The recent announcement from Amazon Prime Video that its viewers will soon have to pay an extra $2.99 monthly in the month of January has people all over the world talking. As one of the largest streaming services in the world, this move is going to have a big impact on all of its viewers.
For those who have come to rely on and enjoy the ad-free viewing experience, this additional monthly fee may be viewed as a bit of a pain. But Amazon Prime Video isn’t taking this move lightly. After all, streaming TV shows and movies is their business, and they don’t want to be hurt financially by viewers who are opting out of viewing advertisements.
Instead, the streaming giant is hoping that viewers will understand the importance of advertising and its ability to keep the service running. With ads, Amazon Prime Video is able to make money from the shows and movies it licenses, so it can continue to expand its library and offer more content.
For viewers who do plan to pay the additional $2.99 a month, Amazon Prime Video has assured them that they won’t be thrown into yet another advertising pool. Instead, the ads will be tailored to user preferences and interests. This means that viewers won’t have to waste their time watching commercials that don’t appeal to them in any way.
With the paywall in place starting in January, it’s clear that Amazon Prime Video is putting its viewers in an interesting position. Either they can pay the extra fee and get the ad-free experience they expect from the streaming service, or they can view ads and pay nothing extra. With so much competition in the streaming market, it will be interesting to see how this move plays out and how viewers respond.