Netflix Ad Tier Hits 250 Million Monthly Viewers

Netflix announced during its fourth annual Upfront presentation this week that its advertising-supported subscription tier now reaches more than 250 million global monthly active viewers, a sharp increase from figures reported the previous year.

The company, which held the event in New York, described the growth as evidence of the tier's rapid adoption. Over 80 percent of those viewers actively stream content each week, and the ad-supported plan accounted for more than 60 percent of new signups in the dozen countries where it is currently available, including the United States and parts of Europe. Netflix defines monthly active viewers as members who have watched at least one minute of ad-supported content per month, adjusted by household size estimates from its research. The tier is also attracting advertisers, with more than 4,000 partners as of late last year, a 70 percent year-over-year increase.

Amy Reinhard, Netflix's president of advertising, highlighted the milestone during the presentation. "If the last couple of years were about proving we're a durable player, this year is about establishing ourselves as a formidable one," she said. Reinhard added that the audience is...