Netflix Is Scrambling to Learn the Ad Business It Long Disdained

For years, Netflix boss Reed Hastings was emphatic that the streaming giant wouldn’t show ads in its programming. Late last year, the company did a 180. Netflix didn’t just want to enter the ad business—it wanted to do so in a hurry.

The company assembled engineers to sound them out on the technical challenges. Executives quickly decided they would initially need an external partner to supply technology and sales power.