Netflix may have just confirmed ad-supported tier is coming soon

[ZedRM]

This raises the question, "when is an ad not an ad". 30 years ago, I had cable with a couple of "premium channels". They showed movie only content every two hours. Whereas, the average "feature length movie", runs about ninety minutes. In the interim time, they showed preview after preview of upcoming movies. Movies, I might add, you had seen ten times already. So, IMO, these were "ads", and rather annoying ads at that.

This. Showing previews of future content is one thing, like cable used to do. But on Netflix it's something else and you can't skip it.

 

[mcclurken]

I think a few people have not accurately read the article.

I suspect you are correct. However, that promise/plan is only where it starts and as times get harder and/or advertising deals become a bit too enticing the ads will find their way to the paid tiers. Of course this is just a projection of what might happen but the opinion is based on many other similar situations. So as for me I hear what they are stating today, I simply don't believe them and I'm not accusing them of lying either. One thing simply leads to the other thing. Every time.

 

[captaincranky]

This. Showing previews of future content is one thing, like cable used to do.

OK. Cable premium channels are/were nothing like we've come to expect as "streaming" today. The movies were shown on the hour, but at specific times to (supposedly), coincide with "your schedule". Thus, you couldn't "skip the previews", unless you decided to turn off the TV and walk away. "On demand", was completely off the table.-

The only media outlet, (that I know of), that allows you to "skip ads" is YouTube.. Even there there's a time delay function. However, the ad blocker in Opera is potent enough to do away with them altogether.

As for OTA TV, the only defense is the mute button, of which I have 3 remotes, all of which will kill the TV sound.

Then we come to Roku. They have a lot of free content, and yes, it is ad supported. However, the mute button works on that as well. At least with Roku, they post a countdown timer at the top of the screen, so you'll know if you have time for a quick pee, or only a trip to the fridge. OK, Roku's free content is mostly syndicated contented, mostly available on OTA channels, but NOT on demand.

If Netflix buys Roku, then all that free content will convert to their ad supported tier That's what scares me. Hopefully, the Roku home page will still offer the destination choices they have now, but that's hardly guaranteed, now is it? .........

Netflix might buy Roku to fast track ad-supported tier

Netflix recently said it was open to the possibility of launching an ad-supported tie. Sources last month said the company was hoping to launch the new tier...

www.techspot.com

@wiyosaya It looks like I might have to spring for that box set of "Crossing Jordan" after all.

 

[Ravey]

I think a few people have not accurately read the article.

From the article:


To me, the phrase "as part of its service" implies that there will be a lesser cost ad supported tier (yes, I know, no one wants to pay to watch ads myself included), and there will be a higher cost tier that has no ads, much like Hulu, and others, offer. It remains to be seen if this is actually the case, but I bet it is.

As I said in my post above, the JAs in streaming brought this on themselves. Sooner or later, they might actually figure out what their customers want and serve what their customers want and not the sh!t the JAs in streaming think their customers want.

I've thought on this some more, and to give NETFLIX the benefit of the doubt, if the Ad revenue stream they receive is not enough to cove the cost of running a completely free streaming tier then I would accept a subsidised service instead. (that said, a Netflix subscription is still cheaper the monthly subscription to SKY / Virgin Media)

 

[wiyosaya]

OK. Cable premium channels are/were nothing like we've come to expect as "streaming" today. The movies were shown on the hour, but at specific times to (supposedly), coincide with "your schedule". Thus, you couldn't "skip the previews", unless you decided to turn off the TV and walk away. "On demand", was completely off the table.-

The only media outlet, (that I know of), that allows you to "skip ads" is YouTube.. Even there there's a time delay function. However, the ad blocker in Opera is potent enough to do away with them altogether.

uBlock origin is great for blocking those "embedded in video" You Tube ads.

As for OTA TV, the only defense is the mute button, of which I have 3 remotes, all of which will kill the TV sound.

I watch OTA with Media Portal and mostly watch "The CW" and ABC - time delayed. There are skip back/forward buttons in Media Portal and the increments are configurable. With the CW, I've noted a pattern of commercial breaks - the first set in a show is usually approximately 2'45" long, and the second set is approximately 4'15" long; so when the first commercial break hits - I skip ahead 2'45" which is 7 skip forward button presses 3, each for 1' and one for 15". Then when the second break hits, skip ahead 4'15" (I'll let you figure out the number of button presses ). The pattern then repeats every other time, so 2'45" then 4'15", 2'45" 4'15" and so on with minor variations of about 15" shorter, sometimes.

Then we come to Roku. They have a lot of free content, and yes, it is ad supported. However, the mute button works on that as well. At least with Roku, they post a countdown timer at the top of the screen, so you'll know if you have time for a quick pee, or only a trip to the fridge. OK, Roku's free content is mostly syndicated contented, mostly available on OTA channels, but NOT on demand.

With Hulu, you can mute the audio on their Windows app, and they also have a countdown timer, too, but I no longer subscribe to Hulu ATM.

If Netflix buys Roku, then all that free content will convert to their ad supported tier That's what scares me. Hopefully, the Roku home page will still offer the destination choices they have now, but that's hardly guaranteed, now is it? .........

Netflix might buy Roku to fast track ad-supported tier

Netflix recently said it was open to the possibility of launching an ad-supported tie. Sources last month said the company was hoping to launch the new tier...

www.techspot.com

@wiyosaya It looks like I might have to spring for that box set of "Crossing Jordan" after all.

Well, then, you will always have Jordon at your beck and call!
BTW - there's an OTA channel (I forget which one ATM) in my area that has Crossing Jordon on it, but recording all that to watch would be quite a bit of disk space.

 

[ZedRM]

OK. Cable premium channels are/were nothing like we've come to expect as "streaming" today.

True.

The only media outlet, (that I know of), that allows you to "skip ads" is YouTube..

And when you pay for YouTube Red/Premium they go away completely. This is what I expect and demand from ALL streaming services.

 

[devozy]

Netflix could introduce its lower-priced ad-supported tier by the end of the year, a more accelerated timeline than originally indicated, the company told employees in a recent note.
In the note to employees, Netflix executives said the advertising-supported tier would be introduced “in tandem with our broader plans to charge for sharing.”
Source: nytimes