In program adverts, when did they start?

[Anonymous User]

In program adverts?! When did they start? I thought I paid a subscription to avoid adverts? Really bad app experience on ROKU, pre program ads over and over, and now this!

[gavs82008 · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous User 

It’s been within the last month or so. More so with the changes to Boost.

https://help.nowtv.com/article/we-are-making-some-changes

We're gradually rolling out ads in on-demand shows and movies (they're already on live channels). If you haven't seen any yet, you're likely to come across them from July, unless you've already got Boost. 

Boost allows you to stream ad-free (excluding live channels and trailers promoting NOW content)

https://help.nowtv.com/article/can-i-watch-without-ads

https://help.nowtv.com/article/what-is-now-boost

[Anonymous User]

I just wonder how much more “rolling out” there is to do? 3 minute add breaks? 5 minutes? I feel somewhat strong-armed in to taking Boost to maintain the current status quo.

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

Personally I'm not effected because I have boost anyway for 1080p and 5.1. The thought of moving back to 720p and stereo is just not even an option!

[chilli2]

Does this mean that it will be free to watch, as other add supported services such as my5, all4, ITV Hub are?

After all you wouldn't expect adds on a premium SVOD service such as now, netflix, Disney plus etc

[starman73]

Does this mean that it will be free to watch, as other ad supported services such as my5, all4, ITV Hub are?

No.  

After all you wouldn't expect ads on a premium SVOD service such as now, netflix, Disney plus etc

Thing is that Sky don’t see it that way.  They don’t see Prime, Netflix, Disney as competition, they just see members getting the Sky service without adverts and that needs to change.

[gavs82008]

@starman73 @chilli2 

Even with Sky TV on demand it has adverts and I have been nosy at their forums indicating that the on demand side are setting more adverts.

Support he main difference there is you can fast forward them. 

At least with Prime the promo trailer at the start you can skip. 

[Anonymous User]

The whole point of paying for this service is to avoid adverts. NowTV are just cashing in. Time to cancel membership.

[starman73]

The whole point of paying for this service is to avoid adverts.

mmm, I get it to watch tv shows and movies  😀

I haven’t even seen ads on iPad nor Fire stick and don’t have boost.  Besides I pay for Sports and the live channels are full of ads. Unlike GAAGO.

I think come 15 July when there is just one stream and ads everywhere, plenty will cancel.  Not sure the advertising revenue will make up for it.

Prime, Disney +, Netflix and BritBox don’t have ads and the programming particularly for the first two is superior at less than half the price.

[Anonymous User]

Really annoyed at this introduction of ads. Already forked out for a roku stick after the white box stopped working. I don't want to pay an extra 5er for boost. I hate ads in the middle of a program, let alone a movie. I don't ever watch films on TV if on itv etc. 

Grrr. Cancelling as soon as my wife has finished Mayor of eastown. 

[Anonymous User]

So this a con.

I pay monthly subscriptions &, until recently, there have been no ads.

Then Boost is introduced with additional subscription costs & now there are ads on the basic subscription and, in order not to get adverts, we have to pay more.

Why?

Not sure it's worth it.

Doesn't Sky make enough money?

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

Sky is owned by Comcast which is a US company, all that is being done is NOW becoming similar to Peacock which is also owned by Comcast and they had adverts unless you fork out another $5. 

Comcast is simply pushing their business model onto the Sky markets it owns. So don't be shocked when this happens in Italy, Germany and Austria.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the reply - just 'cos that's what always happens doesn't make it ok. 

Have been thinking that Now isn't as good as it used to be & now I know it isn't.

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

It doesn't help when Sky are losing so much content due to channels closing and being removed. Take a look at FOX and Discovery. 

Then it would seem that Sky aren't using the NBC (Comcast) TV show library to fill some of the void up. 

Likes of Chicago Fire/PD/Med, Law & Order and Law & Order SVU. These are boxsets that would be a welcome (in my opinion) addition to the losing content thanks to FOX and Discovery leaving NOW/Sky. 

[Anonymous User]

So, the price has gone up, you can't get cheap vouchers anymore, you can't watch on as many devices, you have to pay extra if you don't want adverts and that price is going up too. I have to think about the monthly renewal now and other streaming services. Perhaps taking a break from NowTV is the thing to do.

[starman73]

price has gone up, you can't get cheap vouchers anymore, you can't watch on as many devices, you have to pay extra if you don't want adverts and that price is going up too.

They still have eMail offers.  Currently paying £1/month for Entertainment for 2 months.  Will suffer the odd advert, though I have yet to see one.

[Geluk]

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/1460494/Sky-Is-Bringing-Adverts-To-NOW-TV-St...

[madamtoffee]

Well time to cancel, if I wanted adverts I would watch live tv and this is not a live tv service, imagine if Netflix and Amazon started doing this !!!

So the price increases and yet you are getting money from the adverts, glad to see you don't care about your customers !

[starman73]

….glad to see you don't care about your customers !

Now are a lot better than Virgin. On the whole, I have found Now to have pretty good customer service.  Not as good as Amazon, but pretty good.

Ultimately Now like all companies are trying to make a profit.  They seem to think adverts will raise revenue by the advertisers paying and members getting Boost offsetting the loss of members cancelling and getting Netflix, Disney +, BritBox and/or Prime.

For the hardened Sports subscriber like me this will mean they get an extra £2/month, but for the more casual subscriber who may get movies or entertainment I suspect they will be looking elsewhere unless they get a decent email/retention offer.

Will be interesting to see how things shake out in the next fortnight.  I think Now are making a massive mistake putting ads on before shows and reducing subscribers to a single stream, when the competition offer so much more for significantly less.

[Anonymous User]

As this forum bleeped out the word:

Frankfurt, Harry G. On ######. PRINCETON; OXFORD: Princeton University Press, 2005. Accessed July 13, 2021. doi:10.2307/j.ctt7t4wr.

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

Don't want adverts? Then get Boost. 

https://help.nowtv.com/article/what-is-now-boost

Ad-free streaming: Cinema and Entertainment Members can watch on-demand shows and movies without ads

The fact of the matter is Comcast is a US company who owns Sky therefor NOW. All they are doing is pushing their business model onto the Sky owned markets it owns. 
No doubt it’ll be pushed into Germany, Austria and Italy. 

Either way I’m paying £9 a month for my membership which consists of Boost, Entertainment and Cinema. Still night and day cheaper than full blown Sky. Which I made the switch from to NOW around 8 years ago.