahim Ferrer, Cuban singer and musician (d. 2005)
    • 1927 – Sidney Poitier, Bahamian-American actor, director, and diplomat
    • 1928 – Roy Face, American baseball player and carpenter
    • 1928 – Jean Kennedy Smith, American diplomat, 25th United States Ambassador to Ireland
    • 1929 – Amanda Blake, American actress (d. 1989)
    • 1931 – John Milnor, American mathematician and academic
    • 1932 – Adrian Cristobal, Filipino journalist and author (d. 2007)
    • 1934 – Bobby Unser, American race car driver
    • 1935 – Ellen Gilchrist, American novelist, short story writer, and poet
    • 1936 – Marj Dusay, American actress (d. 2020)
    • 1936 – Larry Hovis, American actor and singer (d. 2003)
    • 1936 – Shigeo Nagashima, Japanese baseball player and coach
    • 1937 – David Ackles, American singer-songwriter and actor (d. 1999)
    • 1937 – Robert Huber, German biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1937 – Roger Penske, American race car driver and businessman
    • 1937 – Robert Evans, Australian minister and amateur astronomer
    • 1937 – Nancy Wilson, American singer and actress (d. 2018)
    • 1938 – Richard Beymer, American actor, director, and cinematographer
    • 1940 – Jimmy Greaves, English international footballer, forward and TV pundit
    • 1941 – Lim Kit Siang, Malaysian lawyer and politician
    • 1941 – Buffy Sainte-Marie, Canadian singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1942 – Phil Esposito, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager
    • 1942 – Mitch McConnell, American lawyer, and politician
    • 1942 – Claude Miller, French director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2012)
    • 1943 – Antonio Inoki, Japanese wrestler, mixed martial artist, and politician
    • 1943 – Mike Leigh, English director and screenwriter
    • 1944 – Robert de Cotret, Canadian economist and politician, 56th Secretary of State for Canada (d. 1999)
    • 1944 – Lew Soloff, American trumpet player, composer, and actor (d. 2015)
    • 1944 – Willem van Hanegem, Dutch footballer and coach
    • 1945 – Alan Hull, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1995)
    • 1946 – Brenda Blethyn, English actress
    • 1946 – Sandy Duncan, American actress, singer, and dancer
    • 1946 – J. Geils, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2017)
    • 1947 – Peter Osgood, English footballer (d. 2006)
    • 1947 – Peter Strauss, American actor and producer
    • 1948 – Pierre Bouchard, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
    • 1948 – Jennifer O’Neill, American model and actress
    • 1949 – Eddie Hemmings, English cricketer
    • 1949 – Ivana Trump, Czech-American socialite and model
    • 1950 – Walter Becker, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 2017)
    • 1950 – Peter Marinello, Scottish footballer, forward
    • 1950 – Tony Wilson, English journalist and businessman (d. 2007)
    • 1951 – Edward Albert, American actor (d. 2006)
    • 1951 – Gordon Brown, Scottish historian and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
    • 1951 – Randy California, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1997)
    • 1951 – Phil Neal, English footballer and manager
    • 1953 – Poison Ivy, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1954 – Jon Brant, American bass player
    • 1954 – Anthony Head, English actor
    • 1954 – Patty Hearst, American actress and author
    • 1957 – Glen Hanlon, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1959 – Scott Brayton, American race car driver (d. 1996)
    • 1959 – David Corn, American journalist and author
    • 1959 – Bill Gullickson, American baseball player
    • 1960 – Joel Hodgson, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter
    • 1960 – Cándido Muatetema Rivas, Equatoguinean politician and diplomat, Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea (d. 2014)
    • 1961 – Steve Lundquist, American swimmer
    • 1962 – Dwayne McDuffie, American author, screenwriter, and producer, co-founded Milestone Media (d. 2011)
    • 1963 – Charles Barkley, American basketball player and sportscaster
    • 1963 – Ian Brown, English singer-songwriter and musician
    • 1963 – Joakim Nystrom, Swedish tennis player
    • 1963 – Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, Greek lawyer and politician, Greek Minister of Health
    • 1963 – Cui Yongyuan, Chinese former anchor
    • 1964 – Willie Garson, American actor and director
    • 1964 – Tom Harris, Scottish journalist and politician
    • 1964 – Jeff Maggert, American golfer
    • 1964 – French Stewart, American actor
    • 1966 – Cindy Crawford, American model and businesswoman
    • 1967 – Paul Accola, Swiss alpine skier
    • 1967 – Kurt Cobain, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1994)
    • 1967 – David Herman, American comedian and actor
    • 1967 – Andrew Shue, American actor and activist, founded Do Something
    • 1967 – Lili Taylor, American actress
    • 1967 – Tom Waddle, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1969 – Kjell Ove Hauge, Norwegian school principal and track and field athlete
    • 1969 – Siniša Mihajlović, Serbian footballer and manager
    • 1969 – Danis Tanović, Bosnian director and screenwriter
    • 1971 – Calpernia Addams, American actress, author, and activist
    • 1971 – Jari Litmanen, Finnish footballer
    • 1971 – Joost van der Westhuizen, South African rugby player (d. 2017)
    • 1972 – Neil Primrose, Scottish drummer
    • 1974 – Karim Bagheri, Iranian footballer and manager
    • 1975 – Liván Hernández, Cuban baseball player
    • 1975 – Brian Littrell, American singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1975 – Niclas Wallin, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1977 – Stephon Marbury, American basketball player
    • 1977 – Gail Kim, Canadian professional wrestler
    • 1978 – Lauren Ambrose, American actress and producer
    • 1980 – Imanol Harinordoquy, French rugby player
    • 1980 – Luis Gabriel Rey, Colombian footballer
    • 1981 – Tony Hibbert, English footballer
    • 1981 – Fred Jackson, American football player
    • 1982 – Jason Hirsh, American baseball player
    • 1983 – Jose Morales, Puerto Rican-American baseball player
    • 1983 – Justin Verlander, American baseball player
    • 1984 – Brian McCann, American baseball player
    • 1984 – Trevor Noah, South African comedian, actor, and television host
    • 1984 – Ramzee Robinson, American football player
    • 1985 – Ryan Sweeney, American baseball player
    • 1985 – Julia Volkova, Russian singer and actress
    • 1985 – TJ Kirk, American YouTube personality and podcast host
    • 1987 – Luke Burgess, English rugby league player
    • 1987 – Miles Teller, American actor
    • 1988 – Kealoha Pilares, American football player
    • 1988 – Ki Bo-bae, South Korean archer
    • 1988 – Rihanna, Barbadian-American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1988 – Jiah Khan, Indian singer and actress (d. 2013)
    • 1989 – Daly Cherry-Evans, Australian rugby league player
    • 1990 – Ciro Immobile, Italian footballer
    • 1991 – Hidilyn Diaz, Filipino weightlifter
    • 1991 – Giovanni Kyeremateng, Italian footballer
    • 1991 – Angelique van der Meet, Dutch tennis player
    • 1991 – Antonio Pedroza, English-Mexican footballer
    • 1991 – Jocelyn Rae, English-Scottish tennis player
    • 1992 – Kyle Turner, Australian rugby league player
    • 1994 – Elseid Hysaj, Albanian footballer

    Deaths on February 20

    • 789 – Leo of Catania, saint and bishop of Catania (b. 709)
    • 922 – Theodora, Byzantine empress
    • 1054 – Yaroslav the Wise, grand prince of Veliky Novgorod and Kiev (b. 978)
    • 1154 – Saint Wulfric of Haselbury (b. c. 1080)
    • 1171 – Conan IV, Duke of Brittany (b. 1138)
    • 1194 – Tancred, King of Sicily (b. 1138)
    • 1258 – Al-Musta’sim, Iraqi caliph (b. 1213)
    • 1408 – Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, English politician, Earl Marshal of the United Kingdom (b. 1342)
    • 1431 – Pope Martin V (b. 1368)
    • 1458 – Lazar Branković, Despot of Serbia
    • 1513 – King John of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (b. 1455)
    • 1524 – Tecun Uman, Mayan ruler (b. 1500)
    • 1579 – Nicholas Bacon, English politician (b. 1509)
    • 1618 – Philip William, Prince of Orange (b. 1554)
    • 1626 – John Dowland, English lute player and composer (b. 1563)
    • 1762 – Tobias Mayer, German astronomer and academic (b. 1723)
    • 1771 – Jean-Jacques d’Ortous de Mairan, French geophysicist and astronomer (b. 1678)
    • 1773 – Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia (b. 1701)
    • 1778 – Laura Bassi, Italian physicist and scholar (b. 1711)
    • 1790 – Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1741)
    • 1806 – Lachlan McIntosh, Scottish-American general and politician (b. 1725)
    • 1810 – Andreas Hofer, Tyrolean rebel leader (b. 1767)
    • 1850 – Valentín Canalizo, Mexican general and politician. 14th President (1843–1844) (b. 1794)
    • 1862 – William Wallace Lincoln, American son of Abraham Lincoln (b. 1850)
    • 1871 – Paul Kane, Irish-Canadian painter (b. 1810)
    • 1893 – P. G. T. Beauregard, American general (b. 1818)
    • 1895 – Frederick Douglass, American author and activist (b. 1818)
    • 1900 – Washakie, American tribal leader (b. 1798)
    • 1907 – Henri Moissan, French chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1852)
    • 1910 – Boutros Ghali, Egyptian educator and politician, 9th Prime Minister of Egypt (b. 1846)
    • 1916 – Klas Pontus Arnoldson, Swedish journalist and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1844)
    • 1920 – Jacinta Marto, Portuguese saint (b. 1910)
    • 1920 – Robert Peary, American admiral and explorer (b. 1856)
    • 1933 – Takiji Kobayashi, Japanese writer (b. 1903)
    • 1936 – Max Schreck, German actor (b. 1879)
    • 1957 – Sadri Maksudi Arsal, Turkish scholar and politician (b. 1878)
    • 1961 – Percy Grainger, Australian-American pianist and composer (b. 1882)
    • 1963 – Jacob Gade, Danish violinist and composer(b. 1879)
    • 1966 – Chester W. Nimitz, American admiral (b. 1885)
    • 1968 – Anthony Asquith, English director and screenwriter (b. 1902)
    • 1969 – Ernest Ansermet, Swiss conductor (b. 1883)
    • 1972 – Maria Goeppert-Mayer, German-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
    • 1972 – Walter Winchell, American journalist and actor (b. 1897)
    • 1976 – René Cassin, French lawyer and judge, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1887)
    • 1976 – Kathryn Kuhlman, healing evangelist, known for belief in Holy Spirit (b. 1907)
    • 1981 – Nicolas de Gunzburg, French-American banker and publisher (b. 1904)
    • 1987 – Wayne Boring, American illustrator (b. 1905)
    • 1992 – A. J. Casson, Canadian painter (b. 1898)
    • 1992 – Dick York, American actor (b. 1928)
    • 1993 – Ferruccio Lamborghini, Italian businessman, founded Lamborghini (b. 1916)
    • 1993 – Ernest L. Massad, American general (b. 1908)
    • 1996 – Solomon Asch, American psychologist and academic (b. 1907)
    • 1996 – Audrey Munson, American model (b. 1891)
    • 1996 – Toru Takemitsu, Japanese pianist, guitarist, and composer (b. 1930)
    • 1999 – Sarah Kane, English playwright (b. 1971)
    • 1999 – Gene Siskel, American journalist and critic (b. 1946)
    • 2000 – Anatoly Sobchak, Russian lawyer and politician, 1st Governor of Saint Petersburg (b. 1937)
    • 2001 – Rosemary DeCamp, American actress (b. 1910)
    • 2001 – Donella Meadows, American environmentalist, author, and academic (b. 1941)
    • 2003 – Mushaf Ali Mir, Pakistani air marshal (b. 1947)
    • 2003 – Maurice Blanchot, French philosopher and author (b. 1907)
    • 2003 – Orville Freeman, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 29th Governor of Minnesota (b. 1918)
    • 2005 – Sandra Dee, American actress (b. 1942)
    • 2005 – Josef Holeček, Czechoslovakian canoeist (b. 1921)2005 – John Raitt, American actor and singer (b. 1917)
    • 2005 – Hunter S. Thompson, American journalist and author (b. 1937)
    • 2006 – Curt Gowdy, American sportscaster (b. 1919)
    • 2006 – Lucjan Wolanowski, Polish journalist and author (b. 1920)
    • 2008 – Emily Perry, English actress and dancer (b. 1907)
    • 2009 – Larry H. Miller, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1944)
    • 2010 – Alexander Haig, American general and politician, 59th United States Secretary of State (b. 1924)
    • 2012 – Knut Torbjørn Eggen, Norwegian footballer and manager (b. 1960)
    • 2012 – Katie Hall, American educator and politician (b. 1938)
    • 2013 – Kenji Eno, Japanese game designer and composer (b. 1970)
    • 2013 – David S. McKay, American biochemist and geologist (b. 1936)
    • 2013 – Antonio Roma, Argentinian footballer (b. 1932)
    • 2014 – Rafael Addiego Bruno, Uruguayan jurist and politician, President of Uruguay (b. 1923)
    • 2014 – Walter D. Ehlers, American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1921)
    • 2014 – Garrick Utley, American journalist (b. 1939)
    • 2015 – Govind Pansare, Indian author and activist (b. 1933)
    • 2015 – Henry Segerstrom, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1923)
    • 2015 – John C. Willke, American physician, author, and activist (b. 1925)
    • 2016 – Fernando Cardenal, Nicaraguan priest and politician (b. 1934)
    • 2017 – Vitaly Churkin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United Nations (b. 1952)
    • 2017 – Mildred Dresselhaus, American physicist (b. 1930)
    • 2017 – Steve Hewlett, British journalist (b. 1958)
    • 2020 – Joaquim Pina Moura, Portuguese Minister of Economy and Treasury and MP

    Holidays and observances on February 20

    • Christian feast day:
      • Eleutherius of Tournai
      • Eucherius of Orléans
      • Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto
      • Frederick Douglass (Episcopal Church (USA))
      • Wulfric of Haselbury
      • February 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Day of Heavenly Hundred Heroes (Ukraine)
    • World Day of Social Justice
  • | |

    Unique 100 General Knowledge Questions & Answers

    Unique 100 General Knowledge Questions & Answers

    1. Which British actor who starred as Jimmy in the film Quadrophenia later appeared in Blur’s video for the single Parklife? – Phil Daniels


    2. Which Argentinian striker is Barcelona’s all-time leading goalscorer? – Lionel Messi


    3. In the video game Dark Souls, one of the locations in the game, Anor Londo is heavily based on which Milan landmark? – Milan Cathedral


    4. Planned and begun in 1850 by King Maximilian II of Bavaria, Maximilianstrasse is a major shopping district in which German city? – Munich


    5. Wise, methodical detective Lester Freamon is a fictional character in which TV series? – The Wire


    6. Which Europe’s most southerly capital city? – Nicosia, Cyprus


    7. Clark Kent is the real name of which superhero? – Superman


    8. The film Grease was mostly filmed in which US state? – California


    9. Which Irish writer and clergyman wrote Gulliver’s Travels? – Jonathan Swift


    10. The largest tower located OUTSIDE of London in the United Kingdom is found in which English city? – Portsmouth(Spinnaker Tower)


    11. Which Hollywood, California born actor is known for starring in films including Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street and The Departed, amongst others? – Leonardo DiCaprio


    12. Who was the Greek god of the Sea? – Poseidon


    13. Which soul singer enjoyed fleeting success in the UK as the first winner of the TV series X-Factor? – Steve Brookstein


    14. Which is the only country to have taken part in every football World Cup finals? – Brazil


    15. Charles Darwin features on which British bank note? – Ten pound note


    16. How old was Frodo when he came of age in the book Fellowship of the Rings? – 33 years old


    17. Which former American Footballer when on to play Apollo Creed in the Rocky film series? – Carl Weathers


    18. What is the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Beatrice of York? – Grandmother-granddaughter


    19. What is the name of the founder of the company Amazon who later went on to purchase The Washington Post newspaper? – Jeff Bezos


    20. Which Spanish region is known for the Tempranillo black grape wine variety? – Rioja


    21. Which actress won the 1981 Academy Award for Best Actress aged seventy-four for her role in the film On a Golden Pond? – Katharine Hepburn


    22. Which is the only inanimate sign of the zodiac? – Libra


    23. What was the name of The Jam’s debut album, released in 1977, that shared its name with a hit single on the album? – In The City


    24. Since 1987, which Tennis Grand Slam tournament has been the fourth and final in the tennis calendar? – US Open


    25. Nelson’s Column is a monument in which London square? – Trafalgar Square


    26. Which Oasis song opens with the lyrics ‘Today is gonna be the day’? – Wonderwall


    27. Where was playwright Oscar Wilde born in October 1854? – Dublin, Ireland


    28. Which is the largest moon of the planet Saturn, by diameter? – Titan


    29. Bella Swan (later Bella Cullan) is a character in which film series? – The Twilight Saga


    30. At 119 miles long, what is the name of Scotland’s longest river? – River Tay


    31. The Bolshoi Ballet is based in which city? – Moscow


    32. Charleroi is a city in which northern European county? – Belgium


    33. What colour is the distinctive King of the Mountains jersey in cycling’s Tour de France? –Red polka dots on white


    34. Sharon Osbourne, wife of aging rocker Ozzy, was a judge on which TV music program? – X-Factor


    35. In a game of cricket, how many runs are awarded for hitting the ball over the boundary rope without bouncing? – Six runs


    36. What is the name of the branch of medicine that focuses on eyesight? – Optometry


    37. Which silent film starring Jean Dujardin won the Best Film Oscar in 2011? – The Artist


    38. William Shakespeare was born in which English market town? – Stratford-upon-Avon


    39. The Baggies is the nickname of which English football club? – West Bromwich Albion


    40. Prior to join the Euro and taking it’s name from the Greek verb ‘to grasp’, what was the former currency of Greece? – Drachma


    41. Which country has the most football clubs? – South Africa


    42. Where was the first nuclear reactor built? – The USA


    43. Which brewery invented the widget for the beer can? – Guinness


    44. Which is the only mammal that able to kneel on all fours? – Elephant


    45. Who designed the Statue of Liberty? – Bartholdi


    46. Which country is Santiago the capital of? – Chile

    47. What is the name of the dog in the ‘Back to the Future’ films? – Einstein


    48. Who was the first female governor of India? – Sarojini Naidu


    49. Who wrote the music for West Side Story? – Bernstein


    50. Which is the largest species of crocodile? – Saltwater


    51. During which year did the Apple iPhone first go on sale? – 2007


    52. What was the nationality of the famous 18th century poet Robert Burns? – Scottish


    53. Where did King Arthur hold court? – Camelot


    54. In which year was Michael Jackson’s song Thriller released? – 1982


    55. Which sign of the zodiac is represented by the scales? – Libra


    56. Which country was Arnold Schwarzenegger born in? – Austria


    57. What is the name of Washington’s active stratovolcano? – Mount St. Helen


    58. Which nuts are used to make marzipan? – Almonds


    59. What is the name given to a skydiver’s canopy? – A parachute


    60. What type of shark was Jaws? – A great white


    61. How many consonants are there in the English Alphabet? – 21 consonants


    62. In which country were ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movies filmed? – New Zealand


    63. What do the stripes of the US flag represent? – The 13 original colonies of the United States (sign of uniting as one)


    64. True or false: the diameter is half of the radius? – False: the radius is half of the diameter


    65. Which is the only English football team to play in the Scottish league? – Berwick Rangers


    66. Which character did Clark Gable play in Gone With The Wind? – Rhett Butler


    67. Which Roman numerals represent the number 40? – XL


    68. Which word can come before: moon, house and time? – Full


    69. What religion does a Rabi belong too? – Jewish


    70. How many hours are there in one full week? – 168 hours


    71. Which English actor starred in Gangs of New York and Lincoln? – Daniel Day Lewis


    72. Who was the president of the United States in 2000? – Bill Clinton


    73. What is the largest country in Great Britain? – England


    74. What theory did the scientist Charles Darwin help to develop? – The theory of evolution


    75. What ‘M’ is a popular egg white dessert? – Meringue


    76. How many known planets are there in our solar system? – Eight


    77. Canberra is the capital city of which country? – Australia

    78. What is an obtuse angle? – An angle measuring between 90 and 180 degrees


    79. What was the name of Moses’ brother? – Aaron


    80. Who sang the 2015 hit song ‘All About That Bass’? – Meghan Trainor


    81. Three countries of the world begin with the letter J, can you name them all? – Jamaica, Japan, Jordan


    82. Which 2015 movie features a song called ‘Writing’s on the Wall’ by Sam Smith? – Spectre (James Bond)


    83. Beginning with the fastest first, put the following body features in order of growth rate: finger nails, toe nails, hair? – Hair, finger nails, toe nails


    84. In medieval legend, what name was given to the cup from which Jesus drank from at the Last Supper? – Grail (The Holy Grail)


    85. Does the British noble title Viscount rank above or below a Baron? – Above


    86. Which solar system planet experiences the hottest surface temperature? – Venus


    87. Which George Michael song begins with the lyrics, ‘I feel so unsure, As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor’? – Careless Whisper


    88. In 1912, which ocean did RMS Titanic sink in? – Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic)


    89. What film series stars Marlon Brando and Al Pacino as leaders of a New York Mafia family? – The Godfather


    90. What traditional Easter cake is toasted and decorated with 11 to 12 marzipan balls? – Simnel Cake


    91. What type of animals make up the biggest group of amphibians? – Frogs


    92. Which naturalist wrote ‘The Voyage of the Beagle’? – Charles Darwin


    93. The inauguration of which American President took place on January 20, 2009? – Barack Obama


    94. Can you unscramble the following word to reveal the name of a hormone produced by the pancreas: NNLUSII? – Insulin


    95. What was the first fully animated feature film released by Walt Disney? – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)


    96. Which Asian country was formerly named Ceylon? – Sri Lanka


    97. What type of gas primarily forms the Earth’s atmosphere? – Nitrogen


    98. What is the opposite of nocturnal? – Diurnal


    99. Which Winter Olympic event combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting? – The biathlon


    100. Who plays Jack Bauer in the American television series 24? – Kiefer Sutherland