Netflix, the platform that spent years teaching us to watch what we want and when we want, is now considering something that sounds like a step back in time - TV channels that run non-stop, 24 hours a day, where you just turn it on and leave it running.

The plans were reported by the Wall Street Journal. The idea is to bring back the habit of a constantly-on TV in the background - the exact opposite of the „binge“ viewing model that Netflix popularized. Netflix has so far given no official comment.

Why would the streaming giant return to a classic TV format? The answer is in the numbers and in the ads. Netflix's share of total TV viewing fell to 7.8 percent in April, and signs of declining activity are pushing it to find ways to keep viewers longer. That's where the second, more important motive comes in: live content means ads you can't skip. For Netflix's advertising business, that's gold.

This isn't the only experiment. The company has already tested short video clips, video podcasts and a dedicated gaming app for children, and it's reportedly also negotiating to buy Letterboxd - the social network for film lovers. Bundles with other services are also being considered, similar to what Apple and Amazon offer.

The story says something broader about the whole industry. Streaming promised freedom from the TV schedule and from ads, and now it's precisely those streaming giants who are slowly bringing both back. When „the future of television“ starts to look more and more like the television everyone was fleeing, it's worth asking - what exactly has changed, other than who we pay the money to?