PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—New survey data highlights how smart TVs are becoming the most influential gatekeepers in entertainment, playing an increasingly important role in how viewers discover and watch content.

Data from Hub Entertainment Research’s annual “Evolution of the TV Set” indicates that asking "What good TV shows are you watching?" may be less relevant than asking, "What TV set do you own?" in terms of viewing habits and the ability of smart TV operating systems to influence those choices.

Fox's recent $22 billion acquisition of Roku is the clearest signal yet that control of the TV operating system is becoming one of the industry's most valuable strategic assets, the research suggests.

The “Evolution of the TV Set” study, which reveals the growing influence of the TV set in shaping how viewers discover and engage with content, finds that the operating systems powering today’s smart TVs have become the primary doorway for both programming and advertising.

"The conversation around finding great TV to watch is poised to become like the `Mac vs. PC' or `Android vs. iPhone' battles from prior years — as viewers learn that some TV operating systems do better jobs than others at helping them find good stuff to watch," said Jason Platt Zolov, senior consultant at Hub. "The merger of Fox and Roku will be a watershed proof point that some streamers will have more influence than others, depending on what TV set you own."

Key findings from the report include:

• Smart TVs dominate viewing, and streaming households are embracing Roku and Fire TV more than Android, Tizen (Samsung) or webOS (LG) systems that power those sets.
• Most homes have three TVs, and two of those are now smart TVs, making them more dominant than ever.
• For the TV set they use most, streaming TV viewers are no longer flipping channels: they are living in app-centric environments that are increasingly powered by Roku (37%) and Fire TV (17%), well ahead of Android, Tizen or Apple TV users.

The researchers noted that within different TV operating systems, the viewer's goal is clear: "how can I quickly find a specific program I want to watch?"

When asked to rank what matters most, viewers rank "Easy search" as the most valued discovery feature (60% call it “very important”), well ahead of "personal recommendations" (31%) or seeing "trending content" (25%).

AI-powered TV search features are poised to help viewers solve this search problem. When asked to choose the most valuable AI-powered TV viewing features, more than half of viewers want AI features that either help them find similar things they like (27%) or more effectively exclude stuff they don't like (28%).

While quick search is most important, home screen real estate and recommendations still significantly impact what people watch.

Some TV operating systems sway users more than others: suggested titles on the TV home screen within Apple TV, Fire TV, Android and Roku environments are all more likely to be watched than those titles being suggested by Samsung (Tizen) and LG (webOS), the survey found.

As viewers continue to invest in smart TVs, the vital importance of influencing consumers to install apps when they first turn on their new TV cannot be overstated, the researchers stressed.

Half (51%) say they install suggested apps during setup — but more (56%) this year than in 2024 (47%) say they rarely add apps after that first day home with the TV — a reminder that more needs to be done to capture new TV owners with apps they will love.

These findings are from Hub’s 2026 “Evolution of the TV Set” report, based on a survey conducted among 2,500 US consumers ages 16-74. Interviews were conducted in May 2026. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—As consumers face mounting costs and higher inflation rates, with some major streaming services now costing more than $20 a month, new research indicates that consumers are paying more attention to bundles as a way of controlling their streaming costs.

Hub Entertainment Research’s annual “Best Bundle” study indicates that streaming prices are rising and consumers are feeling the pinch. Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max have all raised their prices $1-$2 a month since 2025, focusing consumers to be more budget-conscious.

In response, the Hub survey found that half of consumers "strongly agree" that budget is the main factor they consider when buying entertainment services, up significantly from 41% last year.

In addition, more consumers believe that streamers are raising their prices more often compared to last year (49% vs. 44%).

"Studios know that bundles deliver stronger retention and reduce churn, giving them huge incentives to get consumers to sign on to these stickier bundles," says Jason Platt Zolov, Senior Consultant at Hub. "While saving money is the key driver, reminding consumers of the expanded content options and simplified billing can help to grow these bundles into the ideal TV packages of tomorrow."

The survey also found that for consumers, streaming bundles are not just about saving money—they also expand viewing options and simplify billing. Nearly half of consumers (44%) cited the simplicity of having one bill for multiple subscriptions as a top value driver for bundles.

Being able to "try more services" (32%) and bringing together "popular & niche services in one plan" (20%) are also key value drivers.

But the researchers also cautioned that bundle awareness has room to grow.

At most, only half of consumers have heard of the major streaming bundles, led by the Disney and HBO Max bundle variations. Second-tier streamer and sports bundles are recognized by just 1 out of 5 consumers.

As Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery more towards merging their operations and streaming offerings, the research found that consumers are split on how they might buy a Paramount+ and HBO Max bundle in the future. A third (32%) say they would subscribe to both services separately if offered together as a discounted bundle

Only one-in-five (19%) say they would subscribe to a single, combined service that had HBO Max and Paramount+ content in one app.

These findings are from Hub’s 2026 “Best Bundle” report, based on a survey conducted among 1,600 US consumers ages 16-74 with broadband access. Interviews were conducted in March 2026. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—As the number of outlets and platforms airing sports proliferates, sports fans not only have more ways to watch their favorite teams and leagues. They are also finding that following their favorite teams and sports is becoming increasingly complex and frustrating.

New data from Hub Entertainment Research’s “Evolution of Sports: What’s the Score?” Wave 5 study, which tracks how sports fans are adjusting to this changing landscape, finds that as sports rights spread across more services (broadcast, cable and streaming), just finding the game they want to watch has become a challenge for fans – one that is taking a toll on their overall experience.

It found that the vast majority of sports fans (87%) say it’s at least somewhat frustrating to figure out where to watch the sports they follow today, and almost a quarter saying they feel “very frustrated.”

“Fans will go to great lengths to watch the sports they care about—but that doesn’t mean they enjoy hunting across multiple apps to find them,” said Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub and one of the study authors. “Services that simplify the experience of watching sports—whether through discovery tools or by consolidating rights to an entire sport—are delivering more value to fans. And more value means more satisfied users and lower churn.”

The study noted that some companies have already recognized this problem and rolled out features to make sports simpler to find. In the survey, Hub described two aggregator tools and asked fans if they would improve the viewing experience.

The results were positive. About 70% said that ESPN’s “Where to Watch” feature – which tells viewers where to find any game, even if it’s not on ESPN – would make their sports viewing experience easier. In addition, 60% said the same about Roku’s “Sports Zone” — an area of the Roku interface that gathers content about a particular sport into one place, so fans can easily find all of it across platforms.

The data also showed that "All-inclusive” rights attract subscribers and drive satisfaction.

Fragmentation is increasing the appeal of platforms that consolidate rights to an entire sport. Three in five fans (60%) say they’re more likely to sign up for a service that carries *all* the rights to a sport they follow (and 30% are “much more likely”).

Among avid fans, the results are even more pronounced: almost 40% are “much more likely” to sign up.

Exclusive rights can drive both acquisition and retention, the researchers also noted.

In an increasingly crowded ecosystem, investing in all-inclusive rights is a differentiator that makes a big difference. For example, Hub asked UFC fans about the organization’s new rights deal, which will place all UFC events—including numbered events—across Paramount’s networks and streaming platforms.

The vast majority (89%) of avid UFC fans say the new deal makes a Paramount+ subscription more valuable (and a third say it’s “extremely” more valuable). In addition, 93% of avid UFC fans that already have Paramount+ say the new deal makes them more likely to keep their subscription (and 71% say it makes them “much more likely”).

Among avid UFC fans who "don’t" have Paramount+ already, 72% say they’re more likely to sign up (and almost a third % said they would “definitely” sign up).

These findings come from Hub’s “Evolution of Sports: What’s the Score?” Wave 5 report, based on a survey of 3,733 U.S. sports fans conducted in December 2025 – January 2026.

Since 2013, Hub Entertainment Research has measured and tracked how technology changes the ways consumers discover, choose and consume entertainment content. More information is available here: hubintel.substack.com.

PORTSMOUTH, NH—Video content created for social media video platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram is having an increasing influence on viewer habits and redefining the concept of TV viewing, according to a new report from Hub.

YouTube has topped Nielsen’s TV viewing charts since 2024, as creators secure high-profile studio deals that rival—and often surpass—those of traditional producers. Streamers are inking major video podcast deals, and the buzz on 3-minute microdramas may finally deliver where Quibi fell short.

Hub Entertainment Research's latest "Video Redefined" study confirms that, beyond traditional TV and movies, the definition of what comprises "watching TV" is broader than ever.

Fielded in December 2025, key findings include:

• Since 2022, weekly TV and movie viewing is down by two hours, while social/creator viewing has held steady. Weekly TV & movie viewing has declined from 21 to 19 hours per week, while viewing of social/creator video viewing has remained steady at about 11 hours per week.
• Viewing of social/creator video is growing stronger among older viewers over 35. Older viewers 35+ are continuing to increase how much they watch social/creator videos, an opportunity to deliver even more to satisfy that growing audience.
• Watching short YouTube videos on the big TV is just as much fun as watching longer TV shows & movies, especially for younger Gen Z viewers 13-34. Well over half of Gen Z viewers embrace YouTube viewing on the TV, compared to less than 4 in 10 viewers age 35+.
• But guilt is often a by-product of social video viewing: more than half of young viewers think they spend too much time watching social. Marketers can both lean into supporting the perceived "vice" of social video or use it as opportunity to remind viewers of the redeeming qualities that longer-form content provides.
• Microdramas may have broken the curse of Quibi: More than one in five (22%) viewers say they have watched these mini (1-3 minute) dramatic stories that play out over multiple episodes. They love how easy they are to watch and the dramatic and suspenseful stories they deliver.
• Still, social platforms remain central to how viewers discover longer-form TV and movies, especially for younger viewers. Well over half of viewers age 13-34 say they discover new TV shows and movies from clips they see on places like TikTok and Instagram.

"Viewers embrace how easy and fun it is to watch social and creator videos at YouTube, Tik Tok and Instagram," says Jason Platt Zolov, study author and Senior Consultant at Hub. "As this content continues to migrate from mobile phones to living room TV sets, there's great opportunity to develop even more compelling creator programming - as well as unique ways to promote traditional TV and movies via those social platforms."

These findings come from Hub’s annual “Video Redefined” report, based on a survey conducted among 1,896 US consumers ages 13-74. Interviews were completed in December 2025. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. This report is part of the “Hub Reports” syndicated report series.

PORTSMOUTH, NH—”Bundling” is not only becoming more popular among insurance carriers, it’s become increasingly more popular among TV viewers.

Consumers seeking more value out of their viewing options are more loyal to services that are bundled and new bundles introduced over the past year like Disney+ and Max, Hulul with Disney+, etc.) have proven to be popular. In a new survey from Hub Entertainment Research, 42% of respondents said they are much more likely to keep bundled services compared to services they subscribe to individually.

The results are from Hub Entertainment Research’s "Monetizing Video" which conducted interviews with 1,600 US consumers ages 16-74 with broadband access in June 2025.

The average user, according to the survey, spends $83 per month on TV services, but say they are only willing to spend a few dollars more ($86). Consumers are tapped out on paying for multiple subscriptions—those paying for 3 or more services are spending more than they’d like and are unwilling to spend more, according to Hub.

The biggest attraction to bundles is the price, with “free” leading the way, but users will still pay for the right combination of content and features from a TV service.

To better understand viewer priorities and how they value different aspects of TV services, Hub asked respondents to rank what they value most when choosing a TV service.

Of 16 attributes tested, below are the top 8 attributes and the percentage share they contribute to the total value of a service - with some notable changes since last year:

• "Low price" by far still matters most to the value of a TV service (hence the growth of free services like YouTube, Tubi, and the Roku Channel).
• Having access to full seasons and being able to binge watch have grown in importance; Netflix has made these attributes table stakes.
• Tolerance for ads has increased: having "no ads so you can avoid ads" is less important vs. last year, as users lean into using free services with ads.
• Demand for new theatrical movies on TV services has decreased as theater-going remains soft and viewers lean into plentiful original content from streamers.
• As leagues have sold more sports rights to streamers, live sports have become more important to consumers in how they value favorite teams and games.
• New, cheaper streaming tiers introduced since 2022 have softened interest in plan tier choices as they embrace new bundles of services.

"Emphasizing ‘low price’ and ‘unlimited access’ are evergreen value drivers that streamers can lean into as they manage the ups and downs of new programming slates,” says Jason Platt Zolov, Senior Consultant at Hub. "Leaning into attractive bundles of complementary services is proof-positive that combined services bring winning value and even stronger customer loyalty."

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. —A new study shows that the post-pandemic economic strain and rising prices continue to rattle U.S. consumers, who are keeping an eye on their spending and streaming video price increases. Yet, the results of Hub Entertainment Research’s semiannual “TV Advertising: Fact vs. Fiction” survey also indicate viewers still consider streaming to be a good value.

“Consumers are still feeling aftershocks from the economic disruption of the pandemic, and that anxiety isn’t going away. If anything, recent economic news has made many of them more skittish,” Hub Senior Consultant Mark Loughney said. “Over the past three years, though, we’ve seen viewers saying TV is better than ever, providing a great deal of value for the cost. So, the positive news for streamers is that even if consumers continue to worry about the economy, video subscriptions will be among the last places they look for savings. If the streaming services are judicious with price increases, they can hold on to subscribers through uncertain economic times.”

The study found that the majority of viewers are “very concerned” about the economy; significantly more so than last November.

Hub has been asking viewers about their economic concerns since fall 2022. Throughout that time, most viewers have said they are “very concerned” about the state of the economy. From November 2024 through May 2025, though, consumers expressed significantly more concerns about the economy overall, and specifically about the rate of inflation and the possibility of a recession, the study found.

The data also indicated that during a time of economic uncertainty, viewers are sensitive to the frequency of subscription TV rate increases. Nearly nine in 10 agree that these increases are coming more often than in the past. As a result, many consumers are considering canceling subscriptions or switching to lower-cost, ad-supported offerings, Hub reported.

But when viewers are then asked to consider video subscription costs in the larger context of all entertainment alternatives, TV proves to be more resistant to cost-cutting than other activities. More than half of TV viewers would consider spending more on video subscriptions if it meant they could reduce spending on other entertainment, the study found.

The reason viewers are willing to spend more on TV and movie streaming subscriptions is they perceive them to be a better value than all of the other entertainment alternatives considered, apart from vacations, the study found.

When asked to specifically consider reducing spending on entertainment sources in the next year, streaming subscriptions are near the bottom of the list to be cut, the researchers reported. The entertainment sources most vulnerable to reduced spending tend to be one-off experiences like theme parks, concerts, and restaurant dinners.

Over the past four years, Hub also reported that their surveys have seen a gradual decline in the number of people who declare they cannot tolerate ads in TV content. In the latest wave, only 11% described themselves as ad-intolerant, down from 17% four years ago.

Among those who say they can’t tolerate ads, there has also been a growing number of people expressing a preference for saving $4-5 per month on subscriptions with ads compared to an ad-free service at a higher price.

The survey also highlighted the fact that service aggregators like Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Roku or YouTube have become important players within the video marketplace. Half of all viewers use an aggregator to organize their streaming subscriptions, and among viewers age 18-34 that figure rises to six in 10.

The study also provided data showing the growing importance of aggregators to the overall streaming industry. The half of the TV audience that uses a service aggregator have a considerably higher number of TV subscriptions. Nearly six in 10 of those using an aggregator have six or more video subscriptions. On the other hand, 43% of those who do not use an aggregator have three or fewer subscriptions.

Another notable finding is the growing importance of YouTube. Although more viewers still use YouTube on a mobile phone or tablet, it has evolved to become a formidable competitor on the TV screen. Usage of YouTube services (free, YouTubeTV, YouTube Premium) is almost universal, with just under nine in ten viewers watching or subscribing. That huge audience contributes considerable viewing on big screens, with half of those users regularly viewing the content on a TV, the researchers reported.

Viewers also appreciate YouTube content, especially its free ad-supported offering, the survey found. It leads not only paid subscription sources like AVOD and SVOD for value delivered, but it also comes out ahead of other free sources like FASTs and over-the-air broadcast.

While the study found that streaming video is more resistant to consumers’ cost-cutting than other entertainment, the researchers also stressed that providers should be cautious about price increases.

The postpandemic years have left most U.S. consumers in a jittery state about the economy, with the 2022 inflation spike leaving a lasting impact that Hub has been able to measure. In the current environment, viewers are even more concerned about the reemergence of inflation and the possibility of a recession.

The good news for TV and streaming video providers is that viewers recognize the entertainment value streaming provides. When asked to consider where they might cut if they need to reduce costs, video subscriptions will be among the last places they will look, the data shows.

Streaming services shouldn’t take that as permission to raise prices more frequently than they have, though. Most consumers already think streaming subscription prices are going up more frequently than in the past, Hub reported, and viewers will consider canceling services if they are no longer receiving value.

These findings are from Hub’s 2025 “TV Advertising: Fact vs. Fiction” report, based on a survey conducted among 3,000 U.S. consumers age 14-74 who watch at least one hour of TV per week. Interviews were conducted in May 2025 and explored consumers’ attitudes toward advertising, how it differs across video platforms, and how ad strategy affects viewer engagement. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. This report is part of the “Hub Reports” syndicated series.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—A new survey released by Hub Entertainment Research found a majority of viewers want to know when something they’re watching was created by artificial intelligence.

In the November survey, two-thirds of respondents said that any content made with AI should be “clearly and obviously labeled,” and another 26% said there should be an easy way for viewers to check if the title they’re watching contains any AI content. Only 6% said platforms don’t need to inform viewers about the use of AI.

Hub Entertainment Research’s first study on AI in Entertainment revealed that although most consumers have heard of generative AI, very few feel as if they understand how it works or what it’s for. When it comes to producing entertainment, there are some tasks consumers want to remain the purview of real live humans.

Most consumers are aware of generative AI, but few feel confident they understand it. Over 70% of respondents are familiar with the term “generative AI,” and more than half (57%) say they’ve used a generative AI product like ChatGPT or others. However, only 18% are “very confident” they could explain to someone else what generative AI is or how it works.

The vast majority of respondents have at least some concerns about AI, with two-thirds very worried about undetectable “deepfakes” and potential loss of privacy, and most (57%) worried about people losing their jobs to AI. These concerns are shared even among those who think AI will be positive for society in general.

While consumers strongly prefer human creativity for tasks like writing scripts, dialogue and music, they are equally or more comfortable with AI handling technical tasks such as creating CGI effects and writing subtitles or descriptions.

They’re also more comfortable with AI when it comes to better content discovery. Three-quarters of respondents said they were somewhat or very interested in AI applications to analyze their viewing across platforms to give better recommendations (76%), recommend shows for particular situations like watching with others (77%) or to summarize all the reviews of a show before they decide to watch (74%).

“Consumers don’t understand AI yet, but they know enough to feel concerned about the impact on society and on entertainment in particular,” Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub and one of the study authors, said. “Studios and distributors should prioritize tasks viewers are comfortable with (like better discovery), and tread lightly on creative tasks where they prefer real humans. Perhaps most importantly, they should be up front with audiences about how and when AI is used.”

Hub’s 2024 “AI & Entertainment” report is based on a survey conducted among 2,540 US consumers with broadband, age 16-74, who watch at least 1 hour of TV per week. Interviews were conducted in November 2024 and explored consumers' awareness and attitudes about AI in entertainment.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—A new Hub Entertainment Research survey highlights the growing complexity of the average TV viewer’s entertainment ecosystem, finding people are using more entertainment sources than ever.

In 2024, the average household uses 13 different sources of entertainment—the highest total since the survey launched three years ago. Young people (respondents under age 35) use 16 different sources, and households with kids use almost 17 sources.

While the sixth wave of Hub’s “Battle Royale” survey underscores how crowded the entertainment ecosystem is and how much competition there is for share of mind, it also indicates consumers aren’t heavily attached to all these sources. Only about half of them are considered “must-haves.”

In the survey, consumers were asked to assign each platform into one of two categories: either “must-have” (“something my household can’t do without”) or “nice to have” (“I might miss it but could do without it”).

Respondents rated 6.4 of their sources as “must-haves” and 6.7 as “nice to have.”

While young people and families used more sources, their ratio of “must-have” to “nice-to-have” sources was the same. That 50-50 ratio has also been consistent across all 6 waves of this study since early 2022.

“These findings underscore how competitive the entertainment landscape has become,” Jon Giegengack, principal and founder at Hub and one of the study authors, said. “In particular, video games, YouTube and TikTok are rapidly gaining share of mind among young consumers, who have an entirely different idea of what ‘entertainment’ means and are forming habits unlikely to change as they grow older.”

TV is getting competition from other types of content—especially among young people. What the industry calls “premium video” (cable, streaming, virtual MVPDs, etc.) has been considered the center of the entertainment universe for years. But this data shows the extent to which things like social video and gaming are consuming more disposable time, especially among young people.

In general, respondents use six premium video sources and seven other platforms (including social video like YouTube or TikTok, gaming platforms, streaming music subscriptions, etc.).

Among young people, premium TV sources are a minority of their entertainment ecosystem: only seven, compared to nine sources that provide other kinds of content. Most of this difference is driven by social or short-form video and gaming.

On average, entertainment consumers under 35 use: 2.4 gaming sources, compared to just one gaming source among those aged 35-plus. They also use 3.6 social or short-form video sources (compared to just 2.2 among those aged 35-plus.

These findings come from wave six of Hub’s semiannual “Battle Royale” report, based on a survey of 3,018 U.S. consumers age 18-74 who are entertainment decision-makers with broadband. The data was collected in October. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—As the U.S. faces what could be the closest presidential election in a generation, the equal split between supporters of the Republican and Democratic nominees is also reflected in the TV shows they prefer.

According to the results of a joint study between Hub Entertainment Research and the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), the U.S. TV viewing audience is almost equally split between liberals and conservatives. Three in 10 respondents reported themselves as “somewhat” or “very” conservative, while a nearly identical 29% said they were “somewhat” or “very” liberal. The plurality of TV viewers however (41%) say they are “moderate.”

The study included a select list of programs chosen to represent various genres and viewing sources. Among all viewers, the list of most-liked shows was topped by “Friends,” “Saturday Night Live” and “NCIS,” followed by Prime Video newcomer “Fallout.” Only CBS’s “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and Netflix’s “Love Is Blind” had likability scores below 50%.

“Friends,” “Fallout,” “NCIS” and “Suits” held equal appeal to viewers on both sides of the ideological spectrum. In directed questioning, many viewers pointed to the strong, relatable characters and the relationship chemistry as the reasons the shows are so likable.

“The Late Show” and “Saturday Night Live,” two shows heavy in political satire that poke fun at officials and candidates, had the most skewed likeability scores, with liberals much more positive than conservatives. Viewers who did not like these shows considered them too slanted and “woke.”

The urban-based ABC public-school comedy “Abbott Elementary” was the other show whose appeal was significantly greater among liberals than conservatives. “Game of Thrones,” “Ted Lasso” and “Bridgerton” had significant but smaller liberal skews on likability.

“Yellowstone” and “Love Is Blind” were the two shows tested that held greater appeal for conservative viewers. “Yellowstone” stood out to respondents for its strong lead character and its family relationships, Hub said.

Of the 12 entertainment shows tested in the study, eight showed partisan skews in likability. Although two of the programs are characterized by political satire, the remaining six had no overt political content.

The study’s results show that the polarization by ideology between viewers on the right and left of the political divide can also extend to entertainment, Hub Research Senior Consultant Mark Loughney said.

“Although several of the most popular TV series hold equal appeal across the political spectrum, these results suggest many entertainment shows have differential appeal for liberals and conservatives,” he said. “Appealing characters and strong relationships form the foundation for popular series among all viewers. But content creators aiming for wide appeal should also consider whether their programs contain implicit biases against viewers on the political right or left. In addition to considering potential demographic skews, creators should also consider the political values of their target audience.”

These findings are from Hub’s 2024 “Decoding The Default” report, based on a survey conducted among 1,600 U.S. consumers age 16-74, who have broadband at home and watch at least 1 hour of TV per week. Interviews were conducted in August 2024 and explored the factors that influence consumers’ choices for their default TV viewing sources, and how they allocate their time across different types of video content. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—A new survey and research study Hub Entertainment Research highlights how sports fans are embracing streaming while still complaining about about serious problems with the medium. Those problem include technical issues and worries that the games will be harder to find and watch. 

The Hub’s “What’s the Score: The Evolution of Sports Media” survey found that in general, fans believe traditional broadcast or cable networks can deliver sports better than individual streaming brands. A quarter (24%) of respondents said network TV would do the best job of delivering sports – more than twice as high as Amazon Prime (11%) and about 3x higher than brands like Hulu or Netflix. However, as a category, almost twice as many chose a streaming platform (59%) as those who chose network TV (24%). The Hub researchers said that this is a testament to the brand equity streaming platforms have built with their scripted TV experience.

The survey also found that 37% of avid sports fans said they “regularly” experience at least one of a list of technical issues while streaming sports – from buffering to app crashes, to a lag between the streaming TV game feed and the network broadcast.

But those issues don’t seem to have impacted their perception of streaming sports overall, the researchers reported. About 3 in 4 fans who experience glitches while streaming still say they’re excited about having more sports available on streaming/ Statistically, the enthusiasm is similar among those who don’t have technical problems: 68% of them are excited to see more sports on streaming.

However, the study found that there are signs of growing problems in the TV streaming experience. Just as with scripted TV content, fragmentation creates the potential for a more clunky viewing experience. As a result, 69% of avid sports fans think it’s a hassle to use multiple providers to watch the same sport and 59% say it’s gotten more difficult to find the sports they want to watch. Notably, both have grown directionally in the six months since the first wave of this survey, the researchers reported. 

“The reputation streaming brands have built delivering scripted TV has earned them goodwill when it comes to sports,” said Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub and one of the study’s authors. “But that goodwill doesn’t come without strings attached: network TV still benefits from the inertia of familiarity, one which individual streamers will need a longer track record to match. Plus, fans are already wary their sports will become more confusing to find – a problem which will be even more frustrating with live sports because it’s critical to find and watch them immediately.”

The data cited here come from Hub’s semiannual study “What’s the Score: The Evolution of Sports Media,” conducted among 3,763 US sports fans age 13 to 74.  Interviewing was completed in July 2024. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website.

If there were any doubts that streaming TV has finally hit its stride in 2024, NBC was ready to knock them down this month.

Although the network didn’t break out the share of 2024 Olympics viewing split between its three platforms—Peacock streaming, broadcast TV (NBC, Telemundo) and its cable channels (such as USA Network, E! and NBCSports)—the company’s enthusiasm about Peacock’s performance from Paris underscored the growing perceived value of streaming video in the media mix. NBC crowed that the 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage streamed via Peacock during the games, July 19-Aug. 11, was up “40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined.”

(Read: Peacock Signed-Up 2.8M Subs During Olympics)

NBCUniversal Media Group Chairman Mark Lazarus said the streaming usage “marked a groundbreaking moment for Peacock, which delivered …cutting-edge innovation while shattering all-time Olympics streaming records.”

The Olympics streaming victory lap surfaced amidst a marathon of other developments that illustrate the hurdles and leaps that face the industry. Days after NBC’s declaration of streaming success, a Federal court in New York issued a preliminary injunction to stop Venu Sports, the joint venture streaming service from Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, which had planned to launch in time for the NFL season.

‘Wait and See’
These developments emerged just after Nielsen’s latest “The Gauge” report, which calculated that 40.3% of TV viewing is now watched on streaming platforms, followed by cable (27.2.1%) and over-the-air broadcast (25.5%). The streaming share was up from 37.7% a year earlier in Nielsen’s analysis of how Americans watch TV across platforms.

Collectively, this summer’s avalanche of streaming exuberance (and stumbles) mirrors the ways that the buzzy business of video streaming is taking off in countless directions. At the same time, dozens of challenges are becoming apparent in this latest competitor to (or collaborator with?) broadcast TV. They encompass technology, economics, legal/regulatory issues and consumer preferences for ad-supported programming vs. paid content.

The emergence of Venu, the proposed $42.99/month bundle of streaming content has been a major source of enthusiasm. Its program package is intended to include ABC, Fox, ESPN, TNT, TBS programs and by extension a slew of major football, baseball, basketball and hockey league games. Analysts are waiting to see how it will fare against alternatives such as the Xfinity StreamSaver bundle that Comcast is assembling by bringing Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ into one $15 per month package.

Rick Ducey, managing director of BIA Advisory Services, who analyzes the migration of media platforms, characterizes the current situation as “a very complicated environment for everyone to navigate.” He cites “nearly 2,000 streaming services available to consumers configured, bundled and sold across various platforms, publishers, and content aggregators.”

Ducey observed that industry providers and consumers are evaluating the very different business models that are available.

Other analysts offer similar perceptions of the cloudy near-term outlook. “This environment makes it challenging for consumers to keep track of what they are spending, which causes a great deal of frustration,” says Adriana Waterston, executive vice president and insights and strategy lead at the Horowitz Research Division of M/A/R/C Research. “This is why churn has been such a big issue.” She points to data showing that “consumers navigate these costs by timing which services they pay for when.”

Waterston sees the decision-making process about streaming tied to viewers’ “increased expectation for content that reflects [their] identities and views on the world,” and said she expects an even “bigger impact” if and when Venu debuts as “sports fans get a sense of the breadth of content this service could offer.”

In her firm’s recent research, 42% of sports fans said they would subscribe [to Venu], and among those who were likely to sign up, 38% said they would likely make a change to the other services they get because of it.

NBC, in its post-Olympics victory lap, pointed to streaming video’s ability to give viewers what they want to see. Peacock’s “Gold Zone,” a compendium of whip-around coverage of each day’s Olympic highlights, consistently ranked among Peacock’s top five most-watched Olympics segments and nearly quadrupled its viewership during the two weeks in Paris, according to NBC’s analysis.

One in five Olympics viewers tuned into “Gold Zone” and more than a quarter of Olympics viewers on Peacock watched via “Multiview,” with half of their time spent on featured live events, and half watching the “quad box” view of multiple events.

Churn Concerns
Yet in the deluge of viewer research, an unsettling picture emerges. In Xperi’s latest TiVo Video Trends Report, 20% of consumers said they believed “they have too many services.” The study found that at the end of 2023, the average home used 11.1 services (down slightly from 11.5 a year earlier)—but that the number of free services increased while paid services declined year over year.

Parks Associates also identified a 30% decline in spending on streaming services since 2021. Current spending is about $64 per month compared to $90 monthly three years ago, according to Sarah Lee, a Parks research analyst. “Consumers are spending less, but rather than go without, many are using ad-based alternatives to save on costs,” Lee said. “A service needs to provide unique and ongoing value if it is to charge a premium.”

Separate research by LG Ads indicates that 80% of viewers watch Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels and 63% prefer this format to other on-demand formats.

And that leads to questions about what viewers want to see on streaming channels.

MoffettNathanson media analyst Michael Nathanson, in a mid-summer evaluation, examined a shift away from original content, which had established Netflix in its early years. Now, Nathanson said that Netflix, along with Paramount+ and Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) Max, are showing streaming gains even “as they released less content.”

“The market has shifted to allow the company to drive an increasingly large share of its viewership with its competitors’ content,” Nathanson said. “This is reflected in acquired titles’ (and especially nonexclusive acquired titles) rapidly increasing share of the list of top streamed titles.” He pointed out that only two of the top 20 most-streamed shows on Netflix in Spring were originals.

Seth Skolnik, chief operating officer of Vivid Labs, draws on his experiences at Paramount, Technicolor and new media start-ups to conclude that the bubble has burst. “We already see a significant decline in new show production, smaller deals, and only with established showrunners and stars,” he said. Buckle your pants, we are all going on a diet.”

BIA’s Ducey is also trying to interpret how streaming customers’ viewing preferences will affect future production and distribution. “Content investment strategy has shifted towards more focused content offerings such as TV shows and films in genres like action, medical or police dramas, international series and films, live sports [and]… science fiction,” he said. “The total investment in content and number of titles produced may have reached a limit for now as streaming businesses rationalize” growth and profitability metrics.

“Cross-platform (linear TV plus streaming) campaign planning, activation, optimization and improved measurement and ROI using relevant Key Performance Indicators will provide a lot of lift to streaming’s role in the local media ecosystem,” he added.

Caution: Lawyers at Work
As the content and marketing landscape takes shape, streaming is already facing increased legal scrutiny. Congressional forces are urging the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission to probe the Venu alliance with an emphasis on a potential antitrust violation in pooling sports league contracts of the several networks.

In the current legal challenge to Venu, plaintiff streamer Fubo claims it is being forced to carry dozens of channels in order to get licensing rights to the sports events.

“The FCC hasn’t regulated streaming services to date, other than in very discrete areas such as closed captioning,” explains Ari Meltzer, a communications attorney at the Wiley Rein law firm in Washington. He points out that there are already disputes about whether the FCC has authority over streaming video­—an issue that is being bruited around quietly on Capitol Hill. For now, oversight comes under other legal umbrellas, such as antitrust, contracts, copyright, and unfair and deceptive trade practices, Meltzer adds.

“There are tradeoffs: while streaming services don’t have to comply with the same regulations as broadcast and cable/satellite, they also aren’t entitled to certain benefits, such as statutory copyrights,” he added. “Most streaming services seem content trading the need to obtain copyrights for less regulation.”

Last week’s ruling on Venu from the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, has changed the momentum. There is no indication about how long the court’s temporary restraining order will stay in effect. Fubo, a nine-year old streaming service that concentrates on live sports (including NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international football), filed the lawsuit in February, claiming that Venu would control up to 80% of live broadcast sports content.

Venu’s owners said they plan to appeal the Court ruling.

Fubu co-founder/CEO David Gandler welcomed the ruling, saying “We seek equal treatment from these media giants, and a level playing field in our industry.” He cited the network and league that “monopolize the market, stifle competition and cheat consumers from deserved choice.”

Determining the Venu legal status “introduces a bit of a wild card” to the landscape, Ducey added. “If Venu does move forward and survives these threats, it certainly could [prove] how to bring some collaborative innovation to the market by trying to offer a ‘best-in-class’ sports experience to streaming viewers.” But he acknowledged that the high-value sports licensing rights could “challenge the viability” of Venu.

“Something has to give. Consolidation may help share costs but then partners stand to lose some competitive differentiation with their other direct-to-consumer and distribution platform strategies,” Ducey added. “It’s not clear how this nets out at this point.”

Meanwhile, Advertisers are Standing By
Central to many streaming providers’ programming and pricing decisions is the flavor of streaming video that appeals to viewers.

Among the options:

• AVOD (Ad-Supported Video on Demand)
• FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV)
• SVOD with ad-supported discount tiers
• TVOD (Transactional VOD, i.e., one-time rentals of a movie or show from Prime Video)
• PVOD (Premium VOD, additional fee for access to exclusive content such as major event or early-access viewing)

Add to that acronym jumble the emerging options for commercial operations, such as:

• CSAI (client-side ad insertion): ads aimed direct to customers
• SSAI (server-side ad insertion): ads put into video streams

Advertisers are evaluating the comparative values of CSAI, which enables more individual personalization to viewers vs. SSAI, which are less prone to disruptions or latency issues.

In its latest survey of viewer acceptance of ad-supported streaming, Hub Entertainment Research found that “an increasing number of TV viewers are accepting advertising in streaming video and they are readily able to discern the differences in how various services deliver the ad experience.” Hub said that “two-thirds of TV viewers would prefer watching ads if it saves on subscription costs” and the level of total ad intolerance has dropped from 17% in 2021 to 12% in June 2024.

Along with the ad-structure decisions comes a confrontation with a question that many media veterans fear: “Are we reinventing cable TV?” For example, the SVOD vs. FAST deliberation revives memories of the 1970s and ’80s introductions of ad-supported cable networks along with HBO, Showtime and other extra-fee “paid” channels.

Adriana Waterston of M/A/R/C calls content consolidation (such as Venu) into à la carte packages “the beginning of the new cable TV/multichannel bundle,” adding “I believe that at least from a value standpoint, this is what consumers really need, even if it’s not what they think they want.”

We’ve Seen This Show Before
In his 2024 memoir “Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions,” TV and film producer/director/writer Ed Zwick mused about Hollywood’s shift toward the economics of streaming.

The celebrated creator (“thirtysomething,” “Glory,” “The Last Samurai,”), laments that, “storytelling in this new age of streaming platforms seems deliberately crafted to create a new kind of anxiety designed to induce gorging rather than fulfillment, conversation rather than catharsis, consumption instead of closure.”

“The thoughtful has given way to marketable, and the complex idea replaced by the 15-second TikTok,” Zwick contends as he dissects Hollywood’s current “pressure to hold to …commercial viability” and the preference for “pre-sold IP [intellectual property] [that] can be marketed in a single sentence.”

After expressing his frustrations, Zwick kvetches that the modern Hollywood approach is “to aim low and hit the target.”

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—As streamers wrestle with high churn rates, a new study from Hub Entertainment Research provides some insights into how companies can use better bundles to reduce the number of consumers who are canceling services and improve customer loyalty. 

The researchers noted that while “Bundling 2.0" is certainly back in fashion, crafting better bundles for savvy consumers who have more choices than ever before isn’t easy. 

Multiple streaming services are still needed to replicate the "all-in-one" of cable TV days of yore, and viewers increasingly worried about managing and keeping track of the monthly subscriptions hitting their credit cards are outpacing their ability to keep track, the researcher said. 

Another important factor, is the fact that the growth of free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services and more sports content migrating online continue to complicate the viewing landscape.  

While Hollywood is responding with new bundles from distributors (Comcast, Charter, others) and streamers (Disney, Netflix, Max, others), it remains an open question as to how well those efforts will work. 

Hub’s annual “Best Bundle” study tracks the services that form the foundation of consumers’ bundles, the ones that serve as add-ons, and how these metrics change over time. 

One key finding is that consumers use more than seven TV sources to juggle their viewing needs.

Hub's 2024 survey reveals that consumers are indeed pulling together more than a handful of TV sources - both traditional and digital - to get what they want.  In fact, this year saw a bounce back to an average of 7.4 services used, after a dip in 2023.

The number of viewers "stacking" three or more of the major streamers (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu & Max) grew to half of users in 2024, with even more growth coming from the nearly two-thirds of people using FAST services (like TUBI or Pluto) to round out their TV diet:

Juggling multiple services propels “revolving door” churn, the researchers argued. 

Despite growth in using multiple services, consumers aren't necessarily keeping them for the long term. "Revolving door churn" is seen in roughly a third of viewers who say they intend to both add and drop services in the next six months.  These people are chasing specific programs or a promotional deal and then cancel services until something else catches their eye.

Helping consumers bundle services in more meaningful ways will improve loyalty, the study found. 

Short-term subscriber mentality makes managing multiple services more challenging than ever and creates opportunities for studios to better bundle subscriptions.  Nearly three quarters of consumers find a service that could help to manage multiple subscriptions in one place as appealing. 

“Consumers are overwhelmed by the fragmented landscape of streaming services and are well-positioned to migrate to more streamlined solutions,” says Jason Platt Zolov, consultant for Hub. “New streaming bundles recently announced are a step in the right direction – and those which communicate a clear price/value solution will be well-positioned to help stabilize challenges with churn.”

Findings come from Hub’s 2024 “The Best Bundle” report, based on a survey conducted among 1,603 US TV consumers with broadband, age 16-74. Interviews were completed in early April 2024. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. This report is part of the “Hub Reports” syndicated report series.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—Bundling is back in a big way, with all the major streaming companies and many pay TV operators exploring ways to simplify the consumer experience by offering bundles of content and streaming services. 

Such efforts promise to improve the precarious economics of streaming services by reducing the hefty marketing costs of acquiring subscribers, improving consumer satisfaction, reducing the high rates that consumers churn in and out of services and potentially improving the reach of their advertising efforts. 

But as the pay TV industry learned in the last decades not every bundle is a recipe for success. Bloated, ill-conceived, expensive bundles of content and services can also be a recipe for disaster. 

Hub Entertainment Research’s new “Battle Royale” survey provides a number of insights into consumers’ taste for bundles, what they want in a bundle and the companies that are best positioned to offer them.

It found that TV is no longer the center of the entertainment universe and that TV is just one of many kinds of content people consume, which makes some non-video services a key component of any successful bundle. 

The Hub survey found that consumers in general use just as many non-video entertainment providers (6.6) as they do premium video (6.3) and young people (under 35) use more non-video sources (9.1) than video (7.4).

That means that consumers’ “ideal” bundle includes more than just video, the researchers said. 

In the survey, respondents saw a list of 16 items and were asked to choose five to build an “ideal” bundle. The list included SVODs, MVPD/VMVPD network packages, streaming music and gaming subscriptions, and non-entertainment items like mobile phone or home internet. Only two of the 5 most chosen items were video-related: 

• 71% of respondents included high speed internet in their bundle, and 52% chose a mobile phone plan. (Another 40% chose a live TV bundle, forming a new iteration of cable’s “triple play”)
• 65% chose Netflix – the only streaming platform to make it into the top 5.
• 43% chose a streaming music subscription. Respondents were more likely to choose streaming music for their bundle than major streaming platforms like Hulu, Disney+ and Max.

The survey also indicated that consumers are ready to get an entertainment bundle from Netflix. The researchers showed respondents a list of 19 brands that might offer that ideal bundle and asked which company would make them most likely to sign up.

Respondents were most likely to choose a bundle offered by Netflix (15%) or Amazon (12%) – two to three times more than those who chose other “big tech” companies like Apple or Google.

One third (34%) chose one of the telco or cable aggregators (AT&T, Verizon, Xfinity or Spectrum).

“In the past, content like video, gaming, or music were entirely separate. Today, they are all consumed on the same screens and devices, via subscriptions that compete for the same pie of disposable time and money,” said Jon Giegengack, Hub principal and founder. “This research underscores the opportunity for established aggregators like Amazon or AT&T to attract subs with bundles that cross content categories. But it also shows that consumers would readily accept Netflix as an aggregator based entirely on the strength of its brand -- something that bodes well for their expansion into live TV and gaming.”

The data cited here come from Wave 5 of Hub’s “Battle Royale” study, conducted among 3,000 US consumers who are entertainment decision-makers with broadband, age 18-74. The data was collected in March 2024. 

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—New findings from Hub Entertainment Research provides extensive data showing that the majority of consumers will opt for lower cost ad-supported video services over higher priced premium ad-free offerings and that Amazon’s push to move consumers into ad-supported tier seems to be working.  

The findings also indicate that the launch of advertising as the default Amazon Prime Video service has had an immediate and dramatic impact on the ad-supported ecosystem. 

With the launch of ads on Amazon Prime Video at the end of January 2024, a significant number of all TV viewers shifted from watching ad-free only to watching ad-supported video. The proportion of consumers using only ad-supported increased ten percentage points since 4th quarter 2023, while the group who watch only ad-free was down nine.

The study also found that by defaulting viewers to the ad-supported service, Amazon Prime Video has hurdled into the lead in share of ad-supported subscriptions.

Historically, streaming services that launched with an ad-supported tier have had the highest level of subscribers accepting ads, and services that either introduced a new ad-supported subscription or defaulted consumers to the ad-free option had the lowest level of accepting subscribers. By opting existing subscribers into the ad tier, Amazon has immediately become the leader with more than eight in ten subscribers using the ad-supported service, the study found. 

 Very importantly, the researchers said that there is no evidence that putting subscribers on an ad-supported tier has resulted in a backlash.

As Amazon Prime Video defaulted tens of millions of their subscribers into the ad-supported service, there was no measurable effect on either Amazon’s subscription levels or the overall rate of SVOD subscription, Hub reported. 

Similarly, AMC+, the other most recent entry into ad-supported streaming, saw no effect on their overall subscription rates.

Viewers are clearly accepting of advertising in streaming video, and Amazon has capitalized, the study concluded. 

Over the past several years, consumer research conducted by Hub and others has demonstrated that the majority of viewers choose watching ads over paying higher subscription fees, and Amazon has taken advantage in launching their ad-supported service. By placing all subscribers on an ad tier, and requiring them to opt out and pay a higher monthly fee, Amazon Prime Video prodded the vast majority of subscribers onto their ad-supported service.  It now has the highest proportion of any streaming service of viewers watching ads.

“Virtually overnight, Amazon Prime Video dramatically transformed the video advertising ecosystem,” said Mark Loughney, senior consultant to Hub. “Suddenly advertisers have the ability to reach tens of millions of viewers on one platform, with robust targeting capabilities and a vast retail capability. Amazon has immediately launched themselves into ‘must buy’ territory for advertisers and media agencies.”

These findings are from Hub’s Q1 report on the continuously fielded “TV Churn Tracker” survey, based on 6,338 US consumers age 16-74, who watch at least one hour of TV per week. Interviews were conducted from January through March 2024 and explored which video services and platforms viewers are adding or dropping, and why. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. This report is part of the “Hub Reports” syndicated report series.

PORTSMOUTH, NH–According to a new survey from Hub Research, sports is having an increasingly larger impact on consumers' choice of streaming services. 

The survey—taken in advance of the blockbuster news of Disney, Warner Bros Discovery and Fox planning to launch a new live sports streaming service earlier this month—shows how the decline of “peak TV” is giving way to an even bigger draw: live sports.  

In its latest survey, “What’s the Score: The Evolution of Sports Media,” Hub Entertainment Research suggests access to sports does indeed strongly influence viewers’ choice of platform. For example almost 80% of sports fans surveyed said that during the season, content about their favorite sport is more important than other things they watch on TV. More than a third (36%) say it’s much more important than other kinds of content.

Fans are more likely to follow some sports to streaming than others, Hub Research said, but in general, 70-80% of avid fans would at least consider adding a new subscription. And half of NFL, NBA, and Premier League fans say they would be “very likely” to consider signing up if they needed a new platform to watch.

Hub adds that shifts in sports distribution will cascade to engagement with other content. Besides drawing their own viewers, sports content drives discovery of other content on the same platforms with about a third (31%) often watching  shows that they see promoted during a game or other sports content. When watching a live game, 27% often stay on the same channel to watch the show that comes on next (and another 38% do so “occasionally”).

In short, sports content is a major tool to solve one of the most persistent problems in the era of streaming:  helping new shows cut through the clutter to find an audience, the  researcher concluded.

“These findings reinforce that sports content will have a big impact on the next stage of the streaming wars, and might entirely settle them,” said Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub. “There are lots of sports fans, and they care more about the sports they follow than anything else on TV. As expensive as rights have become, they may turn out to be the best investment: hours and hours of unique content which comes with a built-in audience that tunes in every season without fail.” 

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—Gen Z media consumption and viewing habits not only has diverged from other generations. They also appear in some respects to be setting the trend for other age groups, particularly when it comes to how they spend time watching, according to the latest annual survey released today from Hub. 

The survey, “Video Redefined,” found Gen Z devotes as much time gaming, on social media sites and viewing non-premium video as they do watching traditional TV and films. Helping to propel this trend among Gen Z is the popularity smartphones, making its members “the first native smartphone generation,” which Hub dubbed “entertainment omnivores.”

The proportion of entertainment time Gen Z spent viewing TV is less than half that of viewers over 35. Time spent gaming, watching non-premium video and on social media is on par with TV and movies among Gen Z, the survey said.

They are not alone, however. A third of older viewers surveyed said the time they are spending consuming non-premium video cuts into the time they spend watching “regular TV.” Gen Z respondents said they watch non-premium video about two hours each day, compared to those 35 and older who watch more than two hours per week—small by comparison, but up significantly from the previous year, it found.

Older respondents are turning to alternative platforms to stay up to date on the news and other topics of current interest, it said.

Among Gen Z members, Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram were especially popular compared to the preferences of those over 35 years old. Twice as many Gen Z members use Instagram and TikTok to watch video, and three times as many use Snapchat when compared to older respondents. Eighty percent of all respondents reported viewing YouTube in a given week, the survey said.

All respondents who use social media platforms recognized that each delivers different benefits. For instance, TikTok was valued for delivering short, trendy entertainment, and YouTube was recognized for its extensive library and a platform that offers informative content, it found.

“There’s no doubt that younger viewers are not as devoted to traditional TV and movies as previous generations have been. This presents one more challenge to legacy media companies as they navigate the future of the video ecosystem,” said Mark Loughney, senior consultant for Hub. “It would be futile for them to try to claw back time from non-traditional platforms, so instead media companies should look to social media as opportunities to reach Gen Z with premium content.”

The survey was conducted in December 2023. Hub polled 1,900 U.S. consumers, age 13 to 74, with broadband service.

More information is available on the company’s website.

BOSTON, Mass.—A new report and survey from Hub Entertainment Research finds that podcasts can be a valuable addition to the marketing tools used by traditional TV networks or streaming video services.   

The new HUB report “You Hear Me Now?” found that podcasts can drive sampling of TV shows. Among listeners of all types of podcasts, half (50%) say they would be more interested in watching a new TV show based on one of their favorite podcasts. And about half (47%) say their listening to podcasts had helped them discover a new TV show in the past.

This proportion is even higher among young adults, generally the most valuable audience with which to create engagement – 59% of 16-74s would be more interested in a show based on a podcast, while 57% have ever discovered a TV show via a podcast.

 “In the current world of short seasons of 8 to 10 episodes, podcasts – whether official or fan-created – can provide a valuable means for TV series to maintain viewer interest,” said David Tice, senior consultant to Hub and co-author of the study. “This is particularly important when so much content is available to a viewer, a favorite series 10 months ago could become a forgotten one by today.”

The researchers also report that TV-related podcasts reach a substantial share of viewers. One in three (32%) people 16-74 report listening to an official TV show-related podcast, a fan-produced podcast about a TV show, or a podcast featuring actors or the creative team of a TV show.

Again, these proportions are even higher among young adults. Half (50%) of those age 16-34 listen to a TV-related podcast, compared with 32% of those age 35-54 or 10% of those 55+, the report said.

The survey results also highlighted how podcasts maintain engagement. Among those who listen to TV-related podcasts about current series, almost all (92%) agree that podcasts help maintain their interest in that series between seasons – of which a substantial proportion (39%) “agree strongly.”

Among listeners to TV-related podcasts about older, out-of-production TV shows, a similarly high percentage (85%) agree a podcast can prompt them to search out and rewatch an older series, the survey found. 

 Another key finding was the importance of audio. Aside from podcasts, the report discusses other types of audio services, such as streaming music and audiobooks, as well as the ownership and use of various audio devices. For instance,

3 in 4 (76%) of Americans 16-74 report owning a set of earbuds, and nearly as many (60%) report owning a set of over-the-ear headphones. Together, 85% of people 16-74 own earbuds or headphones – or both.

Half (49%) of 16-74s say they own a Bluetooth speaker of some type (excluding smart speakers); slightly fewer (40%) report owning a smart speaker.

For all these listening devices – whether for personal use in your ear, or with a speaker in a room – listening to music is by far the dominant type of use. There is some usage for listening to TV, but it is far less common than for music, the researchers explained. 

 These findings are from Hub’s “Can You Hear Me Now?” report, based on a survey conducted among 2,501 US consumers. Interviews were conducted in November 2023 and cover what audio devices people own (earbuds, headphones, speakers, etc.) and how they are used. In addition to devices, the report covers what audio services are used (streaming music, podcasts, audiobooks, as well as traditional and satellite radio).  A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. This report is part of Hub’s Entertainment + Technology Tracker syndicated report series.

PORTSMOUTH, NH—Nearly two thirds of consumers who subscribe to a streaming service would choose an ad-supported version if it saves them $4-$5 per month according to a new survey from Hub Entertainment Research.

According to the researcher’s semi-annual “TV Advertising: Fact vs. Fiction” survey, that percentage is “significantly higher” than just six months ago.

This softening of resistance to ads is a trend that will continue to grow as Hub notes that over the past year, more consumers who call themselves intolerant toward ads are saying they would in fact opt for an ad-supported service to save money.

That said, consumers’ tolerance for advertising is not unlimited: All things being equal, Hub said that nearly four in ten viewers would choose a streaming service over another if it had a lighter ad load.

In addition, nearly 50% of those surveyed said they pay more attention when ad breaks are shorter, and that those advertisers in services with shorter ad breaks are viewed as “higher quality,” Hub said.

What is considered to be a “reasonable” ad break? Hub's survey showed that most viewers consider ad breaks reasonable if they are one minute or shorter. Ninety seconds is the tipping point where most viewers no longer consider a break reasonable.

Although ad-supported streaming services have been available since the launch of Hulu in 2008, it was Netflix’s introduction of an ad-supported version of its service in 2022 that started a trend that saw its competitors, including Disney+ and Max, among others, to launch their own ad-supported versions in 2023. 

Hub said that although there is widespread acceptance of advertising in streaming video, there is still opportunity to sign up new subscribers. Most consumers are not aware these services have introduced lower cost ad-supported tiers. Aggressive marketing of the less expensive options can attract viewers who have not yet subscribed to a service because of perceived high cost, Hub said.

Hub added that streaming video currently provides a better environment for their messages than traditional linear TV because the lower ad loads on most services are generally within the boundaries of what viewers consider reasonable. As a result, they are paying more attention to the ads, and thinking more positively about the brands, Hub said.

“As consumers begin to get hit with the double whammy of needing multiple subscriptions to get their entertainment, coupled with significant price increases, opting in for advertising becomes more appealing to them,” said Mark Loughney, senior consultant to Hub. “And as long as providers stick to reasonable ad loads, it’s a win for them and their advertisers as well.”

These findings are from Hub’s 2023 “TV Advertising: Fact vs. Fiction” report, based on a survey conducted among 3,000 US consumers age 14-74, who watch at least 1 hour of TV per week. Interviews were conducted in November 2023 and explored consumers’ attitudes toward advertising, how it differs across video platforms, and how ad strategy affects viewer engagement.  A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. 

PORTSMOUTH, NH—Despite the turmoil in media and entertainment in 2023, with the writers/actors strikes resulting in a dearth of new scripted TV shows, Americans remain grateful for the era of “peak TV,” even if managing all their choices is a challenge. 

That’s according to this year’s edition of Hub’s annual “Conquering Content” report which notes that appreciation for having “so many TV shows to watch” has increased significantly this year and is up by nearly half since 2020.

Hub said that with so much to choose from, platforms that make discovery easy have a big advantage. The volume of content on streaming platforms, coupled with an increase of cross-licensing popular shows across services, make all of this content more difficult to use, prompting more than 60% of consumers saying they’re more likely to choose platforms with better search, discovery and recommendation tools—up from 56% in 2022.

Hub also found that nearly two thirds of viewers say their current favorite show is an older show that’s been on for several seasons—up from 54% in 2021.  In fact, one of the most mentioned favorites was Suits, a show which was cancelled in 2019 and hasn’t had a new episode in four years.

“While the pipeline for new shows has slowed due to this year’s historic Hollywood strikes, consumers' loyalties to streaming services can remain stable, provided those services match them with the right content,” said Jason Platt Zolov, one of the report’s authors. “As studios return to licensing quality shows outside of their owned services, consumers are responding positively to the abundance of things to watch, whether ‘new’ or just ‘new to them.’”

“Peak TV has created a huge number of quality shows that many people just didn’t have time to watch when they were new,” said Jon Giegengack, founder and principal at Hub. “But they’re happy to watch them, and this backlog will maintain engagement while production gets back under way.  It also bodes well for licensing of exclusive shows to new services with audiences that haven’t seen them yet.”

Hub's findings in its latest report are based on a survey conducted among 1,600 U.S. consumers with broadband, age 16-74, who watch at least one hour of TV per week. Interviews were conducted in October 2023 and explored how consumers discover new shows across different platforms and providers.  A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. 

As more companies shift towards offering ad-supported streaming tiers, the presence of ads on streaming services remains a deeply polarizing subject. 

A significant majority of consumers (59%) say they would be willing to watch ads if it saves them $4 to $5 a month in subscription fees while large numbers of streamers (41%) say they would pay an extra $4 to $5 a month to avoid ads, according to the June survey by Hub Entertainment Research. 

The number is up slightly from the 57% willing to endure ads to save money in December of 2022 but is remarkably similar to the 58%/42% split two years ago in the June of 2021 survey. 

That would indicate attitudes towards advertising on streaming haven’t undergone a notable shift since companies began making advertising a major part of their streaming strategies in the hope of staunching large streaming losses. 

The survey also found that a significant number of consumers who had settled on subscribing to a tier with ads subsequently decided to go back to an ad free tier. 

The June Hub survey found that more than one in four streaming subscribers had switched between ad-free and ad-supported tiers and that 60% of those who switched moved from an ad-supported tier to the ad free option. 

In contrast, 46% of those who switched reported that they had downgraded from an ad-free tier to an ad-supported tier.

Among the switchers, 39% said they’d moved to an ad-free tier because there were too many ads and 36% said they’d moved to an ad-supported option to save money. 

About one third of those surveyed (33%) said they hadn’t switched because they wanted to avoid ads. But more than one quarter (27%) said they would switch to an ad-supported option if they could save 30% to 50% of their subscription price. 

The amount of ads was also a significant issue. The survey found that the tipping point for consumers considering whether a service offered a “reasonable” ad load was 11 ads per half hour and ad breaks that were longer than 90 seconds. 

More information is available here. 

BOSTON—A new survey focusing on changes in smart TV usage has found some obvious trends—the use of smart TVs for video streaming continues to grow—as well as some less obvious developments—streaming music and audio have emerged as a very popular application on smart TVs. 

The fifth annual edition of Hub Entertainment Research’s “Evolution of the TV Set” study found that more consumers are using the built-in connectivity of smart TVs to watch video (about 64% now stream video on their smart TVs) and that half of smart TV owners say they use their set for streaming music or other audio content.

The study also found that smart TVs are the home base for viewing, with three quarters (74%) of TV homes now reporting that they own a smart TV, up from 61% in 2020.

More dramatic growth can be found in the fact that nearly two thirds (64%) of all TV homes report using a smart TV to stream video, compared with fewer than half (47%) in 2020.

The dual increase in ownership and usage for viewing is a clear signal smart TVs are gaining traction, and gradually replacing separate streaming devices like Roku or Fire TV sticks or boxes, the researchers said. 

 “The evolution of the TV set is making valuable new features available to viewers, whether it be better quality picture and sound, streaming, apps, or voice control,” said David Tice, senior consultant to Hub and co-author of the study. “This also means challenges to incumbent firms in the TV ecosystem as alternative content providers, advertising sellers, and gatekeepers dramatically increase their presence through the growth of smart TVs.”

The survey also found that voice command is taking control: Half of respondents (52%) say the TV set they use most often has a remote control with voice command capability, up from only 38% in 2020.

In addition, in homes with a smart TV, a third (30%) of respondents have linked their smart TV to a smart speaker to enable voice control – up from 25% in 2020, the Hub study found. 

The researchers also stressed that Smart TVs are becoming the hub of home entertainment and a wider range of activities other than watching TV. This year, 3 in 4 smart TV owners (77%) say they use their set for more than just watching TV or movies (up from 6 in 10 [63%] in 2020.)

The most popular non-TV feature on smart TVs is streaming music or other audio content:  49% say they have used their smart TV for this, almost doubling since 2020.

The second most used feature is casting or mirroring another device’s screen on the smart TV.  Over a third (38%) of smart TV owners said they have done this in 2023 – almost tripling since our 2020 wave, the study found. 

These findings are from Hub’s “Evolution of the TV Set 2023” report, based on a survey conducted among 2,504 US consumers. Interviews were conducted in May 2023 and cover consumer ownership of, and attitudes towards, TV sets and TV-related technologies.  A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. This report is part of Hub’s Entertainment + Technology Tracker syndicated report series.

BOSTON, Mass.—Smart TVs in the U.S. have reached a milestone with a new study from  Hub Entertainment Research showing that American homes now own an estimated 204 million smart TV sets, breaking the 200 million mark for the first time. 

The fifth annual wave of Hub Entertainment Research’s “Connected Home” study found that almost eight in ten (77%) TV households say they own a smart TV, up from 66% three years ago. Well over a majority of all TV sets – six in ten (61%) – are now reported to be smart sets, up from 45% in 2020.

TV homes report an average of 1.7 smart TVs per home. Using an estimate of about 120 million TV homes, this projects to Americans owning 204 million smart TV sets, the study found. 

In addition, more people are using their smart TVs to stream. Overall, almost nine in ten (88%) smart TV homes regularly stream shows through their smart TV’s built-in capability. This proportion is substantially greater than seen in 2020, when just 3 in 4 owners were using their smart TVs to stream.

“Smart TVs will continue to account for an ever-larger slice of TVs, since almost all but the smallest TVs now have smart capabilities,” said David Tice, senior consultant to Hub and co-author of the study. “Greater ownership of smart TVs – and use of more of them for streaming – creates compound growth, creating opportunities for streamers, advertisers, set manufacturers, and other stakeholders.”

These findings are from Hub’s “Connected Home 2023” report, based on a survey conducted among 5,026 US consumers. Interviews were conducted in February 2023 and cover consumer ownership of many types of media-related technologies.  A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. This report is part of Hub’s Entertainment + Technology Tracker syndicated report series.

Smart TVs and streaming media players (SMPs) are the backbone of the CTV ecosystem. A large majority of homes in the United States (83%) have either an “enabled” (internet-connected) smart TV or an SMP. A plurality of homes (44%) own both types of devices.

Asked about the equipment attached to their smart TV sets, respondents tell us that over half (57%) of enabled smart TVs have at least one streaming media player attached – with a notable share of those having two attached!

Viewing Data are More Valuable Than Ever to the New CTV Gatekeepers
In today’s connected TV (CTV) world, the smart TV and the SMP are the primary ways viewers stream to their TV screens (putting aside the much smaller user bases of other CTV devices like game consoles or Blu-ray players). As a result, the evolution of the CTV space has seen the manufacturers (OEMs) of smart TVs and SMPs take on increasingly important positions as middlemen in the marketplace, impacting the 4D’s of CTV (Discovery, Decision, Delivery, and Data).

They act as an intermediary to the viewer by impacting discovery and viewing decisions – such as providing recommendations or pseudo-curating viewers’ decision sets by virtue of what their device shows on its home screen. They affect delivery of content through their agreements with content providers, and of advertising through their platform’s ad functions. As for data, the entireCTV ecosystem is reliant on viewing data collected by the smart TV and SMP OEMs – these data points are used for viewer recommendations, program promotion, advertising sales, or the provision of viewer data to third parties such as marketers, agencies, and audience measurement firms.

Viewers Are Unfamiliar with Their Opt-In Status
People in homes with enabled smart TVs and SMPs report low levels of awareness of their opt-in status for OEMs to track their viewing—and of tracking at all. This is a potentially serious issue for those working in the CTV space.

Overall, almost half—43% of those who are in a home with a smart TV or an SMP—say they are unaware at all of OEMs potentially tracking the viewing on their respective device.

Another 30% are aware of tracking but have no idea whether their device(s) are opted-in or opted-out of tracking.

Let’s take a pause. This ultimately means that 73% of people in smart TV or SMP homes don’t know about tracking, or don’t know their opt-in status.

In fact, only about 1 in 6 (18%) people in smart TV or SMP homes are sure – or think “maybe” – their device(s) are opted-in.

Tick… Tick… Boom!
These results indicate there may be a couple of ticking privacy time bombs waiting to disrupt the CTV world. The first could be a consumer revolt once the true scope of tracking and its business applications become well known. In the 1980s, concerns about the privacy of personal videotape rentals caused enough consternation that a federal law was passed providing protections against rental lists being shared or becoming public. It may be that we’re in a different age and no one cares anymore about privacy, but what if we’re not?

The other potential time bomb is the validity of OEM viewing data if it’s true that just 1 in 6 have opted-into tracking. There have always been issues with the representativeness of individual OEM datasets, simply by virtue of who is the target market for the brand in question (and no, millions of installed sets don’t make a dataset representative—it just makes it a very large unrepresentative dataset). If only a small proportion of installed devices are opted-in, those viewing data just got even more skewed.

By way of argument, some readers may be quick to blame our survey or our respondents. But the point is, even if one discounts these results for some invented reason, the levels would still be alarming—if “only” 35% were unaware of their opt-in status instead of 73%, would that be “good”? It still shows a lack of communication, understanding, and education.

Others may argue this is just standard operating procedure in the digital space, ranging from in-the-bubble excuses like “everyone knows they are tracked,” or “what do they expect?” to dressing up opt-in language in a way that doesn’t really reveal everything (“we collect data to improve recommendations and personalize advertising” rather than “we collect every piece of content that hits your TV’s screen, streaming or not, and we monetize your viewing in every way we can, including selling the data to whoever will pay for it”).

Burst the Bubble
As I’ve seen over almost 30 years in this business, consumer education greatly lags media technology. 

Why did VCRs always flash “12:00”? Why did TiVo lose out to comparatively poorly designed cable box DVRs? Why did cable VOD and TV everywhere fall flat and let Netflix emerge? A big reason is many of these services or technology were ahead of consumers, and there was little effort to help consumers catch up.

Maybe, as some argue, privacy is dead. But maybe—as evidenced by Europe’s GDPR and its equivalents in several US states—it is not. The CTV industry, whether individually or as a group, should be out educating consumers in simple, transparent terms of what is being done with viewing data and their options to participate. This would hopefully help increase awareness and willingness to opt-in; at the least it may help defend against any future blowback.

While streaming has gotten the lion’s share of attention for the past several years, TV viewers are demonstrating that it’s the quality of the content that drives them to watch a particular show, not the destination. That’s the conclusion of Hub Entertainment Research’s annual “Conquering Content” that surveyed the various ways TV consumers discover and watch TV shows.

The survey has some good news for those lamenting the decline of traditional MVPD linear TV services. According to the survey, the percentage of viewers watching live TV from a traditional MVPD service has jumped 6 points in 2022, to 21%, after reaching a low of 15% in 2021. Hub attributes this to the fact that, of the 10 favorite shows viewers named most frequently, four of them—including three of the top four—are available on live TV: Yellowstone, House of the Dragon, Ghosts, and NCIS.

Hub adds that trend lines showing the rate of viewers who responded that their favorite TV show is on a streaming service opposed to those who cite a traditional MVPD service are flattening. Although 75% of survey respondents said their favorite TV show is online, that proportion is identical to 2021; additionally the proportion watching their new favorite show from an MVPD set-top box has increased two points, from 21% in 2021.

So much of how viewers find their favorite shows has changed over the years since streaming became more popular. Traditionally, promotional spots during commercial breaks served as the most popular way viewers discovered new shows but in the streaming world, that responsibility falls onto trailers.

In the survey, 63% said they were more likely to watch a new show if they could watch a trailer first and among those who discovered a show from a trailer, 78% said they discovered it from a trailer that auto-played without them deliberately selecting it, up nearly 20 points since just last year.

Netflix remains the top streamer of choice, according to the survey, however the gap between viewers who watch their favorite shows on Netflix vs. those who watch their favorite shows on a traditional MVPD pay TV service is declining, now at 8 points; 4 points when compared to all five of what Hub identifies as the  “Big 5 SVODs”: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max. 

Viewers continue to clamor for an easier way to find new content, according to Hub.  The proportion who agree (strongly or somewhat) that they want a “universal listing to find shows from any source” has always been high in Hub’s survey, but it’s even higher in 2022: 61%, up 6 points since last year.

“Insert overused expression here: “content is king,” etc. But cliché or not, it’s clear from these results that viewers will happily go to whatever platform has exclusive rights to the most popular TV shows and movies du jour,” said Peter Fondulas, Principal at Hub and co-author of the report. “Over the past few years, those shows have been increasingly offered by streaming services. But as franchises like Yellowstone and Game of Thrones demonstrate, streaming does not have a necessary monopoly on buzz-worthy content.”

New research on the viewing habits of viewers has found that viewers see smart TVs and streaming media players as having a whole lot in common, including the ability to strongly influence viewing behaviors.

According to Hub Entertainment Research's Streaming TV: Built-in vs. Plugged-in? study—based on a survey of 2,517 U.S.-based viewers—smart TVs are not moving to replace streaming media players—like a Roku box or Fire TV USB stick—but rather that the smart TV/streaming player combination may exist side by side for some time to come. 

These devices are complementing one another, the study found. The report revealed that a significant majority of homes of those surveyed (83%) have an Internet-connected smart TV or streaming media player and that many homes own both types of devices (44%). When it comes to sets, respondents said that more than half of enabled smart TVs (57%) have a streaming media player attached directly to them. 

It was also revealed that viewing behaviors are quite similar whether a viewer is using a smart TV or a streaming media player. Both devices can act as a gatekeeper between the viewer and content, often through the home screen of the device itself. For both a smart TV or a media player, about half of viewers use the options found on the device’s home screen to search for and select content rather than heading directly into an app itself to find content. The survey also found that viewers commonly use the branded buttons that are sometimes etched directly onto a remote control device, with nearly two in five smart TV users and streaming media device users selecting these branded buttons either “often” or “all the time.”

Details like these give device manufacturers clear feedback on the content that is being selected for viewing, whether that selection happens through an onscreen recommendation, a promotional ad on the home screen or the decision to simply click a brand name on a remote, the report’s authors said. 

What’s also being revealed is that when it comes to “built-in vs plugged-in,” it may not really matter, said David Tice, senior consultant to Hub and co-author of the study. “Whether people are using a smart TV or a streaming media player, their habits are very similar,” he said. “In the short term, both devices are going to co-exist — streaming media players are a long way from being replaced by smart TVs, and can’t be ignored.”

In addition to exploring how people use smart TVs vs streaming media players, the study set out to measure differences in usage/habits between the two; document differences in device usage and streaming behaviors between homes that only use smart TVs or only use streaming media players or use both; and answer what, if anything, might prompt users to commit to smart TV alone and eliminate streaming devices. The survey, conducted in August 2022, was run by Hub Entertainment Research, a company that tracks how technology is changing the way people find, choose and consume entertainment content.

It should be no surprise to anyone interested in the M&E space that smart TVs are on an inexorable path to replacing analog and early digital TVs. In fact, today it’s hard to buy a TV of any size that doesn’t have smart capability. By count, smart TVs make up about 55% of all TV sets.  Seventy-four percent of persons 16-74 say they have a smart TV in their home, while 62% say they regularly stream using an enabled (internet-connected) smart TV. 

Emergence of the new gatekeepers
Just as important as the shift in viewing habits this represents is that homes viewing on enabled smart TVs, the OEM—through its platform/operating system (OS)—assumes the role of gatekeeper. The TV’s home screen will often be the first thing a viewer sees when turning on the TV set; the recommendations on that screen are powered by the OS, as is what is shown (and their order) for recently viewed titles. 

Ads and promos for content are delivered by the OEM, presumably based on the viewing data taken from ACR measurements from the set, enhanced by marrying viewing information to matching household data from third parties based on the home’s email, router address, or other identifying features. 

Let’s tune in a little more clearly to homes using a smart TV to regularly stream. In Hub’s recent “Evolution of the TV Set” survey, we asked these homes what operating systems their smart TVs have (or assigned the OS based on brand). While an imperfect measure, the estimate is still a good indicator of the relative size of each OS brand.

Homes that regularly stream with a smart TV report Samsung’s Tizen operating system is the most common smart TV OS, followed by Roku (used in several brands of TVs) and LG’s WebOS.

OEMs have a big and growing impact on which shows get watched
Today, the “stacking” of multiple video services, coupled with the sheer volume of shows being produced, means there’s even more clutter to cut through to find an audience.  The smart TV platform/OS can have significant influence in how shows get found and watched. 

We asked smart TV streamers if, when deciding what to watch, do they typically search or take recommendations from the TV’s home screen, or do they search for content within individual apps?

Six in ten (59%) of those who stream through a smart TV say they typically use the TV’s home screen to find shows.  Only about 40% start searching with the app for an individual streaming service. This highlights the potential of the TV’s OS to influence what viewers discover and watch via recommendations, “last viewed” tiles, and promos for new shows (or simply whether a particular service is available on an OS or is “blacked out,” as in the bad old days of cable-network negotiations).

Not all OEMs have the same level of influence
Even more interesting are how responses to this question differ depending on the brand of TV the person was watching. Again, keeping in mind the limits of survey research, it seems clear that there are some OEMs which are better at inserting themselves into the discovery process than others.

For instance, those using an LG set were almost a quarter more likely to say they used the TV’s home screen to make viewing decisions than people using a Vizio set (65% vs 53%).

Discovery, Decision, Delivery, and Data
Smart TV OEMs have quite an opportunity to leverage (as do those making streaming media players—devices we’re exploring in our next survey). OEMs have increasing influence over not just which shows are watched, but also which are even on deck to be considered in the first place.  They also play an increasingly important role in the sale and delivery of digital advertising as well as the collection of viewing data via ACR.  

The leading smart TV OEMs are already a critical part of CTV’s front-end viewing experience and back-end advertising and data business. Those trailing the leaders may need to make decisions whether to ditch their home-brewed platforms in favor of licensing an OS with considerably more mass.

Will we end up with a situation analogous to smartphones, where there are only two dominant players, iOS and Android? It seems unlikely, but it will probably take at least several more years for the market to play out.

BOSTON—Whether they get their TV from an Apple TV, Firestick TV, Roku, smart TV or simple cable box, viewers want their options simplified and better managed, according to a new report from Hub Entertainment. 

According to Hub’s annual “Monetization of Video” study, 91% of survey respondents say accessing multiple streaming subscriptions makes the experience better, with 52% saying it makes the experience “a lot” better.  

Hub said that for 39% of respondents, these “aggregators” make it easier for them to watch content from all of their different sources. One third (34%) say they like the ease of adding new providers or of pausing or cancelling them (31%), and the remaining third say they like the convenience of consolidating multiple subscriptions into one bill.  

Eighty-seven percent of pay TV subscribers who watch streaming platforms through their set-top box say the ability to do that makes their pay TV subscription more valuable and almost half (48%) say it’s a lot more valuable. Hub’s research showed similar results for derived value:  among pay TV subs who watch SVODs through their set-top box, 70% said their pay TV subscription was an “excellent” or “good” value.  Among pay TV subs who don’t integrate their streaming platforms, it was only 50%.

When asked how aggregators improve the TV experience, the most common reason mentioned (39%) is that it makes it easier to watch content across all of their different sources. But for many, it also makes it easier to manage the subscriptions themselves:  a third say they like the ease of adding new providers (34%) or of pausing or cancelling them (31%). And 33%  say they like the convenience of consolidating multiple subscriptions into one bill.

“There’s no question that the golden age of streaming has made TV more fun for consumers,” said Jon Giegengack, Principal at Hub and one of the study authors.  “But it’s no fun trying to get the most out of that content when it’s spread across so many providers.  Aggregators enable viewers to get something playing on the screen with as few clicks as possible.  This is a big opportunity for pay TV operators to reclaim their traditional role—only this time instead of bundling networks, they’re bundling platforms.”

Hub’s 2022 “Monetization of Video” was conducted among 1,610 US consumers age 16-74.  All respondents have broadband and watch at least 1 hour of TV per week. The data was collected in June 2022.

BOSTON, Mass.—Consumers continue to rapidly embrace advanced TV technologies, which in turn is transforming both viewer habits and the business opportunities for content providers and advertisers, according to Hub Entertainment Research’s fourth annual “Evolution of the TV Set” study. 

One notable finding of the survey and report is that the speed with which consumers are turning to streaming using smart TVs continues to impress. Almost two thirds (62%) of TV homes report streaming using a smart TV, compared with less than half (47%) two years ago, the Hub survey found. This rapid increase is driven by increases in both smart TV homes and in the share of those homes using smart TVs to stream.

Another technology being rapidly adopted is voice control. Half (51%) of the most-used sets in U.S. homes have a remote control with voice command capability – up notably since 2020 (38%), Hub reported. 

In homes with a smart TV, one in three (33%) linked a smart TV to a smart speaker like Amazon’s Echo or Google’s Nest, enabling voice control – up a third from 2020 (25%).

Another notable trend is the use of TV sets for activities other than viewing TV programs or movies. In smart TV homes, 7 in 10 (73%) say they use a set for something else – up from 6 in 10 (63%) in 2020, Hub found. 

The most popular non-TV activities on smart TVs are streaming music, mirroring or casting another screen to the set, checking news or weather apps, or using an on-set browser. 

“Streaming on smart TV sets has grabbed the spotlight, but don’t forget other ways TVs have evolved,” said David Tice, senior consultant to Hub and co-author of the study. “With the TV itself becoming an advertising platform, changes in user behaviors from set evolution can impact marketing opportunities, exposure, and effectiveness.”

The findings are from Hub’s “Evolution of the TV Set 2022” report, based on a survey conducted among 2,526 US consumers. Interviews were conducted in May 2022 and cover consumer ownership of, and attitudes towards, TV sets and TV-related technologies.  

A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website. 

BOSTON, Mass.—Smart TV ownership, which has played a central role in the growth of streaming media, continues to rise dramatically, according to Hub Entertainment Research’s fourth annual “Connected Home” study.

The study reported that three quarters (76%) of TV households say they own a smart TV, up from 70% a year ago and the majority (57%) of all TV sets are now smart sets, a proportion a quarter higher than in 2020 (45%).

That is also fueling dramatic changes in the way viewers access video. In the past, many smart TVs were operated as “dumb” sets – owners plugged them into cable boxes or external streaming devices, bypassing their built-in smart capabilities. 

But in 2022, more than four in five (86%) smart TV homes regularly streamed shows through a smart TV’s built-in capability. That’s a significant increase over 2020 (75%), though a notable segment (14%, or 1 in 7) of smart TV homes aren’t yet using those sets to stream TV or movies.

Consumer’s embrace of smart TVs are part of a larger shift towards smart devices in the home. 

Hub also reported that 52% of all homes own a smart speaker (Amazon Echo, Google Nest, etc.) and 48% own at least one smart home device like a smart thermostat, smart doorbell, smart lightbulb, etc.)

“Growth in smart TV viewing over the past few years has been supercharged not just by more smart TVs, but greatly increased use of smart TV apps for streaming,” said David Tice, senior consultant to Hub and co-author of the study. “It has been a long road to get a large majority of smart TV owners to use those sets for streaming. This is a theme for smart tech overall: it’s not just getting devices into homes, but how can stakeholders get consumers to use the full capabilities of smart devices?”

Hub’s “Connected Home 2022” report was based on a survey conducted among 5,204 US consumers. Interviews were conducted in February 2022 and cover consumer ownership of many types of media-related technologies.  A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website.

BOSTON, Mass.—A new survey from Hub Entertainment Research indicates that the time spent watching TV and movies continues to decline among all consumers and now accounts for less than half (48%) of the time spent with screen-based entertainment. 

That is “the lowest level since we’ve been tracking entertainment habits,” the researchers reported. 

The Hub’s annual “Video Redefined” study, which examines how American consumers divvy up their entertainment time, reported that TV and movies account for just 48% of all the time consumers say they spend with screen-based entertainment, down 5 points from a year ago and down 11 points from 2019.

The study also found that consumers were replacing TV and movie time with time spent watching online videos, gaming, and browsing social media, areas that were up an equivalent 5 points from last year.

The move away from TV was particularly notable among younger viewers. The researchers found that at the age of 35, there is a major shift toward TV and movies as the primary source of entertainment time, with those aged 35 and older spending 60% of their time watching TV and movies.

In contrast, for those aged 13 to 24, TV and movies account for just one-fourth of entertainment time. This group spent 57% of their entertainment time on online videos, gaming, and social media while those aged 35 and older spent 28% of their time on online videos, gaming, and social media.

The Hub study also found that young consumers spend almost as much time watching online videos as they spend watching traditional TV, with 13 to 24 year-olds estimating that they spend nearly 14 hours per week watching “non-premium” online videos (i.e., videos that are not traditional TV shows or movies). That’s only about an hour less than the time they estimate they spend watching TV and movies. 

At the other end of the spectrum consumers aged 35 and older spend 2.5 times as much time watching TV and movies than online videos.

The survey also found that half of young consumers acknowledge that the time they spent with other screen-based entertainment has cut into their TV viewing time. About half (51%) of those aged 13 to 24 say they spend less time watching TV shows and movies because of the time they spend on gaming, online videos, social media, and other non-TV entertainment activities.

The impact is much lower among older consumers: only 19% of those aged 35+ say other screen-based viewing is cutting into their traditional TV and movie time.

“When it comes to sources of screen-based entertainment, younger and older consumers could not be more different,” said Peter Fondulas, Hub principal and co-author of the study. “The million-dollar question is whether today’s young consumers will always prioritize non-traditional content—or whether they’ll start to resemble older consumers as they grow older. Our prediction is that their behaviors are so ingrained that non-traditional content will always be a significant part of their entertainment consumption.”

The data comes from the second wave of Hub’s “Video Redefined” study, conducted among 2,179 US consumers aged 13-74, who watch at least 1 hour of TV per week and have broadband service. The data were collected in December 2021. 

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BOSTON—To keep up with all the TV content out in the world today, users are relying on more TV sources than ever before. According to the latest report from Hub Entertainment Research, the average consumer uses 5.7 different sources of TV content.

The sources that consumers are using range from traditional pay-TV, streaming services and over-the-air reception through an antenna. The 5.7 average that Hub reports for 2021 is nearly one service higher than in 2020 (4.8) and nearly double what it was prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 (3.7).

Streaming, unsurprisingly, is a big reason for the rise in the average. Nearly eight in 10 users now use a streaming TV service, per Hub. That number is 19 percentage points higher than those who have a traditional pay-TV subscription. Traditional pay-TV has actually dropped by seven percentage points since 2020.

However, there was only a two percentage point increase in consumers saying they started using a streaming service compared to last year. What is driving the growing gap between streaming and pay-TV is the increase in use of multiple streaming services and greater adoption of free, ad-supported services.

More than half (59%) of all TV consumers say they use two or more of the top SVODs (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+ or HBO Max). That is up eight points from 2020. Use of AVOD services (Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Peacock) is also up eight points to 48% of consumers.

Some consumers are expecting to continue to add to their available services. One in five (21%) say they plan to sign up for a new service in the next six months. Majority of those planning to add will do so without cutting another service. Those with four or more services are actually more likely to add another subscription without replacing anything, per Hub.

In terms of satisfaction, about 52% of consumers says their bundle of services meet their needs “very well,” while 42% said “somewhat well” and just 6% said “not at all well.”

For more information, visit Hub’s website. 

BOSTON—It’s out with the old TVs and in with the smart TVs, according to a new report from Hub Entertainment Research. Hub found that more than half of all TV sets are now smart TVs, representing the majority for the first time.

Included in Hub’s “Connected Home” report, it was shown that 52% of all TVs are now smart TVs, up from 45% in 2020. This shows that older, non-smart TVs are more rapidly being replaced, per Hub.

Seven out of 10 U.S. TV households reported that they owned a smart TV. The younger generation is more likely to own a smart TV, with 61% of homes where the oldest person is under 35 reported owning one, as did 59% of homes with children under age 18.

The smart TVs that people are buying are more increasingly featuring built-in operating systems from streaming providers Roku or Amazon Fire TV; more than two in five households say they have one of these kind of smart TV sets. Roku and Fire TV penetration is greater when you factor in a separate streaming device, as 57% of TV homes have such a device or a Roku/Fire TV set.

“The wider adoption of smart TVs and replacement of non-smart TVs turns up the pressure on connected devices like streaming boxes, streaming sticks and video game consoles,” said David Tice, senior consultant to Hub and co-author of the study. “This ‘eliminating of the middleman’ will have a direct impact on how future revenue is split on advanced TV businesses like streaming, interactive shopping, and addressable advertising.”

Overall, streaming to a TV set has increased from 74% in 2020 to 77% of all homes as per this most recent report. More than half (56%) of all homes say they stream using a smart TV at least once a month, up from the 48% that did so in 2020.

The way people are buying their new TV sets is also changing, in large part due to the pandemic. In 2019, 42% of consumers said they would buy a new TV set in a store, while 27% planned to do so online. Those numbers have essentially flipped; 29% plan to buy a new TV at the store, with 43% buying online.

For more information, visit Hub’s website.

BOSTON—A year into the pandemic, consumers’ new habits of increased TV viewing and streaming are becoming entrenched, according to the latest Hub Entertainment Research study. Even so, things aren’t all rosy, as pay-TV is turning into the easiest service to drop amid the plethora of options available.

These statistics come from Hub’s latest “Predicting the Pandemic” research, which compared responses from three different times over the last year—July 2020, November 2020 and February 2021.

Last July, 69% of respondents told Hub they were watching more TV at that time than they did before the pandemic; the numbers were similar (70%) in November. But as of February that percentage shot up seven points to 77%, with 42% saying they watched a lot more TV than prior to the pandemic.

More consumers are also adding new services. Hub found that 44% of respondents said that they have added at least one subscription service during the pandemic, up 10 points from November 2020. Related, a quarter of respondents said that they had dropped at least one TV service; that number was at 18% in July 2020.

Per Hub’s research, a good chunk of those dropped services were likely pay-TV. Since November 2020, cable, satellite or telco TV services fell by 9 points, with 62% of TV consumers saying they subscribe to such a service. More people are opting to go with vMVPD services (YouTube TV, Sling TV, etc.) to access local and cable channels, as the percentage of vMVPD subscribers has increased from 11% in February 2020 to 21% in February 2021.

Consumers’ mentality around pay-TV has also shifted over the last year. In July 2020, 69% of consumers said that they would have still cut their pay-TV services if the pandemic had not happened. But as of February, that number has increased to 89%.

Meanwhile, all the major streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max) have seen steady increase in subscription numbers. HBO Max has seen a significant increase in subscriptions since November 2020, which HUB attributes to its decision to release 2021 Warner Bros. movies the same day as they debut in theaters. However, HBO Max is also the service that most consumers would consider dropping post-COVID.

In addition, more people are now using AVOD streaming services, growing from 34% in February 2020 to 58% in February 2021.

“What’s been most interesting to us in our pandemic-related research has been trying to determine which pandemic-induced changes in TV behavior will persist once life begins to return to normal,” said Peter Fondulas, principal at Hub and co-author of the study. “This wave of the study strongly suggests that Americans have grown more than just accustomed to the TV viewing adjustments they’ve made during the pandemic, and are ready to embrace a new, streaming-centric normal.”

The full “Predicting the Pandemic” report is available on Hub’s website. 

BOSTON—Consumers are looking for original content when it comes to their streaming channels, according to a new study released by Hub Entertainment Research. This has given Netflix an early lead in both drawing and retaining subscribers, but Disney+ and HBO Max are making headway.

Hub’s “Evolution of Video Branding” notes that streaming platforms are labeling more TV shows and movies as “original.” The report details a number of different ways that original content is influencing consumers.

The simple act of labeling a program “original” boosts its viewing interest. For those 16-34 years old, 70% of respondents said that the term “original” makes them more interested in watching a show or movie (25% “a lot more interested”). “Original” holds less sway for those 35 and older, but even so more than half (53%) are more interested in original content.

Netflix is far and away the current leader when it comes to original content, Hub found. Among all TV viewers, 29% believe that Netflix offers the best originals, with CBS (6%) and Amazon Prime Video (5%) the next closest. Younger viewers (16-34) love Netflix even more, with 38% seeing it as having the best original content; Disney+ is second at 7%.

Unsurprisingly then, Netflix ranks as the most indispensable service among younger viewers, per the study. When asked to pick the TV network or streaming services they would keep if they could only have five, 44% of the 16-34 age group said Netflix. Streamers rounded out three of the four other spots—Disney+ (26%), Hulu (23%) and Amazon Prime Video (18%)—while ESPN (22%) was the only traditional TV network that ranked in their top five.

Traditional TV had a better showing among those 35 and older, making up four out of the five must-have networks. CBS (32%) led the way, followed by NBC (29%), Netflix (29%), ABC (29%) and ESPN (18%).

As far as drawing new customers, strategies by Netflix, HBO Max and Disney+ to promote exclusive original content in 2021 has helped drive subscriptions. For Netflix, 88% of new subscribers (from December 2020 and January 2021) said that the streamer’s plan to release a new original movie each week was a reason for signing up; 59% said it was the main reason. With HBO Max, the plan to release all 2021 Warner Bros. movies on the service the same day as theaters influenced 77% of new subscribers (main reason for 48%). And 68% of new Disney+ subscribers said the streaming service being home for certain new films and franchise titles was part of their decision (only 21% said it was the main reason).

“So far, Netflix has not only withstood the threats posed by new entrants in the ever-intensifying streaming wars—it has thrived,” said Peter Fondulas, principal at Hub and co-author of the study. “But WarnerMedia’s and Disney’s moves to prioritize streaming distribution are already reaping rewards and have the potential to significantly disrupt the TV service pecking order. What remains to be seen is whether this streaming-first strategy will transform HBO Max and Disney+ into Netflix replacements, or whether they’ll remain as Netflix supplements.”

For more information, visit www.hubresearchllc.com.  

BOSTON—Whether they admit to it or not, 38% of consumers are considered video pirates, according to a new report from Hub Entertainment Research. However, nearly all of them would utilize legal means if available.

This comes from Hub’s “Privacy + Piracy” survey, which provided greater insight into consumers’ video piracy practices and their thoughts on data collection through addressable advertising on smart TVs.

When it comes to piracy, 35% of consumers admit to pirating a video, while 3% do not admit it but say they use pirate sites or apps. About one in four (24%) are considered active pirates, having pirated content in the past six months.

Among the active pirates, 65% say they have considered the financial impact of piracy on those involved in the production and distribution of TV or film content, but it has had little impact on their behavior. A little more than half (52%) of active pirates have received a warning letter or email about their video piracy, but only 45% said that it made them pirate less or stop altogether.

Hub also provides data on password sharing, revealing that 35% of consumers share a password with a person outside their home for a digital media service, while 39% of people use a password from a person outside their household.

Still, 94% of active video pirates say they would use legal means of viewing content if it was more convenient and available to access content; 52% said they would do so even if it cost no more or less than piracy, while 42% said they would even if it cost more.

“Video piracy is concentrated among a minority of the population, and driven by certain demographic groups such as those under 35, those in lower income homes or those in homes with kids,” said David Tice, senior consultant to Hub and co-author of the study. “Much as we saw in the early 2000s with Napster and illegal music downloads, legal threats are less effective as a deterrent than offering pirates a legal alternative—but an alternative must address the reasons for their piracy in the first place.”

On the privacy side of the study, Hub found that 87% of consumers have concerns about how their personal data is collected, used and protected. When it comes to smart TVs, specifically, 71% of consumers say they are aware that the sets can track their viewing data, but 61% are either somewhat or very uncomfortable with the idea of smart TVs collecting data about their viewing.

Part of that uncomfortability is from ad agencies having access to that data. Hub found that 66% of consumers were either somewhat or very uncomfortable with ad agencies collecting and using data about them. In terms of the potential this data collection could be for addressable advertising, only 12% of consumers believe it benefit them a lot to have more ads relevant to them; 45% did say it may be somewhat beneficial.

Still there is an openness among consumers to share certain data, with half or more saying they are OK sharing gender (68%), ethnicity/race (65%), age (62%), sexual orientation (61%), zip code (55%), TV channels watched (54%), specific programs watched (53%) or what they buy at the supermarket (50%). Names, addresses, income, online purchases or use of specific apps or website are among the things a majority of consumers are not willing to share.

“[C]onsumers’ willingness to still share many relevant datapoints, despite their misgivings, means a concerted effort to educate consumers about the benefits of data collection and use should have a positive impact for the ad industry,” said Tice.

For more information, visit Hub’s website.

BOSTON—When viewers want to find something to watch, half of them will check what’s on streaming before traditional pay-TV options, according to a new study from Hub Entertainment Research.

Hub’s “2020 Decoding the Default” study sought to find out the preferences of today’s TV viewers, and while pay-TV is hanging on, streaming is well positioned to become the new standard-bearer for what people talk about when they ask “what’s on TV?”

When asked what their default source of TV viewing was, 50% of Hub’s respondents said that it was an OTT service, up from 47% in 2019. Pay-TV, meanwhile, fell from its mark of 47% in 2019 to 42% in 2020. In fact, Netflix by itself has almost overtaken live TV, with 23% saying it is their default choice while 30% go with live TV from a pay-TV provider.

That decrease of live TV serving as the default option for viewers is happening across all age groups. While those 18-34 are by far the lowest (14% in 2020, down from 21% in 2019), those aged 55 and over had a similar drop in percentage points, but remain the largest group that goes with live TV first (53% in 2019, 46% in 2020). 

In terms of overall viewing, 60% of viewers say that an online source consumes most of their viewing time over a pay-TV service. That was closer to an even split last year (52% for online, 48% for MVPD).

While nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) say they have both a traditional pay-TV service and a subscription to at least one streamer, the percentage of people who only have one or the other is now equal at 18%. The change from 2019 actually saw an increase in respondents who only had the one service—from 17% to 18% for pay-TV, 14% to 18% for streamers and down from 69% to 64% for both.

In addition, 50% of respondents subscribe to two or more of the “Big 4” streaming services—Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+—10% subscribe to all of them.

When it comes to which service respondents said they would choose if they could only have one, live pay-TV still sits at the top with 35%, but Netflix trails right behind it at 32%.

For more information on the “2020 Decoding the Default” study, visit Hub’s website. 

BOSTON—The latest study of consumer habits during the pandemic, and what may remain afterward, from Hub shows that 28% of consumers report having signed up for at least one new streaming service since February, before the pandemic began.

The big four streaming platforms—Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Disney+—all had at least a three point growth during that time frame in terms of percentage of consumers that say they subscribe to the service. Hulu saw the biggest growth (25% to 33%), followed by Amazon Prime Video (38% to 44%). Netflix and Disney both saw a three percentage point growth—from 60% to 63% for Netflix and 29% to 32%.

PLUS: Disney+ Surpasses 60M Subscribers

Hub identified three key reasons for why consumers turned to these services while sheltering at home: they offer exclusive shows, provide value for money and have a deep library of content.

The habit of watching streaming TV is expected to continue for many consumers after the pandemic. While 40% of consumers said they were watching more streaming TV because of the pandemic, 19% said that habit will continue after the pandemic; only spending more time outdoors and shopping online had higher responses.

Streaming hasn’t been the only TV segment that saw a positive growth during the pandemic. Hub found that video on-Demand—both over pay-TV and online—has increased. The number of people watching VOD from an MVPD weekly went up from 46% in February to 52% as of July. Buying or renting PPV movies went up from 19% to 26%, while buying or renting PPV TV shows went up from 18% to 25%.

Also, people are finding new content to watch through advertising and previews. As of October 2019, word of mouth/social was the biggest factor in people finding new content (31%), advertising drove 29% of respondents and previews was just 9%. But as of July, despite a dip, advertising has taken over as the biggest draw with 27% saying it leads them  to new TV shows. Previews saw an increase to 15%, while word of mouth has dropped to 25%.

The increase of viewing traditional broadcasts is another habit that will stick around for a number of consumers as well. Hub found 13% of respondents said they plan to continue to watch the same amount of broadcast news post-pandemic, and 12% plan to watch as much broadcast nets in general.

“When it comes to the business of entertainment, people clearly intend to continue supporting the streaming TV services they’ve relied on for comfort viewing, the broadcast networks they’ve relied on for news and the online videos they’ve used for distractions,” said Peter Fondulas, co-founder and principal of Hub Entertainment Research.

For more information on Hub’s “Predicting the Post-Pandemic” report, visit Hub’s website. 

BOSTON—Consumers would like to get a price check on their TV services. According to a recent survey by Hub Entertainment Research, the average consumer feels like they are paying too much every month for TV services.

The new findings come from Hub’s annual “Monetizing Video” study. As part of the study, Hub asked consumers to estimate how much they pay for all of their TV subscriptions combined and then what they would consider a reasonable price for those services. The average monthly cost for current services was $94, and the average reasonable price given by consumers was $72, a difference of $22.

Drilling down into more specifics on the types of services, consumers with a traditional TV service (cable, satellite or telco) without also subscribing to a streaming service have a gap between what they actually pay ($106/month) and what they think is reasonable ($69/month) of $37. That is more than for consumers who have traditional TV with or without streaming services ($29 gap) and those with streaming services but no traditional TV ($6 gap).

Not surprisingly, the services that provide the most value according to Hub’s respondents are all streaming services—Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. Traditional TV services were the lowest, with 42% saying they found traditional TV to have excellent or good value.

PLUS: Netflix Tops 2020 'Must Keep TV' Rankings

An additional component of the Hub study showed that younger consumers also are willing to shell out more through streaming services for a chance to see first-run movies at home over the theater. Hub shared that 63% of consumers aged 18-34 would definitely or probably pay to stream a just-released movie; conversely, only 12% of consumers over the age 35 said they would (just 2% definitely would). More than half (57%) of 18-34 year olds would still prefer to stream first-run movies for up to $50.

“The strong preference for streaming, for TV and first-run movies, has the potential to fundamentally shift the entertainment distribution dynamic, assuming the industry is ready to accept the collateral damage—to the pay television and theater industries—such a move would leave in its wake,” said Peter Fondulas, principal at Hub and co-author of the study.

The full study is available at www.hubresearchllc.com.  

NEW YORK—As television viewing options have increased in recent years, viewers have expanded their sources of programming among live linear, subscription video on demand and virtual multichannel video program distributors like YouTube TV, Hulu or DirecTV Now, according to a new report from Hub Entertainment Research.

Viewers now average four different sources of programming, but with new providers like Apple TV+, Disney+ and AT&T’s HBO Max coming online, some viewers are complaining about “platform saturation” and will be reluctant to add any more services without cancelling an existing one, Hub said.

“We’ve seen in our other studies that many consumers won’t add a new service—like Disney+ or HBO Max—without cancelling an existing service,” Hub said. “The services they decide to hold onto are most likely to be the ones they consider their TV home base.”

The data, gleaned from Hub’s “Decoding the Default” survey, involved polling 1,678 viewers who subscribe to broadband and watch at least an hour of TV every week.

In its survey, Hub determined that for the majority of viewers, their first (or “default”) choice when they turn on the television is linear live programming on traditional pay-TV (34%), followed by Netflix at 21% and DVR content from MVPDs third at 11%.

The percentage of viewers defaulting to live linear MVPD is down 7% from 2018, according to Hub, which found that for the first time ever in 2019 the percentage of viewers defaulting to OTT (i.e. Netflix, Hulu, etc.) matches the percentage of viewers defaulting to live linear traditional TV at approximately 45% and 47% respectively.

Viewers’ rationale for picking their default choice are fairly obvious: For those who default to linear live TV, ease of use and familiarity are the top reasons while viewers who choose a service like Netflix or Amazon Prime are mainly attracted to the lack of commercials, the ability to binge watch and variety of program choices.

Regardless of their programming choices, Hub said that the vast majority of viewers still prefer viewing on a big screen.

A slight majority of U.S. consumers say they “have never heard of” Next Gen TV (aka ATSC 3.0) according to a new survey from Hub Entertainment Research. This is comparable to the 58% who have never heard of 8K TV but much larger than the approximately 20% who had never heard of 4K TV.

This lack of knowledge of the next generation broadcast standard is just one of numerous conclusions about the current state of the TV set in American homes revealed by Hub’s “Evolution of the TV Set.” The results are from an online survey of 2,500+ U.S. consumers taken in May and June. The survey included both TV and non-TV homes.

Despite the proliferation of viewing video on mobile devices, the TV set still remains the dominant source of news and entertainment in the U.S. household Hub concluded. It found that the average home has 2.7 TV sets and that two-thirds of those homes have at least one smart TV set that is connected to broadband. The TV set in the living room or family room is still the most popular, with respondents saying that 81% of viewing happens on TV sets in those rooms. Half of those “most used” sets are connected to a pay-TV provider while 41% are connected to a streaming TV source.

Among vendors, Samsung is the dominant player with 48% of those planning on buying a Samsung-branded smart TV set in the 12 months (LG is a distant second with 12%).

Half of the sets in American households are 50 inches or bigger and fewer than three years old, Hub said. Almost half of all U.S. homes now have a streaming media player, according to the survey and 75% of homes stream TV shows or movies to a connected TV screen.

When it comes to new technologies, consumers are most interested in 4K and HDR sets with more than 75% of respondents expressing “a lot” or “some” interest in the high resolution imaging technologies. However, while 4K TV sets are now dominant on the retail floor, only 43% have used a 4K TV set to watch actually 4K content.

Television technology is becoming more complex to consumers as they navigate terms such as 8K, HDR and frames per second, according to David Tice, co-author of the study.

“As smart TVs, connected TVs, connected devices, and TV voice-control devices proliferate, many new services and features have suddenly become available to TV set users”, said David Tice, co-author of the study. “But TV manufacturers and services have a long record of inadequately educating consumers on their offerings. TV brands and content distributors need to work together to increase consumer awareness, as these great new features won’t help sell TV sets or services—or command a premium—if people don’t understand them.”

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

NEW YORK—Subscribers to streaming/OTT services generally are OK with the concept of advertising in exchange for ad-supported or free subscriptions. However, they are sensitive about the value of ads in exchange for lower subscription rates and are not interested in ads in a traditional linear format.

These are a few of the findings in Hub Entertainment Research’s “Monetization of Video” report, which surveyed 1,764 broadband subscribers last month.

According to the survey, an equal percentage of respondents are cool with advertising on OTT services in exchange for free or lower-cost subscriptions, even without the capability to skip ads. However, the preference falls with age; 20% of respondents 18-24 do not support ad-supported streaming services, but that figure is 10% for older viewers.

Streamers that do use ads to subsidize subscription costs have to be sensitive to viewer perceptions of ad/price balance, according to Hub. “If Netflix is considering including ads in its service, the results show that the monthly subscription fee would need to be significantly lower than the current fee—to avoid losing subscribers,” the researcher said.

Subscribers also don’t want their streaming service to reflect a traditional linear TV service either. “Almost no respondents who viewed a show recently on linear through an MVPD considered the ad load reasonable—and a third felt it was unreasonable,” Hub said.

Another attractive feature for OTT services is the absence of term contracts that pay-TV providers traditionally require. Among 18-34 year olds, a seven-day free trial has become more important in attracting new subscribers in recent years, with the percentage rising from 29% to 38% in one year, Hub said.

Hulu is tops in customer satisfaction, with 80% of respondents rating it an “excellent” or “good” value, while Netflix came in second at 75%. That’s also the percentage of respondents who say that having access to Netflix on their cable box makes their cable TV subscription more valuable.

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GULFPORT, FLA.—Live TV still remains the go to choice for nearly half of TV viewers when they want to find something to watch, but subscription video-on-demand services are closing the gap, with Netflix leading the way. According to a new study from Hub Entertainment Research, one in four people will use an SVOD as their default source for programming and one in five says they turn to Netflix first.

Those already subscribed to Netflix, the study finds, are more likely to use the service to serve as their go to option. Subscribers that first check Netflix when they want to watch something reaches 31 percent; when focused toward the 16-24 age group, that number jumps to 50 percent. Netflix’s original programming is apparently playing a part in this, with a reported one-third of subscribers watching the original content most often.

Netflix is also performing better in this area than its streaming competitors, Hulu and Amazon Prime. The study finds that OTT households spend more time on Netflix than any other SVOD, though in terms of engagement, Hulu comes out on top. Hub reasons that though these results show that Hulu viewers are committed to the platform, it might not be their default source of programming.

Another area of interest the study focused on was which service would viewers keep above all others. Live TV just edged out Netflix 36 percent to 33 percent, though when it comes to younger viewers (18-34) Netflix came out on top.

SVOD continues to grow in households, with 65 percent of pay-TV subscribers saying they use either Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu as well. The report found that 38 percent of pay-TV subscribers had at least two of the services—up from 25 percent in 2016—and 14 percent had all three—up from 6 percent.

To see the full report, click here.