TZUTC: -0500
MSGID: 9331.drwho@1:2320/105 2b9a1e9d
PID: Synchronet 3.20a-Linux master/acc19483f Apr 26 202 GCC 12.2.0
TID: SBBSecho 3.20-Linux master/acc19483f Apr 26 2024 23:04 GCC 12.2.0
BBSID: CAPCITY2
CHRS: ASCII 1
Since Dave just mentioned Freevee and I was thinking of checking it out...

Amazon Freevee is being shut down, and it's all thanks to Prime Video's
increasingly popular ad-supported tier

Date:
Wed, 13 Nov 2024 13:09:45 +0000

Description:
Amazon is shutting down its free streaming service as it directs
non-subscribers to Prime Video.

FULL STORY

Amazon Freevee is officially being shut down as the company looks to simplify
its streaming offerings by making Prime Video a one-stop shop, according to
Deadline . 

The free streaming service will be phased out over the coming weeks in the 
US, UK, Germany and Austria, but you'll still be able to find Amazon Freevee
content on Prime Video, including flagship series like Jury Duty, Bosch:
Legacy and Judy Justice. These titles will be identifiable by the label 
'Watch for Free' in the Prime Video app. 

Amazon had already begun shifting Freevee Originals to Prime Video way before
it introduced ads earlier this year and had given us more signs of the
upcoming shift when it announced that the third and final season of Bosch:
Legacy would be shared across Freevee and Prime Video in September. Opinion:
It was inevitable that Amazon would shutter its free streaming service 

Despite being one of the best free streaming services , there has been talk 
of Amazon Freevee closing ever since the launch of an ad-supported tier on
Prime Video at the end of January earlier this year, which many considered at
the time wasn't necessary. 

 Amazon denied rumors of Freevee closing at the time, but a lot of us were
unconvinced, mainly because the introduction of an ad-supported plan meant
there was no real point of difference between Prime Video and its free
streaming offering. After all, the overlap between content meant you didn't
have to leave Prime Video to find Freevee titles. 

The rollout of the ad-tier had been viewed as controversial as many
subscribers had been frustrated at the fact that Prime Video was inserting 
ads unless you paid more  essentially forcing you to spend an extra $2.99 in
the US and 2.99 in the UK if you wanted to go ad-free.

But it turns out that the new ad-tier didn't dent subscriber numbers as much
as people initially thought it would. In fact, because people didn't complain
enough, Prime Video is expected to be filled with even more ads in 2025, with
plans to introduce three new types of adverts to the service, including
carousel ads, pause ads and trivia ads  and your Fire TV will not be spared . 

Amazon has since doubled down on its advertising efforts, following the
successful launch of its new plan  UK ratings body Barb found that 86% of
homes are now signed up to its ad-tier  and we can only expect more growth to
occur as Amazon Freevee users migrate to Prime Video. 

Amazon Freevee had been voted as the best free streaming service by readers 
at the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024 , so it's likely to see a bump in 
activity in upcoming months. As the new home for Amazon Freevee content,
including  select Amazon MGM Studios Originals, licensed movies and series
alongside over 450 FAST channels in the US, Prime Video has even more reasons
why it's the best streaming service for movies.

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/streaming/amazon-prime-video/amazon-freevee-is-being
-shut-down-and-its-all-thanks-to-prime-videos-increasingly-popular-ad-supporte
d-tier

$$
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
 * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)
SEEN-BY: 1/120 10/0 1 18/0 90/1 103/705 105/81 106/201 116/17 18 123/0
SEEN-BY: 123/25 126 180 525 755 3001 3002 124/5016 128/187 129/305
SEEN-BY: 135/115 153/7715 203/0 218/0 1 601 700 870 930 221/0 222/2
SEEN-BY: 226/30 227/114 229/110 114 206 300 317 426 428 470 550 664
SEEN-BY: 229/700 240/1120 1512 1634 8001 8002 8005 8050 250/1 266/512
SEEN-BY: 275/1000 280/464 5003 282/1038 291/111 292/8125 301/1 313/41
SEEN-BY: 320/219 322/757 335/364 341/66 234 342/200 371/0 396/45 423/120
SEEN-BY: 460/58 633/280 712/848 1321 2320/0 105 304 401 3634/0 12
SEEN-BY: 3634/27 56 57 58 119 5020/400 5058/104 5075/35
PATH: 2320/105 3634/12 240/1120 280/464 103/705 218/700 229/426