Ad-supported streaming services are a step in the right direction. Paid subscriptions are making content exclusive which means many people who don’t subscribe don’t see that stuff, at least not until is broadcast on tv, which can be years, it at all.
By limiting content to subscribers, merchandising market shrinks, and the general population loses interest in content they won’t see and subscribers eventually get bored. Companies like Disney want kids to see their content so they can buy toys from their stores. At this time a lot of their exclusive Disney+ content is unavailable to so many people who don’t subscribe but might have bought a few pin badges or dolls. Eventually they will see ad-supported content as one way of growing their audience.
The best way to get content out there is by offering it for free, and getting ad revenue as more people flock to see the new shows and movies.
For consumers, ads might be annoying, but for those that don’t subscribe, paying for content when free alternatives exist becomes less important.
From the media companies’ perspective, at least this way everyone can see the content, which means audiences can potentially grow. Look at YouTube. People who want entertainment don’t even care about quality productions. Many spend hours watching tedious video game videos on YouTube, and for many, this type of content has replaced the traditional media they used to consume. This means paying for stuff audiences are losing interest in already is going to get harder and harder.
Eventually all streaming platforms will either become free or offer a free to view version. If the media companies want potentially everyone to view their content, they will have to accept that their money will have to come from advertisers and not audiences because as time goes on fewer and fewer people would pay for content when their entertainment needs could be met by those that offer content for free.
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