Netflix may introduce advertising before the end of the year
Advertising may be coming to Netflix sooner than expected.
Netflix has told employees it aims to introduce an ad-supported tier in the last three months of 2022, The New York Times reports.
That's a faster timeline than the company previously indicated, as Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings said the streamer would explore introducing ads "over the next year or two." Netflix, according to the Times, called its timeline "fast and ambitious" and said it "will require some trade-offs."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Netflix revealed it was looking into launching an ad-supported tier last month after disclosing that it lost subscribers for the first time in a decade, leading the company's stock to take a hit. For years, Netflix ruled out the possibility of having ads on the platform. But in a reversal, Hastings said "allowing consumers who would like to have a lower price, and are advertising tolerant, get what they want makes a lot of sense."
The advertising would be optional for Netflix subscribers who want to pay less. The company is expected to follow a similar model as Hulu, which in the U.S. costs $6.99 per month with advertising and $12.99 per month without it.
This isn't the only change Netflix is eying, as it's also looking to ask users to pay more to share their accounts with others. According to the Times, the company aims for its password-sharing crackdown to begin in the last three months of this year.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The Week contest: Swift stimulus
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'It's hard to resist a sweet deal on a good car'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 concert tours to see this winter
The Week Recommends Keep warm traveling the United States — and the world — to see these concerts
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The complaint that could change reality TV for ever
In the Spotlight A labour complaint filed against Love Is Blind has the potential to bolster the rights of reality stars across the US
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
TV to watch in December, from 'Squid Game' to 'Paris & Nicole'
The Week Recommends A pulpy spy thriller, the reunion of Paris and Nicole and a new season of 'Squid Game'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
TV to watch in November, from 'Dune: Prophecy' to 'A Man on the Inside'
The Week Recommends A new comedy from 'The Good Place' creator, a prequel to 'Dune' and the conclusion of one of America's most popular shows
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published