While linear TV reportedly airs 13 to 16 minutes of commercials per hour, streaming providers have been given the flexibility to increase the frequency of ads while still asserting to show fewer commercials compared to traditional TV channels.
Aside from the HBO Max rebranding, MediaRadar data cited by PCWorld reveals that Disney+ shows over 5.3 minutes of ads per hour, while Hulu features more than seven minutes of commercials each hour.
The excessive advertisement breaks disrupt the viewer’s experience, making it difficult for subscribers to enjoy uninterrupted sessions. This situation forces subscribers to assess how much time they are willing to spend watching a 22-minute program and the value of their time.
Despite the transition to HBO Max this summer, the earlier promise made to HBO Max subscribers has not been kept, as ads now interrupt the original HBO content on the platform. PCWorld noted that viewers have encountered three ad breaks during episodes of shows like The Last of Us, in addition to ads shown before the start of the program.
Expressing frustration, one Reddit user shared, “When watching several HBO documentaries, I noticed they had more ads than Pluto TV, a free ad-supported streaming service. Initially, there were few ads during the Cartoon Network kids’ programs, but now they are being bombarded with commercials.”
Ars Technica attempted to contact WBD for a statement regarding these changes, but no response was received prior to the publication of the article.
By increasing the number of commercials, streaming services run the risk of reducing the appeal of their ad-supported tiers. On online platforms, users are questioning the value of ad-based Max subscriptions, priced at $10 per month, in comparison to the ad-free option at $17 per month.
Another Reddit user argued, “If there are ads, it shouldn’t be priced at $10 per month.”
With the rise of streaming services, many customers have subscribed to multiple platforms to access all desired content. Streaming providers frequently raise subscription fees and introduce password restrictions. Ad-supported subscriptions were initially introduced as a more affordable streaming option.
