'What the f*ck was the point?': Fan frenzy as streaming platform to introduce ads in January

ONE OF the leading streaming services globally, is set to roll out advertisements leaving subscribers accustomed to uninterrupted binge-watching now finding their favorite movies and TV shows punctuated by ad breaks.

Amazon Prime Video has made the unpopular decision to introduce ads marks a significant departure from its previous ad-free streaming model, unless customers choose to pay an additional monthly fee for an ad-free experience.

Starting on January 29, 2024, viewers will experience ads during breaks in content, akin to traditional television. This strategy, long employed by free streaming platforms, is expected to generate substantial advertising revenue for Amazon.

The announcement came through a subscriber communication, where the inclusion of what they referred to as "limited advertisements" was detailed. This strategic move aims to enable the platform to "continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time."

However, for those unwilling to endure interruptions, Amazon Prime Video is offering an ad-free escape at an additional cost of £2.99 per month.

Subscribers across the globe have become enraged by the update, taking to social media to vent their frustrations.

"What the f*ck was the point of streaming," stated one disgruntled Prime Video customer.

Damn it not Amazon prime video getting ads now…WHAT the f*ck was the point of streaming pic.twitter.com/DjMV73GZXI

— ↭ ᴏᴘᴛɪᴍᴜs ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʟ ↭ (@MalikHaelstrom) December 26, 2023

Others have dubbed the move as "corporate greed".

Just got the email from @amazon re: the increase in #PrimeVideo pricing... an additional $2.99 a month if I want to keep the ad-free tier starting at the end of January 2024. #corporategreed #amazon pic.twitter.com/46ukWE1Njr

— Miss D. (@bonobochick) December 26, 2023

This move comes after Amazon disclosed the 2022 net sales of all subscription services. This includes Amazon Prime-related membership fees, digital video, audiobooks, digital music, e-books, and other subscription services (excluding Amazon Web Services, AWS). The total came to a whopping $35.22 billion in net sales for the year.