Netflix has no immediate plans to launch a free, advertising-supported streaming service, although co-chief executive Greg Peters said it could be considered in some markets. The company is weighing the potential to widen access and engagement against the risk of reducing subscriptions to its paid tiers, making the decision significant as free ad-supported streaming services gain ground.

Peters said any free service would need clear differentiation from paid plans and a sufficiently developed advertising business in the relevant country. The comments follow reports that Netflix is considering continuous live channels, while its second-quarter profit beat expectations but revenue missed them and its shares fell to a 52-week low; in April, Netflix accounted for 7.8% of US TV viewing, compared with YouTube’s 13.4%, Roku Channel’s 3% and Tubi’s 2.3%.