Netflix is ​​exploring a version with ads as the subscriber base dwindles

Netflix Inc. said it was considering offering a lower-priced ad-supported version of the platform to grow its subscriber base after the streaming giant posted its first quarterly subscriber loss in more than a decade.

The move is a significant change for a company that has sold itself as an ad-free haven for its members since its inception. Netflix has been grappling with slowing revenue growth caused by stiffer competition from competing services and rampant account sharing among its customers.