Amazon missed out on billions in football sponsorships: The company’s first year of live sports streaming could foreshadow its competitors’ future.
Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services like The Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto TV will bring in tens of millions of viewers this year, though time spent with the platforms isn’t comparable to that of Netflix or YouTube, according to our forecast. Still, marketers should keep an eye on these streaming services, especially those with parent companies like Paramount or Fox that may be able to spin free viewers into paid members.
Prime Video mulls ads, but football paints a worrying sign: The streaming service is planning an ad-supported tier despite its video ad growing pains.
The PGA and LIV Golf merge in a culture shock for sports: Broadcast partners don’t know if their deals still stand, and brands weigh jumping on board.
The Vision Pro headset puts Apple at the forefront of the augmented reality discussion, but the device’s business focus and exorbitant pricing could limit wider appeal.
YouTube's policy reversal: Balancing free speech and controlling misinformation could influence political ad spending in the 2024 cycle.
Connected TV (CTV) ad spend in the US will pass $25 billion this year and continue to grow by double digits through the end of our forecast period in 2027. Even with a challenging market, the format is in decent shape.
The writers strike is forcing other Hollywood unions to the table: The DGA renewed its contract, while SAG-AFTRA voted to authorize a strike.
Disney reaches its goal of 7,000 job cuts: The entertainment giant has entered a complicated period with slow streaming growth and battles in Florida.
Netflix’s enhancements to its ad-supported tier has helped it amass 5 million monthly active users worldwide, though its password crackdown could slow momentum. Meanwhile, Max, the combined streaming service of HBO Max and Discovery+, debuted to “early positive feedback,” and Paramount+ hopes partnering with Showtime will prevent it from losing subscribers.
Ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services will gain more than triple the US viewers that subscription OTT video will this year, per our forecast. AVOD will add 13.3 million viewers, including 4.3 million from free premium platforms, for a total of 157.1 million. Meanwhile, subscription OTT services will gain 4.3 million viewers to reach 222.2 million.
The strike's impact on film: The WGA work halt could have an outsized long-term impact.
Two-thirds of Netflix password-sharers say they’ll get their own sub: Netflix’s password changes are unpopular, but they’ll still grow revenues.
Peacock throws its weight around in India: Despite not being as cash-rich as competing streamers, Peacock is finding ways to make an imprint.
YouTube is positioned to be an advertising powerhouse. It’s one of the original digital video players, courting advertisers at a time when connected TV advertising is climbing. The platform’s Google ties offer it a more trustworthy reputation in the US than TikTok. And use is already extremely high. But YouTube’s high standing also makes growth difficult. Here are five charts summarizing YouTube’s position and potential.
Peacock offers subscriptions for $1.67 per month: A limited-time deal could drive user growth, but losses will widen.
Max’s disastrous rollout won’t doom the service: Executives seem unphased by technical issues, and advertisers are sure to hop on board.
Comcast’s cord-cutting pivot: Its Now TV will offer an attractively priced streaming option combining live and ad-supported channels.
Netflix password-sharing changes are here: US account holders will soon have to pay for new users, but there are limits based on subscription tiers.
Citing constitutional violations and hindrance to user-generated content dissemination, any outcome may affect tech regulation across states and digital ecosystems.