As I sat down to watch “The Artful Dodger” (a show I totally recommend) two weeks ago on Hulu, I realized that I was also watching ads almost every 10 minutes. At first, I was prepared to call my mother and question why she had changed our subscription. Then, I realized that this was occurring on almost every streaming service I had access to.
I began researching, trying to figure out what subscription we needed to get rid of ads, but the numbers began to add up quite quickly. Netflix has gone from less than $10 to over $20 per month, and many other streaming services are following in that direction: increasing their monthly subscriptions, now with the addition of advertisements. I was baffled at this stark realization, especially considering that a couple of years ago my family and I got rid of cable TV to avoid commercials and enjoy a wider range of media through streaming.
Unfortunately, many customers who took the same stance on streaming services are beginning to regret that choice with these high prices, myself included. Additionally, there is an abundance of great shows and movies coming out, but they are spread out across platforms, making it difficult for an average consumer to see everything they want without having to pay over $100 in fees per month towards the different streaming options. Even Apple TV Plus used to be free, but now consumers are paying roughly $10 monthly for this service.
Despite student discounts on streaming services like Hulu and Paramount+, it now does not feel quite worth it to be paying for advertisements when that is not what you originally signed up for. I personally have a short attention span when it comes to ads, so getting bombarded with them five times per show can become frustrating and leave me uninterested in the content I am trying to watch. However, it seems that unless customers want to pay for a premium subscription for every streaming service, we will simply have to deal with commercials everywhere.
On the flip side of this issue, I am attempting to view commercials on streaming platforms in a positive light as well, since they are probably not going away any time soon. On a positive note, advertisements throughout shows can allow viewers to take a quick break from their screen while streaming. For instance, I often find myself with aching eyes after binge-watching a show late at night, so by taking a moment away, I can attempt to gather my thoughts and return my attention to the screen when the show continues.
Additionally, it gives the audience a great opportunity to converse with one another while the ads are playing, and the group of watchers can take time to digest the scenes and ask questions (this is especially true if you have a father who loves to ask you questions while watching a show neither of you have seen). Finally, advertisements allow for a quick bathroom or snack break before continuing with the show without having to hit pause (or find the remote). If you want to make a game out of it, you can even time yourself and your friends to see who can return to their seat in the most timely manner.
Although I and many other consumers are upset at the recent changes to streaming services, it gives us all a chance to sit back and enjoy our favorite shows while also being able to get back in touch with the things around us that are very important. Personally, I am going to try to make the best out of the new changes that have been made to streaming services, even though I am not a big fan of the additional advertisements at the moment.
