Amazon is ready to interrupt Prime Video programming to bring commercial breaks to its streaming shows and movies, the company announced Friday.
Amazon joins a growing list of streamers giving in to the need for revenue beyond subscriptions in order to compete for content.
“We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers,” the company said in a blog post about its plans, which will start early next year. Ads will be introduced in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Canada at first, followed by France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in 2024.
The move follows other streaming platforms such as Disney+, Netflix and Max, which offer ad-supported tiers. Netflix resisted advertising for years before finally caving as subscriber numbers dropped, adding a $7 ad-supported tier last last fall.
Amazon says it will offer an ad-free option for U.S. Prime members for an additional $2.99 per month. Live event content such as sports — Prime Video is home to “Thursday Night Football” — will continue to include advertising.
Along with paying millions for the rights to the NFL’s “TNF,” Amazon’s recent investments in content include the $8.5 billion acquisition of Hollywood studio MGM and the hefty price tag it paid to create the fantasy series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”
Prime Video is also home to such award-winning shows as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” the most Emmy-nominated streaming comedy ever with 80 nominations over its five-season run.
