How the ‘Framing Britney Spears’ NYT Documentary Affected Hulu’s Earned Media Mentions

The New York Times Presents, a docu-series on Hulu, has released episodes containing riveting stories about the lives of people such as the awe-inspiring doctors and nurses who’ve dedicated their time alleviating the pandemic’s damage to U.S. health-care systems as well as the brave people who battled head-to-head against the devastating Australian wildfires. Most recently, a deep dive into the intricacies of Britney Spears has spawned a global discussion.

According to Critical Mention data, Hulu has received a 36.8% increase in online news mentions from the weekend before the documentary to the weekend it was released. Many viewers have been riveted by the documentary and the sentiment scores are further supporting that expression. Not only has Hulu received more mentions, but analytics from the platform demonstrates that the number of positive sentiments has increased substantially in comparison to the weekend before the release.

The documentary mainly focuses on the power dynamic within the conservatorship between the pop star and her father. In the series, there’s a big focus on the Britney supporters who are advocating for the termination of her conservatorship in the streets and on social media, using the slogan, “Free Britney.” The episode has clearly defined the true meaning behind the popular hashtag #FreeBritney and now fans, news organizations and the general public are talking about the conservatorship. In fact, Critical Mention has captured the thousands of “Free Britney” mentions, and many stations and websites have been gaining publicity while sharing messages of support. 

This documentary has not only impacted Spears and Hulu, but it has also led to more social media users talking about former boyfriend Justin Timberlake’s role in Spears’ highs and lows. Critical Mention’s Word Cloud results are proof:

Until next time!

Critical Mention