Entertainment
Netflix Will Launch Lower-Cost, Ad-Supported Streaming Plans, Reed Hastings Says
Netflix, after years of insisting it would stick solely to subscription-only plans, is finally open to offering lower-cost, ad-supported packages, co-CEO Reed Hastings said on the company’s Q1 earnings interview.
The company expects to nail down its ad-supported streaming strategy over the next year or two, Hastings said, “but think of us as quite open to us offering even lower prices with advertising as a consumer choice.”
Hastings’ comments about Netflix planning to intro an ad-supported plan come as the company’s subscriber growth has hit a wall — in fact, Netflix lost 200,000 subs in the first three months of 2022 and expects to drop 2 million in Q2. Adding ad-supported options could give it a new pathway to growth; in addition, to boost the top line, Netflix is looking at ways to collect money from the estimated 100 million-plus households that currently use a shared password to stream without paying for it.
“Those that have followed Netflix know that I’ve been against the complexity of advertising and a big fan of the simplicity of subscription,” Hastings said. “But as much as I’m a fan of that, I’m a bigger fan of consumer choice. And allowing consumers who would like to have a lower price and are advertising-tolerant get what they want, makes a lot of sense.”
Hastings didn’t provide details on what Netflix’s ad-supported plans might cost. The streamer’s standard two-stream HD plan costs $15.49 per month in the U.S.
Several of Netflix’s biggest competitors offer cheaper, ad-supported plans, including Hulu, HBO Max and Paramount+. Last month Disney announced plans to launch an ad-supported Disney+ plan starting late in 2022 in the U.S.
“I don’t think we have a lot of doubt that [the ad model] works,” Hastings said, citing Hulu and HBO Max as well as the upcoming plans from Disney+. “I’m sure we’ll just get in and figure it out — as opposed to test it and maybe do it or not do it.”
With its advertising play, Netflix can avoid wading into data-privacy pitfalls that have become problematic for some internet companies by using third-party technologies that match ads with viewers without needing access to personally identifiable information, Hastings said.
Last month, Netflix CFO Spencer Neumann signaled the streamer’s willingness to consider adopting an ad-supported tier. “It’s not like we have religion against advertising, to be clear,” Neumann said at a Morgan Stanley investment conference. While “that’s not something that’s in our plans right now,” he said, “never say never.”
Entertainment
‘Artivism’ at TGMA27: Okyeame Kwame uses gold-themed Red Carpet look to wage war against galamsey
Renowned musician and “Rap Dacta” Okyeame Kwame transformed the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) red carpet into a platform for environmental activism, making a bold visual statement against the devastating effects of illegal mining, affectionately called galamsey.
Arriving in a striking ensemble, the artiste was draped in gold colours from head to toe, complete with a matching gold-plated sword.
However, the glamour carried a somber message. Flanked by two bodybuilders who performed as figures suffering from the physical and environmental “cancers” of illegal mining, Okyeame Kwame’s appearance served as a stark contrast between the beauty of Ghana’s gold and the destruction caused by its extraction.
Speaking to host Giovanni Caleb, the musician explained that his “glittering” look was a deliberate irony intended to spark a national conversation.
“I wanted to look like gold to remind Ghanaians that while gold glitters, galamsey destroys our rivers, our rocks, our air, and our nature,” Okyeame Kwame stated.
He further emphasised that the fight against environmental degradation transcends partisan lines.
“If we glitter like this once every year and forget that it is not the responsibility of the NPP or NDC, but the collective responsibility of all Ghanaians to stop this galamsey cancer, then we have failed,” he added.
Long recognized as an ‘Artivist,’ Okyeame Kwame has a storied history of using his public platform to champion social and environmental causes.
The 2026 TGMA, while a night of musical celebration, was momentarily refocused by the Rap Dacta’s plea for the protection of Ghana’s natural heritage, proving once again that art remains one of the most powerful tools for social change.
Okyeame Kwame is currently out with new single dubbed, “Clap,” a song encouraging communal support and celebration of others’ successes.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The biggest event on Ghana’s entertainment calendar is set for a night of honours, pomp, and pageantry.
It is a night where musicians who excelled during the year under review will be rewarded through the endorsement of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards Board, the Academy, and the general public.
The Grand Arena, the ideal venue for the 27th TGMA, will host a star-studded audience of musicians, media personalities, businessmen, politicians, actors, and footballers among others.
On this night, the most coveted prize is the Artiste of the Year (AOTY) category, which will see the crowning of a new king or queen of Ghana music.
Two heavyweights in the category, Stonebwoy and Sarkodie, have the opportunity to set an enviable record as the only artistes to win the coveted title for a third time.
Should they fall short, the opportunity shifts to Black Sherif and Diana Hamilton to equal the record of two wins, joining the elite ranks of past double-winners like VIP.
A win for Diana Hamilton, will set her up in a lonely journey at the top as the only gospel musician, to win the Artiste of the Year for the second time.
Alternatively, Wendy Shay could make her debut by winning the award for the first time. This would make her team up with Diana Hamilton as the only female artistes alive to hold the title. The late Ebony, won it posthumously in 2018.
If the title slips past them and falls to Medikal, he will also become a first-time winner, etching his name into the annals of Ghana music history.
Patrons can look forward to electrifying performances from a long list of confirmed artistes, including Black Sherif, Diana Hamilton, Piesie Esther, R2Bees, Medikal, Wendy Shay, Lasmid, Kofi Kinaata, Samini, and Fido, among others.
Beyond the ultimate prize, several other major categories are up for grabs, including Music Video of the Year, New Artiste of the Year, Gospel Artiste of the Year, Most Popular Song of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
