Ads are coming to Prime Video in January
You have about a month left to watch Prime Video without getting commercials
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Fresh off of what has most likely been another ungodly lucrative holiday season (there are other places where you can buy things, folks), Amazon has apparently decided that it’s sick of all of this “peace” and “goodwill” shit that everyone has been talking about for a month and will instead be embracing greed and antagonism (is that the opposite of goodwill?) for 2024.
As confirmed today in a message to subscribers (via Deadline), “limited advertisements” will be coming to the previously ad-free Prime Video on January 29, with Amazon claiming that it will “allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” (Don’t roll your eyes too hard, it’ll be tough to get an appointment with a doctor this week.) The statement also promises that Prime Video will have “meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.” (Don’t roll your eyes too hard!!!)
We first heard that Prime Video would be getting ads earlier this year, and while most streaming services already offer an ad-supported tier these days, what makes this one kind of aggravating is that Amazon isn’t introducing a new tier that has ads while jacking up the price of one that doesn’t. Instead, it’s forcing everyone into the ad tier and then offering a $3 upcharge to anyone who wants their service to remain the same. And how many people aren’t going to know how to do that and are just going to start getting ads that they never expected to get? Lots? Amazon is probably hoping its lots.
In terms of cost, a monthly Prime subscription is $15, so make that $18 with the ad-free bump. That’ll put it on the high end of all the major streaming services, unless you’re paying an obscene amount for Netflix’s silly 4K tier. Of course, Amazon would argue that you’re also getting free shipping and whatever other benefits come with a Prime subscription (the ability to hit a button and deny a random warehouse worker a bathroom break?), which you don’t get with Netflix or Hulu, but Netflix and Hulu also don’t have those annoying delivery trucks that make an obnoxious honking noise when they back up, so… there are a lot of trade-offs to consider.
66 Comments
Cheapest billionaire ever.
Hey genius, how do you think people *become* billionaires?
If certain projections are accurate, soon to become the cheapest trillionaire ever.
*facepalm
Inching closer and closer to the pop of the streaming bubble…
Almost fully transitioned back to the Cable model again, lol.
People keep saying that, and I’m like, do you guys not remember the contracts and having to find the package that offered the one channel you wanted but came with a million you didn’t?
If you consider that you are in essence still paying for content (shows) that you will never watch, it still kind of fits the mold.
But that was the case as far back as when Netflix first introduced streaming, when it was being hailed as the “cable killer,” and people didn’t have a problem with it then. Most TV shows are still available to buy a la carte from DVOD services too, but most people would prefer to sign up to a streaming service for a month and then drop it. You couldn’t do that with cable.
“But that was the case as far back as when Netflix first introduced streaming, when it was being hailed as the “cable killer,” and people didn’t have a problem with it then.”Maybe the majority didn’t, but as soon as competing streamers started popping up I figured at some point we were going to end up back where we started, basically.
Netflix… even the most expensive version is $23.When was the last time you could buy a cable package for $23?
That’s IF you get everything you want from ONE streaming service.Consider this: While I will admit that in general, the big streaming services offer far more content than you would get in the old days by subscribing to a cable channel like HBO, you are limiting yourself to basically one cable channel’s exclusives.
One thing I hate is that so many of the streaming services are adding live sports to their offerings. Not that I particularly have anything against sports, but I almost never watch them, and I know that they’ve always been one of the major drivers in increasing the cost of cable. If amazon or Hulu is showing the nfl and the nba that means they’re spending a lot of money on it, which means higher prices to subscribers. So basically a huge part of what I’m paying for is something I’m just not watching.
On the other hand, “live sports” is about 60% of what I watch on TV (with movies being about 35%,) so while I know I’m missing a butch of stuff, I can’t change my stripes.
It’s not even that I mind paying for something I don’t watch. There’s a ton of stuff on the streaming services that I’ll never watch. It’s just that I know that sports will eventually make up a really significant part of the cost of the service. A lot more than the few pennies of my fee that goes to pay for some series or movie I’ll never watch.
Exactly! Even with all the streaming issues (and I’m not minimizing them), it’s still miles better and cheaper than cable for me. Especially since, despite Netflix’s efforts to the contrary, I can share the account with a family member.
Oh, streaming has plenty of issues, and I’m not trying to minimize them by pointing out that they’re not the same issues consumers had with cable either. But I really don’t understand what value making such a tired and wrong observation is adds to the discussion.
Agree.
Aside from contracts, streaming really is becoming cable (and don’t think execs aren’t considering reviving coercive contract models). Increasingly unavoidable ads, consolidated services filled with slews of content you don’t have any interest in, rising costs. Basically, cable. At this point, depending on what you subscribe to, you could argue streaming is still cheaper than most cable platforms. And certainly the variety and on-demand availability cannot be compared. Streaming really is an advance in that respect. But in most other ways streaming and cable are increasingly indecipherable. Ongoing consolidation will only make that more true. Paramount Maxulu, anyone?
So aside from contracts, value, variety, ad-free options, exclusive content, and on-demand availability, streaming is becoming just like cable.I think what people are snarkily referring to as streaming “turning into” cable is just the slow realization that there are only so many ways to monetize entertainment – especially television. You can pay for it directly/a la carte, you can watch ads, or you can subscribe to a model where niche content is subsidized by popular content. I get that 2023 is a hellscape, and I 100% agree that ongoing consolidation will only make things like streaming worse. But I’m convinced that most people don’t understand how goddamn expensive a single episode of television is to make, and with overall television ratings falling and physical media sales cratering, that money is going to have to come from somewhere.But in most other ways streaming and cable are increasingly indecipherable. I don’t think that word means what you think it means.
Don’t they read their own writing before they submit it? Jeesh.
People who think streaming is just like cable are either:a) so young they never paid for cableb) so old they just have grumpy brainc) doing streaming wrong
Yarr.
Yeah, it might be time to sail the high seas in search of the best torrents again. (Legal disclaimer: This means I’m planning to pirate the shit out of your precious shows, Jeff!)
I’m fortunate to have had access to an outstanding private tracker that’s just for TV stuff for more than a decade, so I don’t have to worry about missing out. I subscribe to all the main streaming services, but I like to have offline copies in case they disappear and there’s stuff that isn’t available to me legally even if I wanted to pay for it (I’m including stuff that’s accessible via VPN because even though that’s not illegal it still violates the TOS).I also have an app called StreamFab that allows you to download stuff from services you subscribe to and I do use it, but the folks who are putting stuff up on that tracker are way more knowledgeable and experienced at doing it well.Another option is USENET. It’s not nearly as thorough/complete as the tracker I mentioned (I’m reluctant to name it but I know it’s discussed fairly regularly on Reddit) but still another good potential avenue.
Technically it always had ads it was just focused on Amazon Video ads so as long as these new ads just replace the Amazon Video ads then it really won’t be that bothersome.
Counterpoint: the Amazon video ads had already been pissing me off for a long while now that this was the tipping point. I canceled my membership. (I also do not believe at ALL that these ads will be presented like the Amazon video ads were. They’re trying to go back to the cable tv model.)
Zaslav!Give it time. We’ll find out he had something to do with this somehow sooner or later.
“Put it in H!” is a line that has stayed with me ever since this episode aired.
That whole scene is a goldmine, starting from “Place of Automobiles.” Not bad for a clip that’s less than thirty seconds.
How long until the English language just designates Zaslav as an all-purpose curse word?
Zaslav YOU, you filthy mother Zaslaver!
It’s like buying one cable channel, except the content is worse. I was pirating their stuff when I was paying for Prime just because I hate absolutely everything about the user experience. Give me more reasons, Bezos.
If there’s one thing I learned circa 1999, it’s that there will always be an unlimited inventory of high CPM ads ready to go!
I’ve never really understood it. When a commercial comes on I swittch off, especially if it’s the same few over and over. I can’t be the only one.
Limited commercials ore ok. You watch a show for 20 – 30 minutes, then get a break to get a snack or to pee, then sit back down. Didn’t miss anything.
I used to watch a lot of Hulu when it still had ads. I think I would never have upgraded if not for the fact that watching the same ad three or four times during a show, sometimes back to back, was making me crazy.
I remember when hulu was free! I guess I just tune out, they way I don’t hear trains or cars outside. Mabye that’s not a good thing:/
Ads are more effective when you aren’t paying attention to them. That’s why they put them on bus stops and the like where people are idle and zoned out.
Then I suppose I have some kind of ‘superpower’, lol, because I cannot recall an ad I’ve seen lately and I also can’t recall responding to an ad by wanting that product. I’ll also just say that I’m such a non-materialist that I might as well be a full-on asthete. I just don’t buy stuff. I gave up casual consumerism a long time ago and don’t miss it. I need things, sure but I research purchases. My searches might start with an idea from an ad but they seldom end there. And, sure, if everyone behaved like me the economy, as it is presently, would be in trouble – maybe? People exercise their power by spending. I do it with my frugality. It doesn’t make me feel superior. It’s just a lifestyle habituated by moving around a lot.
These billionaires are just gleefully putting everyone into the poorhouse and then who’ll buy all of their rubbish and rubbishy services? They are obviously unconcerned about cutting off their own supply.
You’ve got to starve a narcissist but then narcs are set at “self-destruct”.
Mostly I find it deeply troubling that people are so addicted to tv. This isn’t a humblebrag but I’ve probably only committed to maybe twelve tv shows in my lifetime and I don’t feel deprived. Also, I suspect that people don’t even watch as much as they think they do or will. They see something shiny, someone mentions “that X show is so cool” and, hey, it’s only $15.00 (then $20.00 ..). Don’t even care if I sound like a cynical fart at this point. Humans are deeply disappointing and we deserve what we get.
Temu is the new hot seller and they are selling at ridiculously low prices. That will change once people are hooked, but I’m surprised Amazon is being so smug. Products aren’t as cheap as they used to be. And it’s all just cheap stuff that doesn’t last.
How does placing ads in streaming content put anyone in the poor house?Like, literally anyone?
“This isn’t a humblebrag but…”
🙄
Humans are deeply disappointing and we deserve what we get but not because people like to watch more TV, you self-aggrandizing weirdo
There is a subset of really dumb people who think not watching TV makes them smart. It’s quite funny.
Here’s a workaround. If you are on any government assistance (food stamps, medicaid, etc), you can get Prime and Walmart+ for half price. Walmart+ comes with Paramount+, too.
What if the streaming services are the reason you are on food stamps? 😉
I don’t care if it was a joke.Fuck off. Don’t you have some bootstraps you should be jerking off?
They seem to let you add at least one person to your prime account who will have their own completely separate Amazon login too, so if you want to share it with someone even outside of your household it currently supports it (and unlike Netflix you don’t have to share a password)
Can’t wait to tell my wife the new business plan!
To be fair (or, at least if you’re interested in comparing apples to apples), you can currently get Prime Video for $8.99/mo, if you don’t care about the free shipping nonsense. I assume it’ll be $11.99/mo w/o ads, which is comparable to most streaming services.Also, let’s remember that prices have been artificially low because they haven’t been paying residuals.
It’s not just that they’re not paying residuals (though obviously screwing over creatives is a great way to save money); streamers set their prices low to attract subscribers, because shareholders wanted to see the line go up.
This, right there. All prices go up when workers complain and strike for better wages/contracts. Then when the prices go up, we consumers all act surprised.
You can get free shipping on Amazon without Prime. It’s the faster shipping that people care about. I’d bet the vast majority of Prime subscribers are there to get whatever they click delivered in 1-3 days and the video is just a bonus, if they even watch it at all. Especially considering their output has slowed down to a trickle in the last few years.
And for those people this article and discussion is meaningless. I agree the majority of Prime subscribers have the full package, largely because 1) it came first, Prime Video was added as a ‘free’ bonus later, 2) The option to purchase Prime Video only is even more recent than that, and 3) there’s essentially no marketing for the stand alone product (obviously, they’d prefer people subscribe to the full package).However, comparing Prime Video pricing to Netflix’s Premium 4k tier is silly when it’s $8.99 ($11.99 after the change) for the comparable product.
It’s a good thing all of us who celebrated the Hollywood unions’ big win are happy to sit through ads and pay more for streaming subscriptions to cover the increased cost of labor. Otherwise we’d be total hypocrites.
Sure, if they were raising prices because they need it to cover the increased cost of labor, but they aren’t. Something that came up during the strike, over and over and over and over was an absurd amount of proof that they don’t need to do that. They have the money. They just didn’t want to give any to the talent. They were planning this before the strikes even happened, and if the strikes hadn’t happened, this plan to increase prices & add commercials still would have gone into effect.
People don’t really understand that the “wonderful” “innovative” competition that capitalism encourages mainly centers on competing with other companies to see who can sell the crummiest possible product while making the most money possible. When Netflix or whatever starts selling ads the thought process of the other streaming companies isn’t “great! let’s think up of some innovative new ways to attract their disaffected customers!” it’s “Netflix is getting away with selling ads? finally! let’s grab a piece of that pie!”
Nobody doesn’t understand that.
Yep. You see the same thing in video games, where as soon as a publisher or platform holder gets away with egregious DRM or monetization practices, everyone else follows suit.
Paying subscribers are no longer customers, we are now the commodity. Ads not even targeted to the profile dossiers the streamers have long assembled on us are offensive – at least to me. Adding insult to offense, nonsensical commercial breaks, in the middle of scenes, and often mid-sentence, without the edited breaks we grew up with in commercial TV, further show a corporate disdain for its paying viewers.Last I checked, Stockholm Syndrome wasn’t a viable long-term business model.It’s possible the advertiser is in the same boat as the viewer – unaware that their “messages” are an unwelcome intrusion cavalierly placed in illogical parts of the program.Keep a list of each product/service advertised. When the streamer has split a show or movie mid-scene (often mid-sentence), boycott that product/service, let the advertiser know, either directly or via their social media sites.
They blew three quarters of a billion on just two shows last year (that no one liked). This is not a shocking move.For those up the back: Seven hundred and fifteen million dollars. On two (2) shows.
I’ve got one family member who is gonna be pissed.
My eyes! They are rolling! The goggles, they do nothing!!!
I sincerely hope that enough people revolt and opt out of all these crap streaming services so that they have to rethink this whole ad thing.