The Know Daily - Wednesday 29 July 2026

_{Read in 4m 19s ∙ Listening to Drew Green ∙}

Global hunger has fallen for the third year in a row, marking a big step forward in efforts to make sure more people have enough food to eat. A new United Nations report found that 7.8% of the world’s population faced hunger in 2025, down from 8.1% the year before and 8.6% in 2022. Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean all saw significant improvements, with the UN saying the figures show that progress is possible 👏

📺 Netflix’s second season slump

Netflix is still producing some of the world's biggest TV hits – but keeping viewers hooked beyond the first season is proving more difficult.

What’s going on?
New viewing data reported by Bloomberg suggests many of Netflix's biggest shows are losing a surprisingly large chunk of their audience when they return for a second season. For example, Avatar: The Last Airbender saw its second season attract 59% fewer viewers than its first, while comedy The Four Seasons was down 63%, and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder saw the biggest drop of 80%.

It’s not true for every show, of course. Global hits such as Bridgerton continue to perform strongly, and Netflix still dominates streaming overall with many of the world's most-watched series. However, the scale of the declines has prompted debate about whether the streaming giant's approach is still working as well as it once did. 

Why’s this happening?
Several factors seem to be playing a role. One is the increasingly long wait between seasons. Many big-budget shows now take two or more years to return, making it easier for viewers to lose interest or simply forget what happened. Another is Netflix's binge-release model. Dropping every episode at once creates a burst of excitement, but that buzz often disappears within a couple of weeks compared to weekly releases keeping shows in the conversation for months. There's also the sheer amount of choice. Every week brings another new series, film or documentary, meaning viewers are constantly tempted by something fresh rather than returning to an older favourite.

Together, these trends suggest streaming habits are becoming increasingly driven by novelty, with viewers jumping to the next big release, making it harder for any series to hold onto its audience over time.

Is it just a Netflix problem?
Not entirely. Most TV shows lose some viewers and even Netflix says a second-season decline is a normal part of TV. The company’s CEO Ted Sarandos says this year's drop-offs are actually slightly smaller than last year's too. However, other streamers like HBO and Apple TV+ have seen several recent shows grow their audiences between seasons, helped by weekly episode releases and strong fan recommendations. Traditional broadcasters have long benefited from this slower pace too, with viewers building a habit of tuning in each week rather than finishing an entire series in one sitting.

What could happen next?
Netflix doesn't appear to be abandoning its strategy any time soon, but it is experimenting. The company has started releasing some programmes in batches rather than all at once, expanded into live events and sports, and is testing new types of content (like video podcasts) to keep people engaged for longer. Whether that changes our viewing habits remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: with more entertainment competing for our attention than ever before, streaming services will have to work even harder to keep audiences coming back. For viewers, that could mean more creative ways to discover – and rediscover – the shows that capture their interest.

🇺🇦 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the first international leader to visit Prime Minister Andy Burnham, before flying directly to Washington for talks with Donald Trump about continued UK and US support for Ukraine.

• The bigger story: Burnham used the visit to reaffirm Britain's commitment to Ukraine, telling Zelensky “We've got your back” and saying we’ll honour every pledge made to help. He also announced the UK will share the technology behind its new Stone Cloak electronic warfare system so it can be produced in Ukraine. Zelensky's back-to-back meetings with Burnham and Trump highlight Ukraine's continued efforts to strengthen support from two of its key allies.

👩‍⚕️ Hundreds of thousands of women in England have used the new free morning-after pill service at high street pharmacies, figures reveal.

🛰️ A satellite constellation has been proposed by Amazon to provide service to mobile phones, with plans to launch in 2028.

🦎 One of Europe's rarest amphibians has been released into the wild in Spain as part of a wider conservation effort.

🚆 A new direct Eurostar route between the UK and Belgium will launch in December, it has been announced. 

☕️ We found an adaptogenic coffee brand worth knowing – and they’re offering The Know readers 20% off. Better-for-your-brain coffee? Yes, please. Use code THEKNOW when you check out.

📚 The Booker Prize longlist has been unveiled, with the chair of the judges describing the 13 novels as “dynamite”.

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Trivia answer: C) The new woodland is designed to give people living in cities a chance to enjoy nature and help filter some air pollution.

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