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On today's podcast episode, we discuss who's leading the ad-supported vs. ad-free video streaming race, how much money is coming from both avenues, and how streaming will differ from (and look the same as) cable in a few years. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Ross Benes.

That figure nearly matches the total for traditional TV viewers (232.2 million) and exceeds the total for subscription OTT (sub OTT) viewers (226.4 million). Click here to view our full forecast for US digital audio listeners. Digital audio is so mainstream that listener growth will inevitably be slow going forward.

Netflix鈥檚 ad-supported video-on-demand experiment got off to a bumpy start in late 2022 and early 2023, but by 2024, the US leader in subscription OTT (sub OTT) viewership had righted the ship. With its ad tier proving to be incredibly popular and its ad tech improving, we forecast 43.0% growth for 2025, reaching $2.07 billion.

Viewers still watch the vast majority of ads on TV screens via linear TV, even as its share of time spent dwindles.

Subscription OTT streaming is one of only a few media categories still seeing meaningful time spent growth in the US. The major platforms are heading in different directions, however.

Video streaming adoption in the UAE was above the regional average. The survey found that 92.3% of respondents used video streaming services, 2.4 percentage points above the Middle East and Africa average. The on-demand/streaming TV viewership rate was 93.0% of respondents. Recorded TV viewership decreased by 6.8 percentage points YoY, to 21.6%.

Who will be the MLB鈥檚 new streaming partner? As MLB鈥檚 partnership with ESPN is ending, Apple TV+ could eye a deal to expand its sports catalog.

Netflix鈥檚 US ad revenues per ad-supported viewer will fall from $70.44 this year to $59.67 by 2026, according to our forecast.

We expect this trend to continue, as YouTube viewership among Gen Alpha surpassed traditional TV viewership in 2025 (62.8% versus 58.9%). Click here to view our full forecast for US YouTube viewer penetration, by age. Gen Zers spend nearly the same amount of time streaming video as they do viewing social media.

In anticipation of this shift, streaming services, advertisers, and their vendors must address lingering pain points in the CTV ad experience. Advertisers should work with trusted partners and spread money out. Streaming services and their vendors should optimize the user experience (UX) for ad-supported viewers.

Video-on-demand (VOD) viewers. Social media/messaging users. Digital audio listeners. TV viewers. Traditional media users. Vlog/influencer viewers. Creator/influencer membership site users. Device ownership. Smart TV owners. Smartphone and tablet owners. Canada in Perspective.