蘑菇AV

Amazon鈥檚 ad launch will define streaming for years to come: In less than a year, Prime Video became a top dog in streaming advertising.

Zooming out: Competition among broadcasters and streaming services for live, high-viewership events has emboldened Macy鈥檚 to nearly triple its asking price from its previous contract.

CTV formats, which include smart TVs and streaming sticks, are well above other access devices for streaming viewership in Canada. Among the total internet user population, smart TV penetration is at 55.3% in Canada, according to GWI polling from H1 2023. That鈥檚 up from just 39.3% in 2019, with significant gains each year. CTV advertising is booming as a consequence.

The pivot to streaming won鈥檛 include everyone: Millions of consumers will remain without streaming in coming years. Here鈥檚 how brands can reach them.

Steinlauf steps down from WBD amid streaming pivot: His departure marks a key moment for Warner Bros. Discovery as it navigates the decline of linear TV and increasing competition in streaming.

Why it matters: Streaming costs are climbing鈥攁nd viewers are already adjusting their spending. The average cost of streaming subscriptions jumped 22.2% YoY in 2023, far outpacing both pay TV increases (4.8%) and inflation (3.6%), per our analysis; In 2024, streaming subscriptions increased 12.6%, again outpacing both other measures, though less dramatically.

Roku鈥檚 original content gives it an edge in CTV: A deal with Google highlights how content offerings allow Roku to reach viewers outside its hardware net.

US subscription over-the-top video viewers will grow just 1.9% this year, per our forecast, reflecting a market where companies will fight over inches rather than miles. At the same time, consumers report frustration with the rising cost of subscription video: A July Hub Research survey found that US adults spend $82 monthly on streaming subscriptions and are only willing to pay up to $87.

Netflix's failed boxing stream raises serious concerns about its tech capabilities: The platform has six weeks to fix major issues before streaming NFL Christmas games.

Latin America鈥檚 digital video audience will be the second largest in the world this year. As greater adoption of paid and ad-supported streaming services takes hold, the region will remain a key market for new user growth on the international stage. Here are our latest forecasts.

Viewership in Canada is changing, as more eyeballs turn to connected TV and digital video for long-form content.

But the real headline news dropped in a hot mic moment when CEO Bob Iger shared key figures about the company鈥檚 ad-supported streaming audience. During the company鈥檚 earnings call, Iger said 37% of Disney+ subscribers in the US and 30% globally now use the ad-supported tier鈥攁 rare revelation from a major streaming player about its advertising reach.

By the end of the year, Amazon will have transitioned most of its OTT viewers to an ad-supported subscription tier in the US, Canada, Germany, the UK, France, Mexico, and several other major markets. This will drive standout growth for Amazon in 2024 and buttress 2025 as well, as the initiative expands and matures in more countries. Behind the Numbers.

The platform's recommendation algorithm effectively retains viewership through suggested content, while robust community features encourage viewer interaction and loyalty. Built-in monetization tools provide clear revenue paths for creators, and visual components enable innovative advertising integration and product placement opportunities.

Digital live sports viewers have surpassed traditional pay TV live sports viewers in the US, per 蘑菇AV forecast. This trend will continue next year, when 114.1 million people will watch sports via digital while 82.0 million will watch via TV.

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). Digital audio is so mainstream that listener growth will inevitably be slow going forward. Any media that achieves widespread penetration will eventually hit a user growth wall, as digital audio did in 2021.

While sports will create immediate viewership spikes for traditional TV and streaming, Peacock鈥檚 diverse content will build sustainable long-term subscription and advertising revenues independent of sport seasons.