Summary

  • Disney+ may introduce always-on channels for linear content, copying traditional TV methods to increase revenue amidst streaming losses.
  • Expect potential ads in Disney+ streaming content to mirror cable TV trends, affecting user experience and quality similar to competitors.
  • The shift towards ads in streaming services, including possible additions to Appleā€™s platform, reflects a desperate industry trend for more revenue.



In a recent report (from The Information) it has been revealed the video streaming service Disney+ is possibly exploring always-on channels, linear content that airs just like over-air and cable TV. While some services are already doing this, like Paramountā€™s Pluto, one has to wonder why consumers moved away from regular linear TV to begin with, almost like we were sick of the commercialization of the cable services we were paying a pretty penny to use. Clearly, Disney has not received the memo after all these years, and so the latest trick up its sleeve is to repackage some of its Disney+ streaming content so that it airs a selection of shows continuously on a set schedule, which sure sounds like the torture of yesteryear wrapped up in a recurring monthly fee, just like the cable services we all left for greener streaming pastures.


Hulu Disney+ app
Source: The Walt Disney Company

Sure, you may be wondering why Disney+ would think anyone would want to return to linear content that can be missed if you didnā€™t watch it at the right time. But once you check in on the serviceā€™s financials, youā€™ll quickly see Disney+ has so far burned through $11 billion in streaming losses, so latching onto any hook or method that earns more money off the back of its users is clearly a pertinent goal.

But how does one make more money by making a streaming service inconvenient to watch? Well, you put ads in the content just like the cable and over-air TV services Apple is rumored to copy sometime soon with these new channels. Itā€™s also rumored the service will remain paid, which means users will pay to see ads in the new linear channels, much like how Amazon recently shoved ads into its paid Prime Video content while making the video quality worse.


The direction seems clear: every streaming service is desperate to find a way to shove ads into everything, with Apple rumored to be the latest eyeballing such annoyances, which just so happens to perfectly line up with the recent addition of Hulu on Disney+.