Your Netflix subscription may be saving you from nearly 160 hours of commercials a year

By Stephanie Topacio Long May 11, 2016

netflix streaming commercial hours behind the screens 110815 2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Netflix offers more than just a socially acceptable way to invite someone over for a hookup. The streaming service — among its other benefits — also prevents us from having to suffer through those pesky commercials we face in droves when we watch traditional television. By streaming Netflix instead of turning to cable, we save ourselves hours upon hours of ad time.

The actual figure depends on your own streaming habits, but Cordcutting.com now estimates that the number is nearly 160 hours of commercials a year. The figure is based two key pieces of data: the fact that Netflix has 75 million members and that subscribers stream 125 million hours of content each day, according to Netflix’s CES 2016 Keynote, as reported by The Verge. Cordcutting.com calculated the average amount of time members spend viewing Netflix per day (roughly 1.67 hours), and then used the number of minutes of commercials included in an hour of cable TV (15.63 minutes), as reported by Nielsen, to arrive at the final number.

Our individual Netflix-watching time varies, of course. Some of us veer toward the Brooklyn man who managed a 94-hour binge, while still others only stream occasionally. Nonetheless, the 160-hour figure is telling. It illustrates a powerful reason why consumers are increasingly turning away from traditional cable in favor of Netflix and other streaming services.

Consumers could choose to do a lot of things with 160 hours, and presumably, few (if any) would opt to use that time on commercials. More likely, they’d rather watch additional TV shows or movies, or elect to engage in other pastimes. Netflix and other ad-free streamers are forcing TV networks to face this reality.

Fortunately for viewers, the message seems to be getting through. NBC, for example, recently announced that it would cut back on commercial breaks during the upcoming season of Saturday Night Live. Others are also making adjustments, so start thinking about what you want to do with all that extra time.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Stephanie Topacio Long

Contributor

Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…

Entertainment

3 underrated Netflix shows you should watch this weekend (March 22-24)

A man and a woman stand in an elevator in Maniac.

Netflix and other streaming services do a pretty great job of making sure that there's always something new to watch every weekend. Sometimes, though, those new releases aren't what you're looking for. It's under those circumstances that you might be interested in trying to find a show or movie that is already on the service, but has flown under the radar.

It's with that in mind that we've selected three underrated gems from Netflix's back catalog that are definitely worth checking out. From a dark horror show to a heady sci-fi series starring a recent two-time Oscar winner, this list should have something for everyone who is looking for a show to binge this weekend.
Maniac (2018)
Maniac | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

Entertainment

5 underrated Netflix animated shows you should watch in 2024

A robot pours a drink in Love, Death, and Robots.

Netflix's library has evolved quite a lot over the years. For a long time, Netflix was seen by viewers as the go-to streaming platform for all of their favorite sitcoms, TV dramas, and movies. In recent years, however, the service has begun to reserve more and more space in its library for its TV and film originals. That's partly due to many of its competitors launching their own streaming services and keeping their legacy titles to themselves, and partly the result of Netflix's ongoing interest in cementing its status as an active producer of original material.

Along the way, Netflix's platform has also — whether intentionally or not — become a treasure trove of underrated animated titles. Indeed, the streaming service hasn't publicized it quite as frequently, but it has invested just as much money and time into building out its animated shows as it has its live-action. Its efforts to do so have, fortunately, paid off.

Entertainment

3 action movies on Netflix you need to watch in March

Brad Pitt clutches a briefcase in Bullet Train (2022)

If you want action, then you came to the right place. Netflix has an impressive library of action films. Damsel, a new action fantasy movie starring Millie Bobby Brown, is already one of the most popular movies on Netflix. Other popular action movies include Fury, Lift, and Gran Turismo.

There are plenty of other good action movies to stream. This March, we selected three action movies that Netflix subscribers can watch now. Our selections include the final film in a fun trilogy, an action comedy from one of the genre's best directors, and a cult classic from the late 1990s.
The Equalizer 3 (2023)