Coming Soon: More Ads Streaming Your Way

As streaming services continue to evolve such as Netflix and HBO it seems that ads are becoming an increasingly common feature. While many streaming services launched with ads, most now offer a lower-priced version with ads.

GIF source WordPress.com Even Netflix, which had previously demanded that it wasn't interested in advertising, has shifted towards offering an ad-supported option. Other streaming services, such as HBO Max and Disney+, have also added ads to their offerings. Hulu, which always had an ad-supported version but didn't promote it much, has also shifted emphasis to its with-ads version.

Image source The New York Times

As streamers and customers become more comfortable with ads, and as streamers come under increasing pressure to deliver more revenue and profits, instead of just growth of subscribers, the next step seems to be stopping more ads onto screens.

The amount of ad minutes per hour has increased for many streamers over the past two years, according to data from advertising research firm MediaRadar.

While people who sign up for the lower-cost ad tiers know they'll get ads.

Those who pay more each month might be good with five minutes of commercials for every hour watched but may start to get annoyed with more than this.

It is also worth noting that several streaming services are either owned or controlled by the same corporate entity  (such as Disney+/Hulu, Max/Discovery+, Paramount+/Pluto) and may end up folded into each other sooner or later. If you are watching a streamer with ads today, you can expect to see more ads in the future.