Netflix, once a pioneer of ad-free viewing that offered a break from traditional TV norms, is now contemplating launching free ad-supported versions of its service in markets like Europe and Asia, Bloomberg reported.

The plans to offer a free ad-supported tier, albeit in select markets, suggests that pivot towards monetizing user data, in other words — making users and not the extensive library of award-winning shows a product, might be well in the pipeline.

  • IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works
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    6 months ago

    the ads are minimally intrusive — that is, highly relevant and engaging — they should not detract from the overall user experience

    In what universe do ads, no matter how “relevant and engaging”, ever not detract from the overall experience?

    • criticon@lemmy.ca
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      6 months ago

      I hate ads, but sometimes prime puts 2 minutes of ads at the beginning of a show or a movie and then no ads, I’m ok-ish with this, much better than imdb or tubi that play the same commercial every 15 minutes

      If I start a stream and it shows that it will have several breaks I stop it and get it from the high seas

      • Bluefruit@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        I wish they wouldn’t do that. If i have to hear about Southern New Hampshire University again I’m gonna hurt somebody.

        If I agree to free thing and have to watch ads, aight fine.

        But at least make them different man, i hate that they play the same one over and over again. It does not make me want to buy your product.

        • dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          I was sitting in a diner the other day and one of their TV’s was apparently, for lack of a better word, tuned to that Samsung TV Plus service. I watched it play the same Kia ad four times, back to back. Not in separate commercial breaks. All in one commercial break where the same ad was played four times consecutively.

          Just like you, I have to say they found no success in making me want to buy a Kia.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Especially in shows not edited for commercials. They just throw them in the middle somewhere so the show gets cut mid-sentence. It’s ridiculous. If you want to show me ads after that episode, then fine. But killing the entire pacing of the show for your ads in a service people are paying for already? that’s just infuriating.

    • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Honest answer? Kids toys ads. The kids love the ads more than the show sometimes.

      It sucks for parents though. Gets expensive.

    • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Those ads that are now inserted during the program on us tv shows are annoying as fuck Banner at the bottom or side… Goddamnit.

    • olympicyes@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Always does but some implementations are better than others and bills still need to get paid. Network TV can’t force you to watch ads before beginning your program, but streaming can. I’m irritated that Prime has ads even though I pay for it but at least the way they handle them (only before the program starts) is acceptable to me. Interrupting a program to show ads the way YouTube does is horrible customer experience. What’s crazy to me is the way network tv shows have gone from 22 minutes in a 30 minute block to 17-19 minutes.

    • Avid Amoeba@lemmy.ca
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      6 months ago

      Perhaps to people who are used to watching ad infested cable and don’t pay for ad-free streaming. So it’s not that ads aren’t detracting from the experience but that some folks are used to it. Getting those folks is growth. Number go up.