Amazon has quietly doubled the number of ads it’s showing Prime Video viewers, according to a report. Which, if true, will have made Prime Video more annoying to watch than it was just a few months ago.
Amazon Has Increased the Number of Ads on Prime Video
As first reported by Adweek, Amazon has doubled the ad load on Prime Video. When Amazon added ads to Prime Video programming in January 2024, the company promised loads of around three minutes-per-hour. However, now, the ad load has increased to up to six minutes-per-hour.
Adweek’s source for this is an email that an Amazon representative sent to an ad buyer earlier this month. The email is alleged to have included the admission that, “Prime Video ad load has gradually increased to four to six minutes per hour.”
While this increase in ad loads is good for both ad buyers and Amazon, it represents a new annoyance for viewers. Nobody likes having to sit through ads, and that applies as much (or even more so) to streaming services as it does to traditional linear television.
Amazon responded to Adweek’s report by stating that, “Our commitment is to improving ad experiences rather than simply increasing the number of ads shown. While demand continues to grow, our commitment is to improving ad experiences rather than simply increasing the number of ads shown.”
Making Prime Video More Annoying for Paid Subscribers
I, for one, am sick of seeing ads returning to paid-for services. The whole point of paying for the privilege of services is to remove the ads. So, while I expect to have to sit through ads (and don’t mind doing so) on FAST streaming services, I’m really not happy about them populating the likes of Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video.
And t isn’t just Prime Video that is getting more annoying for viewers. The goal posts appear to have been moved when it comes to paid streaming services, with ads being an accepted part of the services.
It used to be that, if you were paying for a streaming service, you could enjoy it ad-free. Whereas now, most paid streaming services also show ads, and the only difference is how many ads each one shows. Thankfully, there are still some entirely ad-free streaming services available.
It should be noted that, if you find the ads on Prime Video too annoying, you can pay Amazon for the privilege of removing them. Upgrading to the Prime Video Ad Free tier removes the ads from all on-demand programming. However, most of us will resent the need to pay extra for what was once a given.
