There are rumors that Netflix is already shopping around for an ad tech partner, despite only announcing its two-year partnership with Microsoft less than 12 months ago. Digiday reports that Netflix is consulting with high-profile industry execs to explore alternative options to Microsoft for when the current deal runs out in 2024. This is hardly surprising when the launch of Netflix’s ad-supported tier was chaotically pulled forward from an early 2023 launch to November for no apparent reason other than to ‘stay competitive.’ This rush to the finish line has completely backfired, with advertisers now turned off by a half-baked, half-empty ad-supported tier. The evidence for Netflix’s change of heart is not definitive. Digiday reports that Netflix began looking for technical support on targeting ads towards…