Ad skipping

[Southbynorth]

Sorry but why are we not kicking off at sky for the (removed) ad skipping - £5 for the privilege of being allowed to fast forward ads? This probably means sky get to double dip - they still get to charge the companies for showing the ads, while also charging us for being allowed to press fast forward.

Personally I believe if we are being charged for ad skipping, it should mean no ads are shown - like the BBC licence approach basically.

Moderator note: Removed innapropriate remarks from comment and title.

[GD1]

@Southbynorth  You have the choice to not pay for ad skipping, yopu're not bein g forced to get it.  You chose to pay for it.

[MarkGoldsmith · Accepted solution]

Also Sky can't controll the ads showing via Channel 4, My 5 or ITV X apps, so its not possible to just pay for no ads, the best Sky can offer is the ability to fast forward ads.

Sky aren't exactly double dipping as a portion of your monthly fee has to go to ITV, C4, and Channel 5 to pay for the ad-skipping functionality in their apps. Also all the broadcasters are losing advertising revenue as most people record shows and fast forward them, so with the movement to streaming we are seeing ads being unskippable unless you pay for the service. It would cost you a lot more to pay to skip ads individually on ITV X, My 5 and C4 app than it does to pay the £5 a month to Sky.

[Gincap]

Best option ditch AD skipping and go premium ITVX and 4. Often offers about. 

As for Sky channel content Now Boost total AD free and again offers. 

Yes AD Skip is a choice but what an appalling choice! 

[Southbynorth]

Oh absolutely - but I morally object to companies using double dipping tactics & genuinely think as consumers we should fight it when its employed - once double dipping is accepted, companies just continue spiralling into more and more anti consumer approaches as long as it gives them more profit. Look at the streaming companies offering more & more tiers so you have to pay more & more to get a semi decent experience.

Dont have to buy it, but enjoy an early 1990's TV experience without it. TBH that approach will just result in me eventually totally abandoning SKY in favour of the streaming channels that also employ double dipping but at least I can jump around and get more choice without 18 month tie ins.

[Southbynorth]

Appreciate the extra context & knowledge thank you - I still feel they are double dipping to an extent (just less then I thought) but at least I have awareness of the reasons behind it!

[Floydianslip]

@Gincap I must be missing something re AD skipping which I subscribe to, I've noticed recently that the ads aren't there to skip through. Where a break for ads comes up the name of the programme I'm watching appears twice and then continues with the programme. No ads to skip.

Does this happen for others?

[Jason+Golding]

@Southbynorth Ad Skipping is often free for a period of time with sky or half price. No one is forcing you to take up the service. It's swings and roundabouts. - stream includes HD as standard. Q doesn't. 

[Exiled-in-HH]

Ads pay for creation of on content on commercial channels and reducing the cost of subscriptions on subscription channels🤔

The ad skipping charge pays for the privilege of avoiding those ads in full😉

[Southbynorth]

Oh come on, Sky is hugely more expensive then Netflix or Prime for example, they should not need to double dip, claiming it reduces costs for the consumer is niave - its a profit growth option, I really doubt it contributes to lower costs for viewers in any way at all.

[Southbynorth]

@Exiled-in-HH unsure why you and others think that point needs to be made - I haven't made any claims that I am being held hostage or being forced to pay for the option at all! Yes its optional, but its pay for a extra for a perfectly normal streaming experience, or do not pay for a non streaming experience. Bit like having their cake and eating it for sky isn't it. 

Look at netflix as a comparison. You can have a cheaper subscription with adverts helping subsidise it, or pay more and not have adverts at all. See the difference?

[MarkGoldsmith]

You can't compare sky and Netflix though.

Netix only control the ads on their service. Sky is an aggregator of services and therefore can't directly control the ads on its partners apps. Yes Sky could not charge for the ad-slipping on their on-demand content but the fact is they aren't getting it for free when providing the ad-skipping on ITV X content for instance so of course Sky is going to pass that on as an extra cost.

[Exiled-in-HH]

@Southbynorth I have made no claim you are being held hostage🤔

I'll merely explain why your claim of double dipping is falacious🤣

[Southbynorth]

@Exiled-in-HH my apologies, I was tired and mixed up the account name I was responding to on that point - I meant to say that to @Jason+Golding . I  do disagree and feel this is double dipping as far as adverts on sky channels go but thats purely an opinion of mine, not trying to state it as fact - and I appreciate everyone feeding into the discussion - I've learnt a bit including that its nowhere near as simplistic as I thought!

@MarkGoldsmith fair point - I should explain I am only referring to Sky channels, sorry I didnt make that clear.

[MarkGoldsmith]

No worries.

to be fair it's sometimes hard to fully get a point across on a forum.

i do completely agree with the idea of why we have to pay to skip ads on Sky on-demand content. I can only assume it was a way to add value to the ad-skipping add-on.