Paramount+ Introduces Ads on Pause Screens; Angering Users with Additional Intrusion
In case anyone has forgotten, streaming services are businesses, and as economic conditions continue to be uncertain, companies behind them are looking for as many ways as possible to cut costs and increase revenue. Unfortunately for consumers, many of these changes impact the platforms’ user experience, and not always for the better.
In an effort to help overcome nearly $5.3 billion in merger-included costs Warner Bros. Discovery has been making drastic cuts to content that had previously appeared on HBO Max, removing it from the streamer in order to license it to third-party free, ad-supported TV (FAST) platforms. As frustrating as the loss of access has been for consumers, another annoyance has recently popped up in the streaming world that has some customers unhappy.
Earlier this month, The Streamable noticed that Paramount+ had begun placing ads on the screen when shows or movies were paused, adding another opportunity for the service to increase revenue from its more than 46-million customer subscriber base. While this is not an innovation unique to Paramount+, it has seemingly ruffled the feathers of some users.
Over the summer, HBO Max gave The Streamable an inside peek at some of the service's advertising advancements, including Sequential Stories, Brand Block Ad suites, and Pause Ads. Other subscription streaming services including Hulu and Peacock also employ pause ads, as do nearly every FAST and ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) platform. However, what has apparently angered some viewers is that — according to Reddit users — Paramount+ is running these static ads on its Premium, ad-free tier, not just its ad-supported Essential plans.
HBO Max Pause Ad demo from “The Witches”
Customers who subscribe to the Essential option pay $4.99 per month or $49.99 annually for content with limited commercial interruptions, but no access to live CBS affiliates in the app. However, the Premium plan — which was formerly known as the Commercial Free option — runs $9.99 monthly or $99.99 annually. As the previous name suggests, that plan is not intended to include ads, other than on the local CBS simulcasts, which naturally include commercials.
The Streamable has reached out to Paramount Global for comment on its new advertising practices but has not yet received a response. Admittedly, ads on pause screens are about as unobtrusive as advertising can get; even if they cover a section of the screen that a viewer wants to see while the video is paused, generally, a simple click of a button on the remote will remove the ad. However, that hasn’t stopped some from considering the practice a bridge too far.
While advertising has always been a part of television, the more that streaming platforms chip away at the industry’s original value proposition of cheaper, less ad-reliant viewing options than what customers had been used to via cable or satellite, the more likely that consumers will be to begin looking for the next option that meets their evolving needs and expectations.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and more. The lineup includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.