Netflix offers viewers a cheaper subscription plan that includes ads

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A laptop screenshot of the “New and Popular” tab on the streaming service Netflix. Netflix recently added a “Basic with Ads” subscription plan to its platform.

By Briana Cruz

Last month, Netflix announced the incorporation of ads into its streaming service.

The “Basic with Ads” plan launched in the United States on Nov. 3 and costs viewers $6.99 a month. This new ad plan is $3 cheaper than the basic price of the streaming service without ads. Netflix will continue to offer its Basic ($9.99/month), Standard ($15.49/month) and Premium ($19.99/month) plans.

According to Variety, advertisements in the “Basics with Ads” plan play for 15 to 30 seconds before and during the program selected. However, the new plan does not include the entire Netflix catalog. Due to licensing-restrictions, a number of movies and tv shows are not available to viewers who subscribe to the ads incorporated plan.

The “Basic with Ads” plan comes as competitors begin to launch their cheaper yet ad-supported programs that had Netflix ready to hop on the bandwagon. Streaming services such as Disney+, NBC Universal’s Peacock and Hulu have all launched ad-supported plans within the past year.

Netflix’s “Basic with Ads” plan gave way to various reactions from Moorpark College students.

Moorpark College student Ashley Hill was not aware of the ad inclusion announcement made by Netflix. Upon finding out about the new ad plan, Hill expressed dislike for the platform, citing the lack of relatable shows included in the streaming service.

“I would much rather pay a higher price without ads, but I really don’t think it’s necessary,” Hill said. “They’ve already taken out all the good shows [so] they don’t have the leverage to put ads in too.”

Anna Reinhart, a second-year student at Moorpark College, did see the announcement from Netflix and provided a different angle on the situation.

“I think it is a great option,” Reinhart said. “I think it will allow a lot more people to have access to the Netflix streaming service since it will be priced lower. It should also bring Netflix more subscriptions.”

Netflix’s ad-supported plan is expected to drive in more customers. Netflix’s president of worldwide advertising, Jeremi Gorman, said the company has seen an “overwhelming interest” from global advertisers since streaming competitors launched their ad programs.

Second-year Moorpark College student Austin Hedglin was also not familiar with Netflix’s release of an ad-supported program, but provided his opinion after learning of the plan.

“I think Netflix putting ads in their site could be a good thing if it lowers the cost of the subscription, this would help a lot of people out,” Hedglin said. “I personally would not pay more for a subscription without ads.”

However, many people consider ads to be annoying. According to Forbes, Americans are subjected to 4000-10,000 ads every day. Due to growing ad fatigue, Netflix’s ads could end up frustrating consumers who are looking to save money but not at the expense of their viewing experience.

With the plan being a novel move for the company and only recently implemented, it is difficult to determine its success at the moment. In the weeks to come, the plan’s subscription base and ad buyers’ investments will help discern the feasibility of the initiative in the long-run.