Are you interested in adding Netflix to your streaming services but the price hurts too much? Maybe you want to downsize your subscriptions but cannot live without Netflix. Either way, you may be in luck, eventually. It seems that Netflix is warming up to the idea of an advertising supported subscription option. Although, to be clear, it is not something that is guaranteed to happen. Just views on advertising have changed a bit in favor of such an option.
The land of no ads
Netflix is quite popular partly because they do not have advertising, on anything. Not even ‘limited’ ads like some platforms, such as Peacock or Paramount Plus to name a couple.
Netflix has also been hammered for not having the latest greatest movies or television shows. The content available is obviously restricted by the amount of money the company must spend on said content. Already ran content, and first run movies, have become so costly that Netflix began developing their own content.
Considering they rely nearly 100% on subscribers, it is easy to see why their selection is often, well, lacking. If 100 million people stream the latest Netflix original, Netflix only makes whatever those subscribers paid for their subscription. Simple. If they were to ad an advertising supported model, then potential revenue across 100 million views could be astronomical.
Ads could be coming, eventually
According to Variety, Spencer Neumann who spoke at the Morgan Stanley 2022 Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, stated, “It’s not like we have religion against advertising, to be clear,” said Neumann, speaking Tuesday at Morgan Stanley’s 2022 Technology, Media & Telecom Conference. “But that’s not something that’s in our plans right now… We have a really nice scalable subscription model, and again, never say never, but it’s not in our plan.”
Sure, the odds are still well against an ad supported tier, it is something they have thought about. Previously Netflix management flat out said no to an advertising supported tier.