iWorld
WWE Network not quite ready yet
MUMBAI: So, WWE finally offered wrestling fans a trial of its much-hyped over the top platform, WWE Network for a week starting last Monday. At an offer price of $9.99 for a period of six months, avid followers of the sport readily lapped up the opportunity.
I happened to be one such and though my experience was enjoyable on the whole, I’d say a lot of things can be improved before this beta graduates into the full-fledged video streaming service it is expected to be.
To begin with, the network got off to a shaky start and though that was expected somewhat, users got a better feel of the service only towards the second half of last week.
The good news is you can put on the 24×7 stream in the background and continue working or doing whatever it is you are doing. If talk of a particular match crops up during the conversation, you can quickly turn it on and watch it, friends in tow.
In many ways, the WWE Network could be the beginning of a new era in both WWE and pay-per-view (PPV) television.
However, while every PPV event has been included live on the network, the first such event i.e. Wrestle Mania 30, is still five weeks away. So, apart from the fact that you’d be paying a lot less for PPV shows, there isn’t much else to say.
Repetition of content is a major issue, especially with recent PPV events. Of all the shows WWE could pick, why does Survivor Series 2012 pop up so many times? While it’s good entertainment, there are only a few PPVs in rotation and that does not make sense. When WWE can plug in a wealth of PPVs, including a six-year-old library of high-definition shows, at a moment’s notice, why is it being so stingy with the content on offer on the network?
In case of exclusive content, shows like Beyond the Ring have just two episodes so far. One can understand it being created as a weekly series but given that WWE isn’t doing much beyond recycling existing DVD documentaries, replication of shows makes watching the network stream a boring experience.
Coming to home video content, what happened to the announcement made by WWE chief revenue and marketing officer, Michelle Wilson, in Las Vegas that the network’s on-demand archive would include their complete home video library? Where is it? Even if WWE dug into its archives and managed to offer on the network only its DVD era or everything it has released since 1985, it would give the network a more substantial and diverse on-demand library than the current one.
Yes. The WWE Network is easily the most marketable content the company has but a hard-core wrestling fan would certainly want to see more of rare or off-beat content.
Technically speaking, not all shows in the on-demand library have chapter marks added but wherever they have been, it’s a good thing. You can link anyone with a subscription to a specific match or even the match finish, which is great.
However, the biggest limitation is that only app and Web versions have a fully-featured search functionality which lets users look for specific shows and moves. On gaming consoles and dedicated streaming devices, users still require the app to auto-complete the performer name being searched, else there will be no results.
At this stage, there’s not much to say about what’s good or bad about the WWE Network. Having access to old and new PPVs at a price tag of $9.99 for six months is pretty neat in itself. Overall, it’s an enjoyable product though a lot of things can be improved – some major, others minor.
In my opinion, WWE Network has a lot of potential but isn’t completely ready. It feels like a product that needs quite a few months in beta testing mode though the company is comfortable charging for it now. The content line-up is great but has the potential to become brilliant. Hopefully, WWE will be able to make the network the service it has aspired for.
iWorld
YouTube rolls out 30-second unskippable ads on smart TVs worldwide
New connected TV format and pause ads push viewers towards longer ad breaks
MUMBAI: Your trusty skip ad button may soon become a rare sight, at least when you are watching YouTube on the big screen. As of March 2026, the platform has completed the global rollout of 30-second non-skippable advertisements for connected TV apps.
The move affects viewers watching YouTube on smart TVs, gaming consoles and streaming devices such as Roku or Apple TV. Instead of seeing two separate 15-second ads that could sometimes be skipped after a few seconds, users are increasingly being served a single uninterrupted 30-second advertising block.
The change is primarily tied to YouTube Select, the company’s premium advertising inventory that features the top 5 per cent of most-watched content on the platform. For advertisers, it offers a more predictable and television-like experience. For viewers, it means settling in for the full half-minute.
Behind the scenes, artificial intelligence is also taking on a larger role. Google’s ad systems now dynamically decide which format works best for each viewer. The rotation may include quick 6-second bumper ads, traditional 15-second spots, or the new 30-second connected TV format depending on the content and audience.
Even pressing pause is no longer an escape from advertising. YouTube has started rolling out so-called pause ads, where the video shrinks on the screen and a static or interactive advertisement appears alongside it when a viewer stops playback.
The strategy reflects how YouTube’s viewing habits are changing. Television screens have become the platform’s fastest-growing viewing surface, and in the United States it now ranks as the leading streaming service by watch time, ahead of major subscription platforms.
There is also a practical reason. Ad-blocking software is far less common on smart TVs than on browsers or mobile devices. By shifting more advertising to the living room screen, YouTube is protecting a crucial source of revenue.
At the same time, the company appears keen to nudge more viewers towards its paid offerings. Longer unskippable ads on the free tier make services such as YouTube Premium and the lower-priced Premium Lite subscription more appealing.
For now, mobile and desktop viewers can breathe a small sigh of relief. The 30-second unskippable format is currently limited to connected TVs, while phones and computers still mostly cap non-skippable ads at around 15 seconds.
So the next time you lean back on the sofa to watch a video on YouTube, be prepared. The ads might just be settling in for the full half-minute as well.
