Amazon to Flood Prime Video with Ads in 2024 — Unless You Pay Up
Amazon is gearing up to slap adverts on its Prime Video streaming service next year. Fans in the UK, US, Germany, and Canada will spot ads unless they cough up extra for the new “ad-free” subscription tier.
Ads Hit Prime Video
From early 2024, Amazon Prime Video won’t be the commercial-free zone it once was. The tech giant aims to boost cash to fund more original TV shows and films by introducing adverts to its streaming platform.
Prime subscribers will have to either tolerate the ads or pay a premium for the uninterrupted viewing option. In the US, the ad-free tier will set users back an extra $2.99 (£2.44) a month. UK pricing is still under wraps.
Amazon Follows Netflix and Disney+
Amazon insists Prime Video still offers “very compelling value” despite the change. The move follows a growing trend among streaming giants who have added ads to their once ad-free services.
Later in 2024, Amazon will roll out ads to more countries including France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia.
Prime UK Price Details
- Current Prime subscription: £8.99 monthly or £95 yearly
- Includes free one-day delivery and Prime Video access
- Ad-free option to be priced separately
Bonus Briefs: Retail Bounce, Interest Hikes & Hollywood Boom
On the home front, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed retail sales rose by 0.4% last month, boosted to 0.6% without fuel sales. Clothing pulled the weight, while petrol sales dipped, hit by rising global oil prices.
Meanwhile, Boston Fed President Susan Collins signalled more interest rate hikes could still be on the cards. Despite recent positive inflation data, Collins warned policymakers to stay patient as inflation remains “uncertainly contained.”
In showbiz, Warner Bros Discovery is expanding its UK studios at Leavesden by over 50%. The move will create 4,000 jobs and turn the site into a major DC Studios production hub. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt praised the £200 million-a-year investment as “a huge vote of confidence in the UK.”
