Nope, there’s nothing wrong with your TV—that was an ad you just saw on Amazon Prime Video.  Like many of the big streaming services, Amazon Prime Video has rolled out an ad-supported tier, but it did so a little differently. Rather than raising prices and then giving you the chance to switch to a new, cheaper, “with ads” tier, Amazon added commercials to its standard tier, and you must pay more to turn the ads off.  So, want to get rid of the commercials? Here’s what you do, along with how much it’ll cost you. How to turn off the ads on Amazon Prime Video To nix the commercial breaks on Amazon Prime Video (well, most of them anyway–more on that in a bit), you’ll need to upgrade your existing Amazon Prime account. Here’s how: Go to the Amazon Prime Video website, click your profile icon in the top-right corner of the page, then click Account & Settings. Click the Go Ad-Free button. Confirm your payment and billing info, then click Start subscription. How much ad-free Amazon Prime Video costs If you want to go back to an ad-free Prime Video experience, it’ll cost you an extra $2.99 a month, in addition to the cost of Prime. As you probably know already, Prime Video is included in Amazon Prime, which costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year. Besides Prime Video, Amazon Prime offers such benefits as free shipping for products purchased on Amazon, free Amazon Fresh grocery deliveries, Amazon Music, unlimited Amazon Photo storage, Prime Gaming, Prime Reading, and more.  Ad-free Amazon Prime still has some ads Even before Amazon began rolling out ad breaks to the standard Prime Video tier, some Prime Video content already came with ads, namely Thursday Night Football and other live sporting events. It’s worth noting that if you pony up for the ad-free version of Prime Video, you’ll still see commercial breaks during TNF and live sports.  What you keep–and lose–if you don’t upgrade to ad-free Prime Video Besides the ads, standard Prime Video subscribers lose a couple of key benefits included in the ad-free Prime Video tier. Namely, you’ll miss out on Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, meaning you’ll have to make do without frame-by-frame HDR mapping as well as immersive 3D audio. That said, all Prime Video subscribers get 4K and standard HDR10 streaming, along with the ability to download videos for offline viewing. Didn’t Prime Video used to be ad-free for everyone? Yep, that’s true. Previous to January 29, 2024, Prime Video content was almost completely ad-free (there were exceptions, which we’ll detail in a moment). As of now, however, the standard Amazon Prime Video plan comes with ads. Looked at another way, current Amazon Prime subscribers are now paying the same amount for Prime Video with ads as they previously did for ad-free Prime Video. For the record, Amazon first announced in September 2023 that ads would be coming to Prime Video.  Purchased and rented Prime Video titles stay ad-free Even if you don’t upgrade your Prime Video plan, any movies or TV shows that you purchase or rent on Prime Video will be ad-free. Why ads came to Prime Video Amazon added commercials to Prime Video for the same reason most of the other big streamers did: It wants more revenue. Wall Street has been demanding profitability from the big streaming services, and offering cheaper, ad-supported tiers is an easy way to boost income.  Indeed, Amazon is late to the “with ads” party. Max debuted HBO Max “With Ads” (back when it was still called “HBO Max”) more than three years ago. Netflix finally went the ad-supported way in late 2022, while Disney+ teed up its own ad-supported tier shortly afterward.  That leaves Apple TV+ as the only big streamer without an ad-supported tier, but many expect Apple to roll out a cheaper Apple TV+ “with ads” plan sooner or later. Read...

For the past five years running, I’ve written an annual check-in on ATSC 3.0 (or “NextGen TV”), the broadcast standard that’s supposed to greatly improve over-the-air TV. Every year, it’s been a story of baby steps. As 2025 gets underway, that story hasn’t really changed. While ATSC 3.0 is starting to deliver more of what it initially promised—most notably big events in HDR—you might still need to go out of your way to get a compatible TV or external tuner box. ATSC 3.0’s interactive elements remain limited as well, with one promising effort having stalled over the last year. More on that later. All of which means that the existing ATSC 1.0 standard, which is supported by nearly all televisions today, will stay viable for years to come. The bigger question is whether over-the-air TV will remain viable along with it. A quick ATSC 3.0 refresher When the broadcast TV industry first announced ATSC 3.0 in 2019, it touted a handful of key benefits: Up to 4K-resolution video High dynamic range (HDR) video Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio formats Dolby dialog enhancement Additional stations and on-demand video, discovered over the air but delivered over the internet The standard also comes with some pitfalls for viewers: Its internet-connected nature allows broadcasters to collect viewing data and serve targeted ads over the air, and its use of DRM puts new limits on the ability to record local channels. To access ATSC 3.0, your local broadcast stations need to offer it, and you need either a TV or an external tuner box that supports the new standard. But even if you meet those criteria, your local stations might only offer a subset of ATSC 3.0 features. Getting all the pieces into place has been a slog, with only modest progress made each year. Hardware support stalls If you buy a new TV in 2025, there’s a good chance it won’t support ATSC 3.0. Many TV makers only offer it in higher-end sets, and some have even scaled back or halted ATSC 3.0 support after offering it in previous years. Samsung, for instance, stopped shipping ATSC 3.0 tuners in its OLED TVs last year and will exclude them again from its 2025 OLED sets. (The company still offers ATSC 3.0 on its Neo QLED line.) LG won’t be bringing ATSC 3.0 back to its TVs this year either, after dropping support in 2024 sets over a patent dispute. ATSC 3.0 has brought on some new supporters: RCA will offer ATSC 3.0 in its 55- and 65-inch Mini LED TVs for 2025, and Panasonic has included ATSC 3.0 support in the Fire TV OLED and LED sets that debuted late last year. Not much else has changed. While Hisense includes ATSC 3.0 tuners in most (but not all) of its Mini-LED TVs and laser projectors, TCL and Sony reserve the feature for some of their higher-end sets. Shipment projections from the CTA reflect this reality: The tech trade group previously expected 5.5 million ATSC 3.0 TVs to ship in 2024, but the actual figure was around 4 million, and now it expects just 5 million shipments for 2025. If your TV doesn’t support ATSC 3.0, you can access it through an external tuner, but the cost remains high. ADTH sells a NextGen TV tuner for $90, although it requires an internet connection to decrypt ATSC 3.0 channels that use DRM. Zinwell’s tuner with offline DRM support, which is sold by Channel Master, costs more at $149. Anne Schelle, managing director of the Pearl TV broadcast consortium, told me at CES that we may see a sub-$50 tuner, but not until sometime next year. Over-the-air DVR support is limited as well. The most compelling option this year could come from an upstart device brand called MyVelo TV, which plans to launch a $100 Android TV box with ATSC 3.0 playback and DVR features this spring. For now, though, Bitrouter’s ZapperBox M1 is the only complete solution that can play and record encrypted channels. Bitrouter has started shipping satellite boxes for whole-home DVR, but the company’s founder and president, Gopal Miglani, says streaming encrypted channels or recordings from one tuner box to another is still a few months away. The MyVelo TV Premiere box and plug-in ATSC 3.0 tuner.MyVelo TV You can see a list of ATSC 3.0-compatible TVs and tuner boxes on the WatchNextGenTV website. OTA HDR expands 4K remains largely non-existent on ATSC 3.0 channels. Delivering broadcasts at that resolution requires a lot of extra bandwidth, which isn’t feasible while stations are still simulcasting in ATSC 1.0. In the meantime, broadcasters are focusing on HDR, which provides a more vibrant picture by allowing light and dark images to convey more color detail. More than 80 million homes now have access to at least one over-the-air channel with HDR support, and some stations are starting to support either Dolby Vision or HDR10+, both of which provide more accurate color adjustments on a per-scene basis. The upcoming Super Bowl LIX on Fox should be a major showcase for over-the-air HDR, although it won’t be a native HDR broadcast. Instead it’ll be up-converted from standard dynamic range, just like Fox’s live stream on Tubi. (The latter, though, will also be upscaled to 4K, versus 1080p for Fox’s over-the-air broadcast.) The WatchNextGenTV site lets you look up nearby ATSC 3.0 channels with HDR support.Jared Newman / Foundry To see which ATSC 3.0 stations support HDR in your area, check the WatchNextGenTV website. Unfortunately there’s no way to tell which stations offer HDR10+ or Dolby Vision unless your TV provides this information. Waiting for interactivity At the CES trade show last year, a U.K.-based company called Roxi showed off an impressive demo of ATSC 3.0’s interactive features. Using the standard over-the-air channel guide, users could tune into one of Roxi’s live streaming music channels, then flip through row of additional genre-based channel options. Rob Lewis, Roxi’s CEO, said at the time that it was partnering with the major broadcaster Sinclair to launch ATSC 3.0 music channels around the country by that March. One year later, and those plans have not materialized. Sky News reported last year that Roxi was racing to raise money, and was later nearing a deal to sell its assets to a new company called FastStream. (Roxi had previously used the “FastStream” name for its underlying technology.) The company has not responded to requests for comment. For now, ATSC is pointing to other interactivity advancements instead. Spokesperson Dave Arland said that roughly 100 ATSC 3.0 channels now offer some level of interactivity—which can be as simple as local weather forecasts—and pointed to pause-and-rewind features that NBC has been offering on its owned-and-operated stations. ATSC will also begin offering a “starter” application framework that will help more broadcasters offer basic features such as traffic and weather alerts. (It will also help facilitate the aforementioned data collection on people’s viewing habits.) Meanwhile, a firm called GameLoop hopes to deliver casual games through ATSC 3.0 later this year. Still, it’s unclear whether these features will do much to move the needle for ATSC 3.0. Bitrouter’s Gopal Miglani says interactive features aren’t a major priority for the ZapperBox, which doesn’t support them currently, because the demand isn’t there. “Not a single customer asks for them,” he said. “It’s not going to help me sell more boxes.” Should you care about ATSC 3.0? ATSC 1.0 isn’t going away anytime soon. FCC rules require broadcasters to simulcast their main stations using the old standard until at least July 2027, and at the current rate of ATSC 3.0 adoption, an extension seems possible. In the meantime, ATSC 3.0 faces some more existential questions. For instance, if you can stream the Super Bowl for free in 4K HDR on Tubi, why bother with an over-the-air ATSC 3.0 version that doesn’t support 4K (and, depending on tuner hardware, might still require an internet connection)? If the major networks are already delivering breakthrough interactivity in their streaming apps, what more could ATSC 3.0’s interactive channels offer? More importantly, what’s the future for over-the-air TV as networks dial back programming investments and streaming services gobble up more sports rights? Without clear answers to those questions, ATSC 3.0 probably won’t rejuvenate over-the-air TV, but those local broadcasts still have value in their current form. Thus my advice is the same as it’s always been: Go with whatever TV or over-the-air DVR best suits your needs today, whether it supports the new broadcast standard or not. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter to get columns like this one every Friday. Read...

The Commission of Inquiry set up to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of Fijian boxer Ubayd Haider says it will only work with evidence after reports . Read...

Streamers love to fiddle with their navigation menus, moving this menu bar here and shifting this button there, all in the name of “streamlining” the experience. The changes are typically just different, not better, but Max’s latest menu revamp at least adds something new.  The most obvious change on the new Max navigation is that the top menu bar, which housed such items as Home, Series, Movies, HBO, B-R Sports, and News, has been nixed.  Those top “content lenses” have now shifted over to the left-side menu, meaning you’ll no longer have to jump from one side of the screen to the other when navigating the various menu items.  Sounds logical—although as The Streamable points out, the Max change is essentially the reverse of what Netflix did last year, when it moved its main navigation bar from the left side of the page to the top. (Sigh.)  The new Max design (drag the slider left to reveal) moves the top navigation to the side, while also adding What’s New and Categories. Aside from juggling the location of its existing menu items, the new Max navigation adds a couple of new options to the mix: Categories and What’s New.  Categories is just what it sounds like, with a Max press release saying the option offers “a new pathway for users to browse titles by genre, brand, and thematic collections.” That’s a pretty standard navigational feature—Netflix and most of the other big streamers let you browse by category too, in one configuration or another—but we’ll take it.  More interesting is the What’s New option, a “new navigation page showcasing content that has recently arrived on the platform, as well as those coming or leaving soon.”  What’s New should be a handy way to keep tabs on recently added movies and shows on Max—and more importantly, to catch titles that are poised to leave the service before they’re gone.  Veteran Max users on Reddit are saying that the just-added What’s New option hearkens back to the “leaving soon” section on the former HBO Max app, back before Max underwent its name change.   Max says it’s been testing its new navigation layout in Latin America, and that the revamped design will go worldwide in a “phased rollout approach.” Read...

Some big changes are coming with the latest season of Major League Soccer on Apple TV, including a new production studio and a featured Sunday night soccer match each week.  One thing that isn’t changing for Apple’s MLS Season Pass in 2025 is the price, although there will be some special offers for Comcast’s Xfinity, DirecTV, and T-Mobile subscribers.  The latest MLS season is set to get underway on February 22, with select preseason matches being streamed via MLS Season Pass starting February 11.  Just like last year, the 2025 edition of Apple’s MLS Season Pass costs $14.99 a month, or $99 for the full season. Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up for MLS Season Pass at a discounted rate of $12.99 a month, or $79 for the season.  Besides watching matches on the Apple TV app, you’ll also be able to watch games on the Apple Vision Pro headset, with video available to stream either within your physical space or within a Vision Pro “Environment,” complete with a virtual screen that feels up to 100 feet wide.  New for 2025 on MLS Season Pass is Sunday Night Soccer, a weekly marquee matchup that will boast an “enhanced” production and “dedicated” studio programming, Apple says, along with pre- and post-game shows.  The first Sunday Night Soccer showing will feature San Diego FC, the newest MLS club, taking on the MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy on February 23 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.  Sunday Night Soccer matches will offer English-language commentary from Jake Zivin, Taylor Twellman, and Andrew Wiebe, while the Spanish broadcast will be helmed by Sammy Sadovnik and Diego Valeri.  MLS Season Pass viewers will also see the new digs of MLS Productions, which is slated to move its studios to a new 30,000-foot facility at WWE’s headquarters in Samford, Connecticut.   Meanwhile, Apple has announced that T-Mobile will give free MLB Season Pass access to “qualified” T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile subscribers via a promotional offer. You can snag the deal starting February 18 by in the T-Mobile Tuesdays section of the T-Life app.  Over at Comcast’s Xfinity, users will get an “integrated” MLS Season Pass experience through the Xfinity user interface, as well as the ability to sign up for the package through the Xfinity service. The cable operator is also offering free access to the MLS 360 whip-around show to all Xfinity subscribers.  Finally, DirecTV subscribers will get a free preview of MLS Season pass from February 22 to March 1.  Apple offers various MLS Season Pass tie-ins across a variety of its services, including the Apple Sports app, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts.  The 2025 edition of MLS Season Pass marks the third of a 10-year deal between Apple and Major League Soccer for streaming rights to the games. Read...

Will the Kansas City Chiefs become the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls? Or can the Philadelphia Eagles soar back from their 2023 Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs and secure another title? We’re about to find out. Super Bowl LIX promises drama, high stakes, and unforgettable moments. And watching the game on Sunday, Feb. 9 will be easy to do without paying for an expensive cable bundle. The game kicks off at 6:30 PM Eastern Time at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, with pre-game coverage starting at 2:00 PM ET. Fox has the rights to broadcast the game this year, and you can watch it in upscaled 4K UHD on multiple platforms. The game will be available in 4K on Fox’s cable and satellite channels through participating TV providers, as well as via the Fox Sports app. Additionally, Fox’s free streaming service, Tubi, will offer the game in 4K for the first time. Whether you prefer traditional TV or streaming, we’ll show you how to watch all the action—plus those iconic commercials and the halftime show, starring Kendrick Lamar—even if you don’t have a cable- or satellite-TV subscription. Option 1: Stream Super Bown LIX for free on Tubi Tubi Fox-owned Tubi is a free, ad-supported streaming service. No subscription or credit card is required—simply create a free Tubi account, then get ready for some Super Bowl action. Even better, Tubi will be presenting Super Bowl LIX in 4K, provided you’re streaming on an Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, or Roku streaming player. While Tubi doesn’t require a paid plan, its broadcast will include commercials during the game, just like live TV. Option 2: Stream the Super Bowl with a TV-streaming service Signing up for a streaming service is another way to tune into the big game, although it’s not the cheapest–unless you sign up for a free trial and cancel your subscription sometime after the game. These are our top picks in streaming TV services DirecTV Stream Pros Powerful grid guide DVR has no ad-skipping restrictions Cons Limited channel selection for the price DVR limits both recording space and storage time No personalized viewing recommendations Software suffers from bugs and sluggish performance Best Prices Today: Retailer Price DirecTV Stream $101.98 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $101.98 at DirecTV Stream DirectTV Stream isn’t one of our favorite streaming services, but it does offer Fox in its Entertainment package for $86.99 a month. Read our full DirecTV Stream review Fubo Pros Unique lineup of sports channels that are much pricier in other bundles Well-designed TV apps make sporting events easy to find Live streams have much lower latency than other bundles Cons Included DVR storage is skimpier than other bundles Inconsistent 60 fps support on sports channels Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Fubo $79.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $79.99 at Fubo Fubo is the most sports-centric streaming service in our roundup. You’ll need the Essentails package at $84.99 a month to access it. Fubo is currently offering $25 off the first month after a 7-day free trial. Read our full Fubo review Hulu + Live TV Pros Excellent value for Disney bundle subscribers Expansive on-demand catalog Recommendations and staff picks make the app fun to explore Cons Live TV can be inefficient to navigate Hard to figure out which Hulu programs allow ad skipping Can’t watch on TV devices while traveling Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Hulu.com $82.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $82.99 at Hulu.com Hulu’s live TV streaming service also gets you Fox. As with other streaming services, geographical restrictions apply, but you can check availability in your area here. Now that Disney has complete control over Hulu, a subscription includes Hulu + Live TV, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads) for $82.99 per month. Hulu also offers an $95.99-per-month subscription that nixes the ads from its Hulu channel (but not live TV) and Disney+; ESPN+ still has ads at this level. Read our full Hulu + Live TV review YouTube TV Pros Solid mix of channels for the money Includes DVR with no storage limits Easy-to-understand app design Cons Not available in some markets Ad-riddled on-demand videos can override DVR Some channels don’t support 60-frames-per-second video yet Best Prices Today: Retailer Price YouTube TV $82.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $82.99 at YouTube TV YouTubeTV includes Fox among more than 100 channels in its $82.99-per-month base package ($72.99 per month for the first six months). To watch the game in 4K, you’ll need the 4K Plus add-on, which costs an additional $9.99 a month. You can try the service for free for two weeks. Read our full YouTube TV review Option 3: Tune into the Super Bowl with an over-the-air antenna If you’re old enough, the thought of using an antenna probably conjures memories of temperamental “rabbit ears” and staticky images. Thanks to modern broadcast technology and over-the-air antennas, you can get a high-quality image that can, in many cases, be better than what you’d get with a subscription. If you live close enough to a broadcast tower, you might be able to use a paper-thin indoor model, such as our top pick, the Channel Master Flatenna 35. The 35 indicates the manufacturer’s promise of 35-mile range. A Flatenna 50 model promising—you guessed it—50 miles of range is also available for $49. We’re also fans of the Televes Bexia amplified indoor antenna ($99.95 street). If you’re more distant than that, you might be better off with an antenna that mounts to your roof or on a freestanding mast. The Televes Dat Boss Mix LR (model 149884) is our favorite in that category. Another alternative is to mount an antenna like the Winegard Elite 7550 in your attic. Whichever way you go, all you need to do is plug the antenna into the tuner that’s a fixture of most modern TVs. Before you purchase an antenna, though, go to a site like Rabbit Ears and see which networks are available from your local broadcasters. Just enter your address to get a report of all the broadcast signals in your area, ranked from strongest to weakest. Once you determine which broadcaster is furthest from your home, you’ll know what range antenna to buy. A website such as Antennaweb will show you the Fox channels closest to your zip code. Enter your zip code at Antennaweb’s website and you’ll get a channel guide to the over-the-air programming available in your area. You can also enter “Super Bowl” in the search box to see a schedule of all the TV programming related to the game. Antennaweb These are our top picks in TV antennas Winegard FlatWave Amped — Best flexible amplified indoor TV antenna Pros Strong reception, clear picture quality Amplifier contributes to good range Amplifier can be powered by a wall wart or your TV’s USB port Cons Not the best-looking thing to have on your wall or window Excess cable can get messy quick Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $59.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $59.99 at Amazon The FlatWave Amped impressed us with its ability to pull in more broadcast channels than the competition. Further, those it did receive were a little stronger than from our runner-up, which should make for happier TV viewing. Read our full Winegard FlatWave Amplified (model FL-5500A) review Televes Dat Boss Mix LR (model 149884) — Best roof-mount TV antenna Pros Strong, sensitive reception Built-in 5G filter Built-in amplifier and indoor distribution amp Cons Large physical size Assembly can be confusing Not designed to tune in low-VHF signals Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $179.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $179.95 at Amazon The Televes Dat Boss Mix LR (model 149884) is the best outdoor TV antenna we’ve tested. It delivered an excellent performance, pulling in strong signals from local and distant TV towers. It’s a great choice in areas with medium to low reception levels, and it comes with a built-in amplifier and in-home distribution amplifier, plus a 5G filter to eliminate interference from cellphone signals. Read our full Televes Dat Boss Mix LR (model 149884) review Winegard Elite 7550 — Best attic-mount TV antenna Pros Good reception of strong to medium level signals on UHF and VHF-High Inline amplifier helps boost signals Suitable for attic or outdoor mounting Cons Plastic mounting bracket feels a little cheap Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $142.36 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $142.36 at Amazon The Winegard Elite 7550 immediately impressed with its ability to pick up more broadcast channels than the competition at higher signal levels. It has a built-in amplifier and performed well on both VHF-High and UHF broadcast bands. Because of its size you’ll want this one in the attic or outside of your house. Read our full Winegard Elite 7550 review Get your gridiron on  Whichever options you choose, you’re guaranteed to have a front-row seat when the NFL’s best team hoists the Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans. Read...

The Super Bowl is right around the corner and the Chiefs have an opportunity to make history as the first to win it three times in a row. What’s the best way to prep for this momentous event? Upgrading your entertainment center might just be it. And right now, LG’s massive 4K smart TV is $400 off at Best Buy, meaning you can snag this beauty for just $500. That’s a fantastic price for a 65-incher with 4K resolution and a NanoCell display for vivid colors, deep blacks, and superb contrast. Perfect for sports! The 4K resolution means images are crisp and beautiful, and thanks to AI brightness control, the TV automatically adjusts screen brightness for the best experience in your ambient lighting conditions. The TV’s built-in AI processor can also enhance picture and sound quality on the fly, which is great when the source is lacking. This year’s Super Bowl is a great excuse to upgrade your TV, and now’s the time with LG’s 65-inch 4K TV on sale for $500 at Best Buy! Save $400 on this 65-inch 4K TV that`ll blow you awayBuy now at Best Buy Read...

A round-up of news and sports in brief from around the region, including PNG leader calling on Donald Trump to rethink his decision of pulling out the USA from the Paris climate accord. Read...

Netflix is metaphorically flexing its muscles and spiking the football this week, announcing both record fourth-quarter subscriber gains and price hikes for nearly every one of its plans. In other words, the streaming giant has you right where it wants you. It’s the world’s most popular paid streaming service, with cancellation rates well below industry averages. Its crackdown on password sharing has been a resounding success, and its foray into ad-supported streaming is boosting revenues. As it dumps money into more expensive sports programming—like those Christmas NFL games—it’s confident you’ll help pay the bill. Hence the price hikes: The Standard with Ads plan is now $8 per month, up from $7. The Standard no-ads plan is now $17 per month, up from $15.49. And the Premium plan with 4K video is now $25 per month, up from $23. The only plan that isn’t increasing is the optional $7 surcharge for adding an authorized password sharer to your account. What can you do about it? While Netflix believes most everyone will stay put, price hikes are always a fine time to reevaluate the value of a subscription. Here are some pointers: Check your watch history Netflix’s website contains a list of everything you’ve watched. To find it, log into your account, click the profile icon, select “Manage profiles,” choose a profile, then select “Viewing activity.” (If you’re signed in, you can also visit netflix.com/settings/viewed.) Jared Newman / Foundry Look through everything you’ve watched in the past few months or so. How often do you use Netflix, and how many shows have you thoroughly enjoyed? Are there enough of them to justify keeping Netflix year-round, or could you take some time off and allocate that viewing to other services with shows you’ve been meaning to watch? Look elsewhere for favorites Netflix mostly traffics in exclusive content, and the shows that bring in new subscribers tend to be the ones you can’t find elsewhere. But some of the staples keeping you onboard might not be exclusive to Netflix. Suits, for instance, became a Netflix hit, but debuted on USA Network and is available in full on Peacock (which you can currently get free for three months). My kids are currently binge-watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, which also streams on Paramount+ (obtainable for free as well). And while Netflix has the exclusive streaming rights to Seinfeld, it’s also a staple on free over-the-air TV, which you can watch with an antenna (and even record for later). Netflix also licenses a bunch of HBO shows that remain available on Max. I’m cherry-picking here, and I realize a lot of shows become popular because they’re on Netflix—not the other way around—but it’s worth looking at some of your favorites on a site like Reelgood to see where else they’re available, if at all. Consider your family Dropping Netflix might be easier if you’re on your own, but I know it’d be a tough sell in the Newman household, where my wife and kids make more extensive use of it. You might want to have others in your home consult their own watchlists before making any rash decisions. The good news is that you no longer need to account for people outside of your home. With Netflix having banned password sharing—at least without paying an extra toll—the service isn’t quite as sticky as it used to be. Look at some free alternatives If Netflix for you is mainly something to put on in the background while doing other things, there are lots of free streaming services to fill that void. Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex, the Roku Channel, and many others offer vast catalogs of free movies and shows, with linear channels you can flip through. The free tiers of Sling TV and Philo even include a DVR, so you can record shows and skip the ads. Just try cancelling Jared Newman / Foundry The easiest way to tell whether Netflix is worth keeping is to try going without it for a while. All it takes is a trip to Netflix’s membership page and a click of the cancellation button (plus another click to confirm). There’s no penalty for cancelling a Netflix subscription, nor are there any rewards for continued loyalty. When you cancel, Netflix keeps your account info on file for 10 months, so your watchlist, recommendations, and viewing history will still be waiting if you resubscribe anytime before then. If you can’t quit Netflix has a unique gravitational pull in the streaming world, so it’s understandable if you can’t break away, but at least consider some ways to defray the cost: If you’re mostly keeping Netflix for your children, consider downgrading to the ad-supported tier. Kids profiles don’t have ads. Netflix’s ad-supported tier is included for free with some T-Mobile postpaid plans, including all of its current “Go5G” offerings. According to TMo report, customers who upgrade to an ad-free tier will still get a $7-per-month credit (which means the price hikes will still apply). Verizon offers a $10-per-month bundle of Netflix and Max (both with ads) with certain mobile and home internet plans. You can upgrade to ad-free Netflix by paying the difference in price. Comcast offers a $15-per-month bundle of Netflix (with ads), Apple TV+, and Peacock (with ads) for customers with Xfinity home internet or TV. You can also look for savings on other streaming services or consider cancelling some of them instead. In the end, Netflix seems pretty confident that’s the path its subscribers will take. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice. Read...

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