subscription

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Bipartisan Bill Targets Tricky Subscription Cancellations

Legislation in House targets confusing, costly subscription practices

(Newser) - Americans who sign up for a "free trial" and then forget about it, incurring unwanted charges after that trial ends, may soon get some backup from Congress. Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat, and Rep. Mark Amodei, a Nevada Republican, are reviving the Unsubscribe Act on Tuesday, a bill...

Users Peeved With Netflix's Latest Change

Phone-to-TV casting will only work with older Chromecast devices or Google Cast-supported TVs

(Newser) - Netflix users will no longer be able to cast shows from their phones to their TVs in most cases, as the company has quietly ended support for the feature . The move means viewers must now use the Netflix app on their TV and rely on their remote for playback controls,...

Disney Cancellations Rose Amid Kimmel Trouble

But Disney+ and Hulu also had more people than usual sign up for new plans

(Newser) - The Jimmy Kimmel blackout is over, and the fallout is somewhat complicated for ABC parent company Disney.
  • On the downside, cancellations of Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions rose significantly in September, coinciding with Kimmel's brief suspension from ABC over his Charlie Kirk comments , per the Hollywood Reporter . The stats are
...

FTC: Amazon Prime Uses 'Dark Patterns' to Lure Customers In

Agency also says in suit in Seattle that company makes it difficult to cancel Prime memberships

(Newser) - Amazon Prime is facing a high-profile legal test in Seattle, where a jury began hearing a case this week that could reshape how the $139-a-year service operates. The Federal Trade Commission claims Amazon lured tens of millions into Prime memberships without their full awareness, then threw up so many...

AMC Bets on Half-Price Tix to Win Back Moviegoers

Midweek deals target streaming competition, boost flagging theater attendance

(Newser) - With streaming platforms, pricey tickets, and concession costs taking a bite out of movie theater attendance, AMC is hoping half-price tickets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays will coax customers back. The nation's leading cinema chain, which announced in May that it would be offering half-price tickets on Wednesdays throughout...

Maybe Hold Off Before Clicking That 'Unsubscribe' Button

Wall Street Journal reports that you may be inviting even more spam into your inbox by doing so

(Newser) - As you sift through all of those unwanted spam emails in your inbox, you may be tempted to click on the "Unsubscribe" button that appears on many of them. It turns out that may be the worst thing you can do, with cybersecurity experts now warning that responding to...

Watch Out, Netflix—Here Come the Niche Streamers

Crunchyroll, BritBox, and other specialty content providers are enjoying a subscription boom

(Newser) - There's a new streaming sheriff in town. Although most people are more familiar with mainstream content providers like Netflix, Max, and Disney+, Quartz reports that specialty platforms such as BritBox are now the hot ticket, with subscriptions to those services spiking nearly 20% this year, according to data from...

LAT Loses Subscribers, More Staff After Endorsement Uproar

2 more members of editorial board step down after paper's owner refuses to let it endorse Kamala Harris

(Newser) - Fallout from the news that the owner of the Los Angeles Times blocked the paper's endorsement of Kamala Harris continues, with further resignations and a slew of canceled subscriptions. The Guardian reports that on Thursday, a day after editorials editor Mariel Garza stepped down over the commotion, two other...

FTC Is Finalizing 'Click to Cancel' Rule

It's part of 'Time Is Money' consumer initiative

(Newser) - The Federal Trade Commission is finalizing a "click to cancel" rule that will make it as easy to cancel subscriptions to services like gym memberships or cable packages as it is to sign up. "For a lot of services, it takes one or two clicks on your phone...

Restaurant and Chill? Subscriptions Are Expanding

It's not just Netflix anymore

(Newser) - Consumers are willing to pay monthly subscription fees for streaming services, pet food, and even toilet paper. And as the AP reports, now some restaurants are betting they'll do the same for their favorite meals. Large chains like Panera and PF Chang’s, as well as neighborhood hangouts, are...

MoviePass to Rise From the Dead on Labor Day

You have to get on a waitlist to use subscription service, though

(Newser) - MoviePass officially went kaput more than two years ago, filing for bankruptcy protection right before the pandemic shuttered movie theaters for a year or more. Now when you head over to the company's website , there's a countdown clock—and it's counting down to Thursday, when you'll...

If You Can Eat a Taco a Day, Taco Bell Has a Tempting Offer

Get the 'Taco Lover's Pass' via the chain's app and enjoy a taco a day for 30 days, for a total of $10

(Newser) - Could you eat a taco a day for a whole month? What if we said you could do so for just a ten-spot? If that thought (and price) appeals to you, there's a subscription you may want to check out, courtesy of Taco Bell. "Fans whose New Year'...

Dear Remaining MoviePass Subscribers: Bad News

Service is shut down as of Saturday, with company 'unable to predict if or when' it will return

(Newser) - It looks like MoviePass has officially moved from "the brink of death" to the movie morgue. Variety reports the beleaguered subscription service will shutter, effective as of 8am ET on Saturday, according to an announcement to straggler subscribers from parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics. Why? The firm's...

On Brink of Death, MoviePass Thinks It's Figured It Out

Its new model lets subscribers see 3 movies a month for $9.95

(Newser) - What would you rather do: Pay $9.95 a month to see one movie in a theater per day, or pay $9.95 to see three movies a month? It's sort of a trick question, in that option one will soon no longer exist. MoviePass on Monday announced that...

MoviePass Woes Build, Some Predict 'the End Is Near'

Movie subscription service looks like it's in big trouble after stocks fall 60%

(Newser) - Shares for the parent company of MoviePass plunged Monday, dropping 60% to close at $0.80 and prompting Forbes to make a dire prediction: "The end is near" for the subscription service, which was charging users $9.95 per month for the ability to see a movie a day...

Netflix's Growth Comes at a Cost
Netflix's Growth
Comes at a Cost
Oct 17, 2017 11:50 AM CDT

Netflix's Growth Comes at a Cost

Company has gained $5.1B in debt in one year

(Newser) - Netflix is sinking deeper into debt in its relentless pursuit of more viewers, leaving the company little margin for error as it tries to build the world's biggest video subscription service, reports the AP . Netflix's long-term debt and other obligations totaled $21.9 billion as of Sept. 30,...

Over Owning? Cadillac Tries a New Idea

It's launching a monthly subscription service

(Newser) - It's kind of like Netflix, but with Cadillacs instead of movies. The car company is experimenting with a modern twist on car ownership: Don't own at all and instead try out a new vehicle every month or close to it. In a press release , the company says it...

YouTube's Original Programming Launches Tomorrow

Here's what you can watch for $9.99/month

(Newser) - YouTube is attempting to make some noise of its own with a crop of films and shows that will be exclusively available with YouTube Red , a subscription service the San Bruno, California-based company launched last October, the AP reports. The first three movies and one series will be available via...

Coming Soon: Paid YouTube Subscriptions

But only for 'specialist' channels

(Newser) - Might you soon have to pay for the privilege of watching a cat ride around on a Roomba ? YouTube is introducing subscriptions, possibly as soon as this week, but don't worry: They're only for "specialist" channels, the Financial Times reports. As many as 50 channels will...

Fox: Lawsuit Could Force Us to Go Subscription-Only

Suing Aereo for stealing its signal

(Newser) - Fox is in the midst of a lawsuit over rights to its over-the-air programming—and if it loses, its broadcast network could turn to a subscription model, News Corp's president says. At issue is a lawsuit against Aereo, which offers broadcast TV on digital devices, Mashable reports. "Aereo...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
Most Read on Newser