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!

[Geluk]

Seems to me that SKY have breached the contract we Entertainment Pass viewers had with them prior to recent COMCAST inspired changes ie no 3rd party ads.

And of course the loss of channels.

Neither we were warned in advance of impending downgrading of service.

[Saint1976]

@Geluk I've never seen any mention in the Terms and Conditions regarding the omission or inclusion of adverts.

According to the Terms and Conditions, 30 days notice of changes. I received an email on 9th June which is more than 30 days.

The Terms also state that notice can be given electronically

we'll do so electronically, e.g. via email, via the NOW website, via a notification within the service or a notice 'pushed' to your device (or any other method we notify you of). Notifications will be deemed to have been delivered on the day they're sent, provided we haven't received a failed delivery notice (in which case we'll send a notice via the NOW website (which you should check regularly) and they'll be deemed sent the day after they appear on the NOW website). We'll send notices to you using the contact details you've given us, so please make sure you've provided us with accurate contact details, and keep us up to date if they change.

Now also reserve the right to change the service

We may vary, replace or withdraw any service, feature or functionality or channel or content provided as part of a service at any time. We provide the services on an ongoing basis and we cannot foresee what may change in the future. This means we may changes other than those set out in these Terms of Use.

It won't be practical for us to notify you in advance of all content changes and instead you should keep checking the NOW website for details of what's available.

We'll try to avoid making any significant changes to the services which are likely to be to your material disadvantage, but, if we do so, we'll aim to notify you in accordance with these Terms of Use.

Test the water and submit a complaint to OFCOM.

[Anonymous User]

I've now cancelled both my Entertainment and Movie subscriptions.

[Gray1]

 I wont be paying to watch adverts, my subs end in August and that will be the end, Adverts and having to pay for Boost....

[gavs82008]

@Gray1 

By adverts are you meaning NOW promos or third party like Tesco? 

[Geluk]

Yes, anyone apart from SKY & NOW.

[Lindzi]

Just watching New Amsterdam on NOW via Amazon firestick and this is the first time I've had adverts DURING the programme......4 advert breaks in total. 

Nope nope nope not putting up with that, so it will all be cancelled, how cheeky to expect us to pay a subscription and then also force ads on us during the programme. I'm definitely not paying extra for boost as that is just another mickey take. 

I know this has been discussed a lot on here but I just needed a little rant about it as I can't quite believe that they think this is acceptable. 

[RoyB]

@Lindzi 

In cyberspace, no-one can hear you scream…..

Now comes out of Sky, and Sky do this and get away with it, so it’s in their culture….

[Geluk]

I gave up on watching New Amsterdam last night, as Max had decided the hospital was apparently terribly racist, though over half the characters are BAME.

He had BLM slogans laid on the floors, and had all the photos of the WHITE founders & contributors photos trashed. Sick of this. 😞

[Lindzi]

@RoyB 

I think NOW staff must have look on here...they may not engage anymore but a sneaky look I reckon. 

I only had NOW for sky atlantic, and convenience on a second tv, as I have full Virgin tv package so at least I still have Discovery channel too. 

Maybe the advertising revenue will make up for subscribers lost but my only way to protest is a little rant on here and to cancel.  Interesting that one of the options on cancellation is 'adverts' so they know it's a p*** take

[gavs82008]

@Lindzi 

If you don't want any "adverts" during programming, then take out Boost. Which I am paying £1 a month for the time being. 

You might not like it, but its exactly how the streaming world in the US is set up. And Comcast who owns Sky/NOW are a US company, all they are wanting to do is have consistency and their business model across the terrioirties it owns. 

They won't care too much about a few customers complaining about adverts. If you have Boost, which I have from the start then you are uneffected by such adverts. 

[Lindzi]

@gavs82008 

I know that I could have boost, but if I do that then I'm participating and endorsing this business model. The standard cost of NOW is already pretty high (although I was on a deal) so I'm just deciding not to give them anymore of my money. 

I will only lose access to sky Atlantic so it's no big deal for me to get rid of it. Maybe if NOW is your main tv provider then it may be easier to swallow, and pay extra for boost, but I'm ok without it 

[gavs82008]

@Lindzi 

Like I said I am paying £1 for boost, where I’m paying £8 for both entertainment and cinema memberships. So only £9 in total, I can absolutely deal with that. 

Also have Disney+, Amazon Prime, Netflix (which I’m paying £5 a month), Discovery+, also have US services Peacock (which will be cancelled when it comes here) and Paramount+

[starman73]

I am paying £1 for boost, where I’m paying £8 for both entertainment and cinema memberships. So only £9 in total

@gavs82008 Similar for me, £3 Cinema, £4 Entertainment and £1 Boost plus a month into a 3 months sports voucher I got with a stick some time ago for £50.  However would be reluctant to pay £5 for boost.  Fortunately I got it on last day it was £3 and then got retention offer of £1/month.

Netflix (which I’m paying £5 a month)

How did you get that? Best I can get is £6 basic, so I don’t bother. Especially as I have Prime and Disney + on annual passes. Only so much TV a family of 5 can watch.

[gavs82008]

@starman73 

For getting Netflix, I cancelled my UK subscription and applied my VPN for “Turkey”. Retaining the 4K package. 

If it wasn’t for that price I would have cancelled it a while ago now. 

[Thom77]

@Lindzi 

Amazed you hadn't come across these adverts before now, but I suppose if you haven't used Now much in recent times you've maybe avoided that joy for a bit longer????  There would have been no escape if TWD had still been in it's old place, but you can now watch that ad free on Disney+!!!!!!

I do still watch a fair amount via Now Entertainment so have been living with these ads for a while on my Now Stick (I won't be doing boost to avoid them)....I'm just glad the ad slots are not mega long (like All4), some slots round about a minute some at 30/40secs, even watched something where the ad slots were 10s/5s/5s/5s.  When the ads come on I turn off my volume and close my eyes for a brief power nap...Now might be able to stop me fast forwarding or skipping ads, but they can't control my volume or my eyelids, once they control those things then I might consider Boost.

[Lindzi]

@Thom77 

I mute the pre programme ads too 😂

Maybe they have just got around to the Amazon firestick for the in show ads. I agree All4 is the worst but at least we are not paying a subscription for it.

Before we know it NOW ad breaks will get longer and longer and then subscribers will think it's worth paying an extra £5pm for boost.  I understand that some people get offered a deal on boost costs, but how long will those offers continue for? 

Maybe I'm just allergic to ads as even on virgin tv I start watching shows 20mins after they start just so I can forward the adverts 🙂

[Thom77]

@Lindzi 

I think the ads on Now were coming in stages across all the various devices/apps, so as you are saying maybe the Now App on Firstick was one of the last to get that pleasure?????

Yep, if Now ad breaks start hitting three or four minutes each that will really be taking the proverbial and maybe then I would consider a Boost offer???  But they really shouldn't ever be that long....a free service like All4 can have long advert slots (as that's their only real moneymaker), but these folk milking it with subscription costs and advert income should really keep the adverts to a minimum.

I do exactly the same with many shows, record it and start watching after about 15/20 minutes....fast forward the ads and finish at the same time, Magic!!!!!!!!

[Andy]

If only they brought back the PG Tips chimps ads then the ads would be more entertaining than the programmes and we'd all be happy again … 🤔☺️🐵🐒

https://youtu.be/m3F0nnPHyWo

[RoyB]

Arguably the best advert ever……

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi268ark9LyAhULkRQKHfJ8CW...

Nowadays, of course, he’d just Google it…. 😢

[schnapps]

You can't beat the old Heineken Adverts where "Heineken Refreshes the Parts other Beers Can't Reach" .

Two that comes to mind when growing up watching HTV on the box was the Majorca one and the Dulux Dog one.

The Johns Smith Bitter was also amusing with the Jack Russell, plus the Carling Black label Dambusters Ad 😁.

I just found out (reading a couple of NOW articles) that Chromecast is exempt from Ads when watching NOW on Demand or Catchup if you haven't got a Boost Membership.

Haven't got a Chromecast connected to a television to confirm if this is accurate.