Amazon has confirmed plans to introduce adverts to its Prime Video streaming service this year. Customers will see the ads unless they pay extra for an ad-free experience.
Customers in the US and Canada will see ads from 29 January, while those in Germany and the UK will see limited ads from 5 February. Amazon plans to expand them to France, Italy, Spain, Mexico and Australia later in 2024.
Customers in the UK can pay £2.99 per month to remove the commercials. In the US the cost is $2.99.
Amazon said the move would “allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time”.
“We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers,” the company added.
It said even if people pay to remove ads, live content such as sports will continue to include advertising.
Streaming rivals such as Netflix and Disney have already introduced cheaper ad-supported streaming packages in an attempt win over cost-conscious consumers.
However, Amazon’s tier with ads is not cheaper and customers will have to instead pay more to watch without.
Amazon’s Prime subscription costs £8.99 a month or £95 a year in the UK. The company said it would not be changing the price of the service this year, unless customers opted to pay the extra for the ad-free option.
You are not signed in
Only registered users can comment on this article.
SMPTE, EBU, and ETC research AI’s impact on the media
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has teamed up with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) on a new engineering report on artificial intelligence (AI) and its effect on media.
Nigel Warner to succeed John McVay as CEO of Pact
UK producers' body Pact has named Nigel Warner, UK Policy Consultant to the Motion Picture Association and Special Counsel at Lexington, as its next CEO.
UK film and TV industry backs clean power plan
The UK film and TV industry has agreed on a plan to permanently shift to clean solutions for temporary power on sets.
Sky’s Priya Dogra to become Chief Executive of Channel 4
Priya Dogra will become the next Chief Executive of Channel 4. Currently Chief Advertising, Group Data, and New Revenue Officer at Sky, Dogra will succeed interim Jonathan Allan in March 2026.
One Battle After Another, The White Lotus, and Adolescence lead Golden Globe nominees
One Battle After Another, The White Lotus, and Adolescence have emerged as the frontrunning films and TV shows for the 2026 Golden Globes.
