Netflix’s new ad-supported plan won’t put ads on everything on the service.
The popular streaming service has informed its partners that children’s programming and original movies will be immune to advertising on its new cheaper, ad-supported plan, according to a report from Bloomberg. The plan is set to launch near the start of 2023 and will cost less than the current “standard” plan, which runs customers $15.49/mo for HD streaming. It’s possible it could replace the $10/mo standard-definition plan that’s already in place, but Netflix has yet to confirm pricing for the new ad-supported tier.
The price isn’t the only part of this report that’s still up in the air. Netflix’s “no ads on kid’s content or original movies” edict could have some carve-outs. For one, Bloomberg says only “some” third parties that license children’s programming have asked Netflix not to run ads on their shows, so it’s possible that others will have ads on them after all. In addition, original movies could get ads eventually; Bloomberg’s report said they could only be ad-free “at first.”
One thing that’s more certain about the new ad-supported plan is that anyone who pays for it will lose one feature that comes with more expensive versions of Netflix. Namely, they won’t be able to download shows or movies for offline viewing. If you want to watch Stranger Things on an airplane, you better pay for slow airline WiFi or shell out for a higher tier of Netflix.
Still, that said, Netflix turning off ads on children’s shows is probably for the best. Kids don’t need to have things sold to them. They’ll have their entire adulthoods for that.