Verizon Offering $10/Month Netflix and Max Ad-Supported Combo Subscription

[DDustiNN]

Garbage. That is the single biggest issue I have with cable TV: I’m not paying money to watch ads.

 

[wigby]

I've paid for cable in the past, but I cut the cord around 2012 and haven't looked back. A huge reason for cutting the cord was ads - I realized how insane it is to pay $100/month to watch channels that show 5-7 minutes of ads per 30-minute episode.

Same here. I already see enough ads online and while visiting my parents

 

[CarAnalogy]

Then I'll go back to sailing the high seas. My principal can be revised and it still rhymes: Ad-free, or ads and it's free. And if the service doesn't offer, then it's a pirates life for me!

You’ve already got your chanty, might as well go for it now!

 

[subjonas]

nah. i'll pirate.

give me ad free, watchable within a single app and a reasonable fee and i'll pay. until then, i'll happily freeload content.

Or just go without something that you’re not entitled to.

 

[ackmondual]

First, do the math and you'll see these companies are highly under-valuing your time. Take the price difference between an ad-free plan and an ad-supported plan, and divide it by the number of hours per month of ads they'll show. It usually ends up being less than $1/hour. That's how much they'll discounting the service to pollute your brain. My time, especially my leisure free-time, is worth way more than that.

Second, ads are particularly poisonous to kids. They don't know how to differentiate between content and ads as well as adults, they often can't tell the difference, and the ads are particularly effective on them. It's really apparent this time of year around the holidays. My kids who never see ads on TV have wishlists that are, for lack of a better term, basic. They want "a truck," "more books," and "a doctor kit like at school." Their friends who have cable tv and thus watch ads at home have much longer and more specific wishlists, like they want the "Hotwheels City Hauler Ultimate" and the "Paw Patrol Rescue Mission Under the Ocean Playset." There is also a difference in how they react if they don't get the exact toy on their wishlist. My kids really don't care, because their wishlist was not specific to begin with. They're not disappointed because any truck and any book is what they wanted; whereas their ad-watching friends get really upset if the Hotwheels or Paw Patrol whatever is not the exact one they wanted. I'd rather have no TV at all than subject my kids to that.

And all it takes is a few bucks per month to rid my home of ads - that is probably the best money I spend.

I do agree with what you said (I guess if it wasn't clear from my previous posts in this thread. Although we're up to 5 pages, so some of it does get missed).

"Ad-filled" is really only worth it for those who catch a few shows per week, or less than 10 hours per week (if not even fewer).

As for "a few bucks per month to rid my home of ads", that's not really the case anymore. It was 5+ years ago when Hulu w-ads vs. ad-free was $9 and $12 respectively. Nowadays, the differences are relatively significant. Esp. when you consider whenever a ss goes up $1 to $3 per month, these forums and elsewhere online "bring out the pitchforks" or how expensive things are, pirating, and threats to quit (if I didn't know better, it's as if some of those have already quit multiple times ). I'm curious so I'm breaking it down ad-filled vs. ad-free...
Hulu = $10 to $17 (seems a good deal get it for $1/mo via black Friday promo)
Netflix = $7.50/mo+
Dsn+ = $6/mo+
Paramount = $5/mo
HBO Max = $5 to $12
Peacock = $6
Prime Video = $3

 

[ackmondual]

I've paid for cable in the past, but I cut the cord around 2012 and haven't looked back. A huge reason for cutting the cord was ads - I realized how insane it is to pay $100/month to watch channels that show 5-7 minutes of ads per 30-minute episode.

I cut cable TV back in 2008. Moved to a new place, didn't feel like renewing. Worked out well then as I was in an area where I was going out a few times in any given week anyways. Remaining time went towards video games. TBH, I also got fed up just having to set the VCR to record shows on VHS tapes, and all the rewinding, ff through some commercials, etc.

However, my affair with ads didn't end until a few years back. Even though I've been long done with cable TV, I still dealt with ads on direct sites like Fox.com, ComedyCentral.com, CBS.com, etc. Also had to deal with episodes that expire after some time (few weeks, or they only keep the last 4 episodes available to watch). Trying out some ad-free options of streaming services (e.g. Hulu, HBO Max, or those that never had ads like Apple TV+, Nebula, Curiosity Stream)... I can't go back now!