Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

You might not sit through them but you may have no choice to see the key interesting content that you want to see. After all, you are the one telling us there’s virtually nothing worthwhile on linear television.

Netflix aren’t harvesting all the data on your household viewing habits just to make suggestions. The obvious step is targeted advertising on the platform.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Adding millions more subscriptions every year, is though.

Yep. They'll all be at it soon. The market is worth an absolute fortune.

Without taking the thread too off topic, people don't seem to realise what all these tech companies like Google, Amazon, Apple etc are all about. It's about collecting as much data as they possibly can on people, then monetising that.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

If you can’t see the product they’re selling, you’re the product...

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

It seems like OB has finally had one of those light bulb moments.:D

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Don't worry there is more to come.:D

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

I think they would soon change their minds if huge numbers abandoned a streaming service that started to ram commercials down our throats. A subscription option with no ads is the only service I would subscribe to.

As I said originally, there is no reason why an option to view free of charge (or at a lower cost) without adverts cannot be made available alongside the existing service.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

But I thought it was the high quality content, not available on linear television, you were after?

If (or rather, when) they all do it the consumer will not have a choice. No-one will be able to develop the breadth of content on offer without that money. Advertisers need to push their products, and in different ways, streaming will not be immune to it.

It’ll start subtle - a brief advert before your programme - before it ramps up.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

A little correction here! I meant to say:

'..there is no reason why an option to view free of charge (or at a lower cost) with adverts cannot be made available alongside the existing service.'

Sorry about that!

---------- Post added at 18:53 ---------- Previous post was at 18:46 ----------

I think you must be misunderstanding me as I don't see how your point applies to what I have said.

It is of couse high quality content I want, but I don't want it interrupted by ads.

The principle I am putting forward is the same as ITV and Channel 4 have adopted. The catch-up service is offered free of charge with advertising or by subscription with an enhanced selection and no ads.

In both scenarios, the streamers get income, either through subscriptions or through commercials. Everyone wins.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Except advertisers. Your proposal only offers them access to a 'lower quality' subscriber, likely to have less disposable income - a key desirable demographic will be absent.

Streamers will get more in total from advertisers and subscribers by adopting both in the same model. They understand so much more about their viewer base - not just what they watch but when they watch it - so they can offer targeted advertising in a much more sophisticated way.

The premium they can charge for advertising is for the paying customers, not the 'will take something if it's free' consumer.

Being the one, or one of two, put in front of a programme will attract an even higher price premium at relatively minor inconvenience to the subscriber. They could perhaps see 8 ads in an evening, but from advertisers trying really hard to get to them.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Not all high earners subscribe to Netflix and probably less would do so if they had to sit through hours of mindless adverts. They would lose custom like mine and the advertisers wouldn't gain one iota from the likes of me.

YouTube seem to be doing all right, attracting a higher proportion of young upwardly mobile viewers.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Who has got the time to watch all this TV? No wonder diabetes is on the rise.
Come the Corbyn revolution, it'll a max of 30 mins a day TV. The rest of the day, you'll need to work on the land with your neighbours/community. And you'll be happier ;)

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

You seem to be misunderstanding demographics - at no point did I imply that 'all' high earners would take subscription services and that no low earners would. That's a ridiculous assertion, but very much a straw man argument on your part because it simply isn't what I said.

Streamers will be able to gleam so much useful information about their subscriber base, location, working pattern - even social habits and holiday habits. Is the viewer in on Friday and Saturday nights? Do they log in from Dubai, Benidorm or Blackpool when away from home?

Youtube isn't selling premium content, it's selling 'no adverts'.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

I watch an absolute maximum of 2 hours in an evening (but sometimes up to six hours on a Friday or Saturday evening when we don't go out, staying up to about 2am).

I'm very active during the day and am fairly slimline these days.

It's not about quantity, but quality.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

The absence of ads on Netflix is, for me, a major incentive for subscribing. That and the option to watch shows in a series back to back. Conversley, the presence of (un-skippable) ads on, for instance, All 4 is a major disincentive for viewing anything at all. There is much in the Walter Presents programmes that appeal to me - but not at the cost of being obliged to sit through the commercials. Perhaps Channel 4 will join Britbox when it's launched and make the Walter Presents shows available ad-free. And, then again, perhaps that's just a pipe dream.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Top tip, record things then Fast Forward through the ads. This is top secret, don't tell anyone else ;)