Rita Ferro News Today

Ad Free TV: The companies bled money, and Wall Street soured on their businesses. So executives are turning back the clock. They are ordering lower-cost, old network standbys such as medical dramas, legal shows and sitcoms. They are offering bundled packages to make consumers less tempted to click on the cancel button. (Disney+, Hulu and Max will team up later this year, for instance.) And they are embracing commercials, as a way to increase revenue.

As streaming services initially promised an ad-free experience, the landscape is rapidly changing with ads becoming increasingly difficult to avoid. Major players like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video have started incorporating commercials in exchange for lower subscription prices. Even live sports on these platforms now include built-in commercial breaks regardless of the subscription tier.

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The traditional pilot season has shrunk to a nub of what it used to be as networks focus on year-round programming.

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From the Golden Bachelorette to a new ESPN analyst, major announcements were made and trailers were shown at the 2024 Disney Advertising Upfront.

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Disney is leveraging AI technology to create a new advertising tool. This tool will ensure brands can tailor their ads to match the mood and content of movies and TV shows. The tool will streamline advertisements on Disney+ and Hulu.