Netflix will not be bringing third-party advertising to its video-streaming service, the company has advised. Recent reports suggested that Netflix was testing putting in trailers for Netflix programming before and after shows being watched on the service, though the company has since spoken out denying it is considering bringing any revenue-generating advertising anytime soon, and it is just promoting its self-generated shows.
A report from Cord Cutters News noted that Netflix users on the Xbox One were seeing pre-roll ads for Netflix shows, some as long as 20 seconds, some longer. Following a response from Netflix that it was “always testing new things via the service” and that it had “nothing more to add” at the time, it was suggested that this was a prelude to the service selling advertising to other companies, a sentiment echoed in some later reports.
Speaking to The Next Web, spokesman Cliff Edwards clarified the situation, advising “We are not planning to test or implement third-party advertising on the Netflix service. For some time, we’ve teased Netflix originals with short trailers after a member finishes watching a show. Some members in a limited test now are seeing teases before a show begins. We test hundreds of potential improvements to the service every year. Many never extend beyond that.”
CEO Reed Hastings has also passed comment, flatly stating on Facebook “No advertising coming onto Netflix. Period.” Hastings goes on to state “Just adding relevant cool trailers for other Netflix content you are likely to love.”
In the most recent quarterly financial report, Netflix revealed it passed the 60 million member milestone, with 40.32 million subscribers in the United States alone, with global revenues for the quarter reaching $1.4 billion.
