Netflix has recently come out with an ad-supported plan for $6.99 a month. In this plan, you can only view on one screen at a time; you cannot download shows and movies and the video quality will be 790p resolution.
This comes after many years of Netflix saying they were not interested in supporting ads. After back-to-back quarters of losing subscribers, Netflix is trying a new approach to gain back subscribers.
Deemed unofficially the “grandfather of streaming,” Netflix has been declining in popularity. Netflix has been streaming online since 2007, and remained the most liked streaming company for quite some time.
Newer streaming services like Hulu, Disney+ and HBO Max, have been taking Netflix’s spot for most liked streaming service. All these streaming services have ad-supported plans with similar amenities.
The issue I have is not the ad-supported plan, but is with how adamant Netflix is. What Netflix lacks is the ability to listen to their subscribers. Several well liked shows have been canceled to make room for Netflix original shows and movies.
In recent years, Netflix has been canceling fan favorite shows like “Grand Army,” “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “Fate: The Winx Saga.” These poor decisions have received a lot of fan backlash.
Every time Netflix cancels a show you can always count on seeing their social media comments flooded with angry subscribers. And rightfully so, because subscribers pay money every month to see the shows that they like.
Netflix has said it is introducing the lower price plan to appeal to subscribers who want to lower their streaming costs. With many streaming platforms out, consumers are having a hard time paying at least $14 per service.
This low cost, ad-supported plan has helped Netflix regain some of its followers but not all. Netflix could have continued to charge their original prices, if they were not money hungry about their shows.
By this, I mean that Netflix invests money into shows expecting them to win awards and continue to accumulate a fan base. This fanbase would then continue to pay for Netflix every month and eventually see other Netflix shows.
But that is not the case, because usually by the third season of a show, the fanbase has reached its peak. And for Netflix to keep investing in production and actors salaries, it is just not viable from a business standpoint.
So, because of this loss of money, Netflix cancels the show and moves onto the next. Eventually fans of these shows get heart broken and feel cheated out of their favorite shows. This is how Netflix started their descent into broke-hood.
After years of dismissing subscribers’ voices and concerns, Netflix lost about 200,000 subscribers. This put a huge cone of shame on Netflix, because it was no one’s fault but their own.
The smart business move would be to listen to subscribers when they want their favorite show to continue. Instead of looking for the next “Stranger Things,” they should be focused on the shows they have in their catalog right now.
Forcing rom-coms with the same overused attractive actors will not bring back their subscribers. And canceling shows with massive viewership simply because they did not win an Emmy award will continue to infuriate fans. I do not see Netflix regaining their former glory anytime soon.