Last week, our prediction that DAZN could fail in 2023 made hints of becoming true when it was reported that the streamer was laying off staff. This coincides with its cancellation of IPO plans. It doesn’t mean they’re dead in the water yet, but we’ve got our 👀 on DAZN.

In this issue:

• Are ad-supported tiers really worth it?

• Three new shows are on the CW this weekend.

• Which streaming subscribers are the most satisfied?

Tudum! But first, ads

It’s official. Netflix with ads is on its way here. Netflix’s plans to bring an ad-supported tier to its on-demand streaming felt a bit more real this week after news broke that the company struck a deal with an ad analytics company.

That could be a good thing for those who want to save some money. After all, Netflix increased prices earlier this year — basic plans now cost $9.99 and some subscribers pay $19.99 for the premium level. That’s after several price increases in just the past few years that we’ve already noted significantly exceed the rate of inflation.

And Netflix isn’t alone. All of the following streamers already offer ad-supported tiers — or will offer them in 2023: Netflix, Disney+, Discovery, Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount+ and Peacock.

But what makes an ad-supported streaming service really work, and what lessons could Netflix take from its competitors? Let’s dive in.

Too many ads is … bad

Some ad-supported plans make viewers far happier than others. Data published by Whip Media in August 2022 suggests that HBO Max’s ad-supported tier has the most satisfied subscribers.

Two factors distinguish HBO Max’s ad-supported tier from the rest of the pack:

• Ads air less often. HBO Max shows about 9 ads per hour. Meanwhile, Hulu airs 14 ads per hour and Paramount+ airs around 24 ads per hour. That’s a huge difference.

• Ad breaks aren’t too repetitive. While 73% of Hulu subscribers in the Whip Media survey said they see the same commercials over and over again, just 41% of HBO Max subscribers said the same.

The data suggests that people who pay more to watch without ads are more satisfied than those who go the ad-supported route, but not by much. A lower ad load and more ad variety goes a long way to keep ad-supported viewers happier. Netflix, take note!

Some ad-supported streamers are worth it

If you really want to save money by subscribing to an ad-supported tier, choose wisely.

Subscribers who go with ad-supported HBO Max, Paramount+, and Discovery+ are almost as satisfied as ones who pay more for ad-free versions. But subscribers with cheaper, ad-supported versions of Hulu and Peacock are far less-satisfied than those who pay up for ad-free versions.

If Netflix wants its ad-supported tier to succeed, it will keep ads per hour low and air a wide variety of ads during commercial breaks. We’ll be watching to see what happens!

The Watchlist

Don’t miss the season finale of Rings of Power on Disney+ on October 14.

Watch the first episodes of The Winchesters, Whose Line Is It Anyway Season 19, and Penn and Teller: Fool Us on The CW.

Learn more about geography with The Great Lakes Untamed on the Smithsonian Channel.

Industry analysts say Netflix’s ad-supported tier is critical to its revenue generation in coming years.

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings is headed for Season 2…but a release may take *years.*

Halloween season commences with Dark Glass on Shudder.

Best-selling novel Shantaram shifts to live-action TV on Apple TV+

Watch Hulu’s Romeo and Juliet spin-off movie Rosaline.