Arguably one of the best things about being a subscriber to an online TV network like Netflix is the chance to binge on shows and movies without the interruption of commercial breaks. But it turns out that avoiding the ads could be saving us as much as 130 hours a year.

According to figures released by TDG Research, the average Netflix user watches approximately 90 minutes in front of their TVs or devices every evening. The average commercial interruption of an hour’s worth of TV viewing is usually 15 minutes and 30 seconds of adverts, adding up to a conservative (read: ignoring hangover binges running for hours at an end) estimate of 130 hours of advertisement on an annual basis.

And as terrestrial and digital TV stations turn to more and more advertising as a source of revenue, this figure looks set to rise. Nielsen, the TV ratings body, reports that in 2014 in the US, broadcast TV stations had 14 minutes and 15 seconds of adverts in an hour of normal TV, while on cable television networks it increased to 15 minutes and 38 seconds.

Netflix has seen huge growth, not only in the amount of subscribers paying for the service (as it continues to roll out its package around the world), but in the amount of time its viewers spend streaming its entertainment content:

[TDG]

Earlier this year, Slate revealed that television networks had taken to increasing the speeds at which they broadcast TV shows by as much as 10% in an effort to fill the advertising slots with more spots.

Netflix, which is increasing its own self-produced programming to considerable critical and audience acclaim, has flirted with the idea of introducing advertising, including running a pilot scheme in certain territories earlier this year. But following an online backlash, CEO Reed Hastings has said the company will only consider running advertisements for its own Netflix Originals programmes while viewers stream through the company’s content. 

(H/T: Exstreamist)