Higher fees, more ads: streaming cashes in by using the old tactics of cable TV
Streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+ and others are increasingly adding ads, raising prices, and removing features, prompting comparisons to the worst aspects of cable TV. Many users describe canceling subscriptions, turning to piracy, physical media, or self-hosted solutions like Jellyfin and Emby, and express frustration with opaque pricing, intrusive advertising, and fragmented content locked behind multiple services. Underlying the complaints is a broader critique of subscription-based business models and investor-driven growth that push companies to “enshittify” once-attractive services over time.
Prime / Max changes and “ad creep”
- Many see Amazon’s move to add $3/month for mostly ad‑free Prime Video (while Freevee stays ad‑supported) as a turning point; some canceled Prime entirely and expect to buy less from Amazon overall.
- Complaints include: ad‑heavy UI, previously ad‑free shows moved to Freevee, and Prime‑included and ad-supported content mixed in one catalog.
- Max drew criticism for messaging that “nothing is changing” while quietly removing 4K, Atmos, and reducing screen count unless users pay more. Several commenters canceled Max and Netflix (after account‑sharing restrictions).
Content quantity, quality, and fragmentation
- Some accept higher fees as inevitable given huge content spend and a “golden age” of volume.
- Others argue quality is down, with too many derivative or algorithmic shows and superhero spinoffs, and that older eras (DVD Netflix, Blockbuster, classic film catalogs) offered better breadth and staying power.
- Users dislike studio fragmentation into many small services with narrow catalogs and exclusives.
Cable TV parallels and business incentives
- Commenters note streaming is adopting cable tactics: rising prices, ads on paid tiers, and feature downgrades.
- Differences called out: easier cancellation, no physical hardware, on‑demand viewing, and (so far) lower ad load than traditional TV.
- Discussion of economics: only Netflix is said to be clearly profitable; others lose money, driving consolidation, ad tiers, and cost‑cutting.
- VC growth expectations and high production costs are seen as structural drivers of “enshittification,” not just greed.
User responses and alternatives
- Some refuse any ads and simply cancel, turning to books, games, or other hobbies.
- Others pivot to:
- Physical media (library and used DVDs, 4K discs).
- Over‑the‑air TV plus DVRs, HDHomeRun, Jellyfin/Plex with commercial skipping.
- Self‑hosted media stacks and piracy as a protest against worsening services.
- Plex is criticized for telemetry, ads, and “social” features; Emby and especially Jellyfin are proposed as more focused alternatives.
Subscriptions and broader attitudes
- Subscription models are attacked as exploitative, prone to feature stripping, tier games, and making budgeting harder.
- Others counter that subscriptions reflect consumer preference versus per‑episode/season purchases and are still preferable to microtransaction “skinner boxes.”
- Several voices stress that mass‑market streaming is optional; opting out entirely is a valid response.