Disney+ joins the growing list of ad-supported streaming services - The UpStream

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Disney+ joins the growing list of ad-supported streaming services

posted Sunday Mar 6, 2022 by Scott Ertz

Disney+ joins the growing list of ad-supported streaming services

Disney+ has officially announced that it will be joining the growing list of ad-supported streaming services. This means that users will be able to watch all of the same content that is available on Disney+, but they will have to sit through a certain number of ads each month in order to make up for the lower cost. Disney has not yet released any details about how many ads viewers can expect or when this new plan will go into effect.

What we know

So far, what we know is that Disney+ will continue to be subscription-based, with three tiers: ad-supported, premium, and Disney+. The ad-supported tier will be the most affordable option, but viewers should expect to see ads during their streaming sessions. This new plan is set to launch in the United States sometime next year.

What we don't know yet

We still don't know how many ads viewers can expect or when the ad-supported Disney+ plan will go into effect. We also don't know how much this new tier is going to cost. Disney has said that it will be the most affordable option, but we'll have to wait for more details on that. Disney has not yet released any details about this, so stay tuned for updates.

Other ad-supported services

Disney+ joins other streaming services in offering an ad-supported option. Hulu offers an ad-supported plan that allows viewers to watch limited commercials or no commercials at all for a higher monthly price. Paramount+ also has both commercial-free and limited commercial options. HBO Max also offers an ad-supported version of its service.

Peacock is still the most original in that it offers three tiers: a completely free ad-supported tier that offers a limited selection of the catalog. There's a cheap ad-supported tier that offers the entire catalog, and then a more expensive tier that removes the ads from the catalog.

Why is Disney doing this now?

Disney's move to offer an ad-supported tier could be in response to the growing competition in the streaming market. With more and more people cutting the cord, Disney+ needs to find ways to make its service more affordable and accessible. And, with the selection of streaming services seemingly growing every day, even the more established services, like Disney+, needs to find a way to differentiate themselves.

Disney does have something that no one else does, though - its catalog. With the Netflix Marvel content leaving Netflix and moving to Disney+, that makes the service the exclusive streaming home for Marvel and Star Wars content. It's also home to the Disney Masterpiece Collection, like Alladin and The Little Mermaid. Plus, original content is being produced in everyone's favorite story worlds exclusively for the service.

With all of that available, it almost seems unnecessary for the cheaper option. However, some potential customers are already feeling the squeeze of subscription fatigue, and aren't willing to go all-in on the cost. This gives them another option to consider.

What do you think?

It will be interesting to see how this new plan affects viewership numbers and whether or not other streaming services follow suit. Disney+ has something no one else does, which could help it stay ahead of the curve. Do you think Disney made a wise decision in introducing an ad-supported plan? Let us know in the comments!

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