Category: FAST

Back when there were just three big streaming services (Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video) it was easy enough to manage them along with a cable subscription, especially since most consumers don’t seem to view Amazon as a video service they are paying for, but rather an additional perk of a free two-day delivery service.

But now that we’re up to eight mega-SVOD services, people are feeling overwhelmed. They don’t like having to go to Google to figure out which service that new Kaley Cuoco show about the flight attendant is on. Or remembering which six months free offer is about to expire. Or feeling compelled to only watch original series every time they turn on the TV.

Hence the desire for simplicity, for a return to something that looks and feels a lot like the old cable TV system, only without all the bad parts.

The percentage of U.S. TV watchers who say they use a free, ad-supported streaming service like Roku Channel, Pluto TV or Freevee ticked up 9 points to 55% in the first five months of 2022, according to a survey of 3,004 U.S. consumers conducted by Hub Entertainment Research.

Meanwhile, the percentage of those who report using a partially ad-supported tier of a subscription streaming service, including Peacock, Hulu or HBO Max, ticked up four points to 42% over that same span.

Smart TV manufacturers have been ramping up their content and ad offerings in ways that puts competitive pressure on providers of streaming media devices like Roku, Google, Apple and Amazon.

Since its introduction to LG’s webOS platform, LG Channels has grown into one of the top 6 apps on webOS in the U.S. in terms of streaming hours and averages approximately 40% daily growth compared to 2021 usage, LG reported.