The fan-favorite American media services provider, Netflix, is used by millions of people internationally, whether they are taking a break from work or having a movie night. One of the many reasons that Netflix is so popular is for its lack of interruptions when streaming content, while most media services providers include advertisements periodically. Netflix has joined these other providers by experimenting with video ads, the difference being that they are in between clips, such as at the end of an episode, which is not as bothersome as placing the ads in the middle of an episode.

The video advertisements are actually a positive addition to Netflix because the short video clips suggest other Netflix shows or movies to the viewer. However, some customers are upset with these interruptions because they believe that their monthly payment is enough to stream ad-free entertainment. The various monthly payment plans include the following: $8 monthly for the basic plan,  $11 for the standard plan and $18 for the premium plan. Customers may believe that paying these monthly fees and then having to watch advertisements anyways is unfair and disrupts their entertainment.

Watching trailers for suggested productions allows the users to spend less time browsing for something to watch, benefitting the viewer. For this same reason, Netflix has included on its homepage a suggested content list titled “Because you watched…,” which is uniquely created for the user based on their previous selections. The ads serve as suggestions for other productions available on Netflix rather than for the financial profit of exterior companies or advertisers. This effort to help the viewer choose their next production simply reflects the attempt that Netflix is making to retain customers.

“I think it’s a good thing that Netflix wants to advertise other shows and movies, especially when people finish a series and they are stuck in a drought,” junior Rodney Michel said.

Additionally, this is a test-run for Netflix and will not be incorporated into every user’s account just yet. Netflix is using only a portion of viewers to test out this feature, meaning it could be removed if it is not successful or is received with dissatisfaction from viewers. Media services providers like Hulu and YouTube have a certain amount of time that the viewer must watch the advertisement, but Netflix has announced that their advertisements may be skipped by the viewer, which allows users to decide whether or not they would like to view the trailer in between episodes. Some viewers enjoy this feature because they have trouble deciding which content to watch next, but it is understandable that other viewers would like to continue watching without interruptions, in which case they may use the “skip” feature.

“The whole reason a lot of people use Netflix is so they can avoid having to see ads and watch shows uninterrupted,” junior Bowen Murley said.

Although some viewers may be angered by this new feature, Netflix, as well as many customers, see this change as a positive effort to help people get the most out of their Netflix experience. Once someone finishes watching a series, they already have suggestions for the next series to watch instead of having to browse through the hundreds available on Netflix. Instead of being bothered by trailers in between episodes, viewers should see them as a positive update to the Netflix service.