Netflix is planning on making kid’s content ad free on its new ad-supported plan
With all of the recent discussion about crackdowns on passwords and new price-tiering happening over at Netflix, it can get confusing to determine who can watch what and what each plan will cost. In all the chaos, at least one thing is positive for kids—for now.
The popular streaming service has announced that all children’s programming and original movies will be advertising-free on its new cheaper, ad-supported plan, according to a report from Bloomberg. In case you’d forgotten, Netflix announced a new, cheaper plan earlier this year for people who felt the service was too pricey and weren’t bothered by sitting through ads.
The move came after the company announced on an earnings call in July that it lost 1.3 million subscribers in the second quarter of 2022 .
The ad-supported plan is set to start at the beginning of 2023 and will cost less than the current “standard” plan, which sits at $15.49/mo for HD streaming. No official price has yet been announced. While it’s good news that kids won’t be subjected to ads while they’re trying to get their Octonauts on, there may be stipulations. Bloomberg reported “no ads on kid’s content or original movies” but also mentioned “some” third parties that license children’s programming have asked Netflix not to run ads on their shows. This leaves room for interpretation that others may have them after all. Original movies, they said, will be ad-free “at first.”
In total, the plans haven’t become official, meaning things could change at any time. The publication also said analysts estimate Netflix could “generate $3 billion to $4 billion a year in ad sales,” so it’s a lucrative business. It seems an easy decision for those who want to pay a lower subscription now that they’ll be kicked off their parent’s account (once password lockdowns are in place) and don’t mind ads.
If you do plan to sign up for the ad-supported plan, a gentle reminder you will not have the option to download shows or movies to view offline at a later time. It’s a bummer if you travel frequently and want to watch your favorite series on your next flight, but a small price to pay (literally) for paying less a month to stream.
