Netflix Inc. said its new ad-supported subscription plan has 5 million monthly active users, six months after its launch.
The $7-a-month plan, less than half the price of its most popular offering, is aimed at juicing growth in an industry where new streaming customers have been harder to come by, particularly domestically.
The monthly users aren’t necessarily subscribers. Some people could be sharing plans. Still, the number may allay some fears that the Netflix ad-supported offering has gotten off to a slow start.
The company shared the result at the start of its first-ever appearance at the upfronts, an annual ritual where TV networks present their fall line ups to media buyers in New York.
The streaming industry leader had planned to host the event in-person at its Paris Theatre but shifted to a virtual one after screenwriters went on strike and threatened to picket the venue.
