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YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

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Re: YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

#11

Has anyone else encountered the 25 minute ads? Mine was a full episode of some home-improvement show sponsored by Lowes.

I've had a few.

It's annoying. I don't use a blocker. I don't skip the ads. Yet youtube shows me some really tedious 25 minute ad (for obscure builing material; for some online god knows what; for some money scam).

I thought it must be some experiment to see how bad ads could get before people like me hit reload or start blocking, because it makes no sense otherwise.

Re: YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

#12
post #3

If true, would it be different than the NPR pledge drives, really ?

Yeah, it's a lot different.

NPR used to be publicly funded, much like the BBC in the UK. The idea was to offer objective journalism for the strength of democracy. It has helped a lot in the UK may have helped prevent the current disaster we now experience in the US. When that public funding started being removed, NPR had to start acting more like a private company, satisfying target demographics and seeking seeking donor support.

So, NPR pledge drives are in large part them trying to maintain an objective perspective. A feeble attempt, sure, but they are trying. Youtube is merely maximizing profit.

Re: YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

#13
Can confirm. Was running a playlist on a Windows machine with Edge as a cheap substitute for burn-in/stability testing. No dice: it would stop after every song with a ad dialog that required clicking (for YT Red, or for Chrome). Horrible experience generally - it wasn't clear if this torture was reserved for Edge users or I was special that day. I switched to Vevo and it provided the necessary hardware testing that I was seeking.

Re: YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

#14
I hope this only happens for people in countries where paying for Youtube Red is actually allowed.

It's fine on my computer thanks to adblocking, but using Youtube on iOS devices and Chromecast is so damn annoying. It's absurd that they ban me from paying to skip the ads.

Re: YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

#15
post #13

Can confirm. Was running a playlist on a Windows machine with Edge as a cheap substitute for burn-in/stability testing. No dice: it would stop after every song with a ad dialog that required clicking (for YT Red, or for Chrome). Horrible experience generally - it wasn't clear if this torture was reserved for Edge users or I was special that day. I switched to Vevo and it provided the necessary hardware testing that I…

Why not Spotify?

Re: YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

#17
I have been paying for YouTube Red since 2015. I really like the YouTube Music app and how I can save songs for offline use, and how it's kept up-to-date with songs I like on YouTube (as well as recommended suggestions) whenever my phone goes on WiFi, so my playlist never gets old. You also get other perks like keeping a YouTube video playing in the background on your phone.

I prefer using YouTube for music as opposed to other services because I listen to a lot of underground/developing artists who aren't as easily signed up to go on the larger platforms like Spotify. For that reason I also like Soundcloud, but I feel I find more relevance on YouTube.

Since I pay for YouTube Red, I don't get ads. I think the cost justifies it. So, if you have so much of a problem with ads, you should really consider just paying for it. It's a great service. Shouldn't you be paying for services you appreciate?

Re: YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

#19
This seems like one of those things corporations obviously do, but you'd be hard pressed to believe someone would be dumb enough to openly state they do. Now when you wonder if YouTube is actively trying to irritate you, you can know that yes, that's exactly what they're trying to do.

The YouTube team's behavior is getting a lot more annoying of late. The other thing I can't get rid of is the popup suggesting I get YouTube Red every like 48-72 hours of my life.

Re: YouTube Will ‘Frustrate’ Some Users with Ads So They Pay for Music

#20

I have been paying for YouTube Red since 2015. I really like the YouTube Music app and how I can save songs for offline use, and how it's kept up-to-date with songs I like on YouTube (as well as recommended suggestions) whenever my phone goes on WiFi, so my playlist never gets old. You also get other perks like keeping a YouTube video playing in the background on your phone. I prefer using YouTube for music as oppose…

There's a huge difference between a product that's being funded by ads, and you can pay to switch the funding source, and a product that they're actively making the ad-funded experience worse specifically to push you to subscribe. One is just trying to keep a business afloat, the other is a company intentionally trying to irritate you.
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