Netflix’s The Perfect Couple had its debut as the No. 1 show on connected TV, according to TVision’s Power Score rankings for the week of September 2.

The show, starring Nicole Kidman, topped Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building (Season 4) and Apple TV Plus’ Bad Monkey, which had been the top two shows the week before and fell to No. 2 and No. 3. 

Rounding out the Top 5 were Peacock’s Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist and Amazon Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2).

Netflix had six shows in the Top 20. Hulu had five and Apple had four.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

Streaming continued to gain share of viewing on smart TVs in the second quarter and made big gains with people watching live sports and news, according to a new report from Inscape.

In the second quarter, streaming-only viewers account for 60% of viewing, compared with 36% of people with streaming, traditional pay TV and over-the-air TV and 4% who have  only over-the-air delivery available to them.

That’s compares to 58%/38%/5% in the first quarter and 50%/42%/8% a year ago, Inscape said.

Streaming made more inroads into live sports and news–two categories that are foundational for traditional linear pay TV.

In the second quarter, streaming had 30.4% of live sports viewing, up from 27.3% in Q1 and 23.1% a year ago.

For news, streaming had a 20.2% share, up slightly from 20.1% the previous quarter and 14.7% a years ago.

Streaming’s share of total live linear viewing was 25.7% in Q2, up from 24.4% in Q1 and 18.3% a year ago.

Apps offered by traditional media companies had 12.9% share of time spent streaming, compared to 87.1% from streaming-first publishers. A year ago, traditional media companies had a 13.5% share, compared to 86% for streaming-first publishers.

Inscape found that the number of native apps used by smart TV owners has leveled off, highing 5.5 for the past three quarters. It stook at 5.4 app on average during Q2 2023 and Q3 2023.

Inscape’s Q2 2024 Trends Report used data from over 24 million opted-in VIZIO smart TV devices nationwide.

Vizio said its WatchFree Plus streaming service is now available on the Vizio mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

Vizio users will be able to watch sports, news and entertainment programming for free where ever they are.

“Consumers have shown us how much they love WatchFree Plus, making it the number two most watched, free, ad-supported app on the Vizio platform, and we’re absolutely thrilled to make the service available to everyone in the Vizio mobile app– whether they have a Vizio TV or not,” said Katherine Pond, group VP of platform content & partnerships at Vizio.

“Making great entertainment affordable and accessible to everyone has always been core to our mission, and we are excited to offer even more users access to the amazing content and great experience that WatchFree Plus offers,” Pond said.

WatchFree Plus offers more than 260 free entertainment channels and 40 local channels.

The Vizio mobile app allows users to control Vizon TVs and soundbars. The latest update also includes a Home tab that serves as a central discovery point that  allows users to organize and launch their “favorite” apps to their Vizio TV as well as explore TV show and movie recommendations.

Vizio is in the process of being acquired by Walmart.

Matt Starker, chief business officer at Endeavor Streaming, has been promoted and will be responsible for the company’s streaming revenue and commercial operations.

Starker will continue to oversee corporate strategy and the company’s media advisory and growth services.

He reports to Endeavor Streaming President Fred Santarpia.

“Matt’s expertise in designing and executing strategies, built to deliver commercial growth for the world’s leading media companies, is second to none,” said Santarpia. “With this move, Endeavor Streaming will be better placed to identify and unlock growth opportunities for our partners at an earlier stage in the drive from strategy to delivery.”

Starker joined Endeavor Streaming in 2020 and has overseen the company’s evolution from a technology provider to a strategic business partner that supports rights holders and media properties with end-to-end direct-to-consumer strategies.  

“It’s a privilege to work with such amazing partners and colleagues each day. As the sports and wider media industries continue to evolve,” Starker said. “I am excited about the opportunity to continue to partner with world class brands to support their commercial growth and to help make their direct-to-consumer services reach as many fans as possible.”

Endeavor Streaming is a subsidiary of Endeavor. Its portfolio includes streaming for sports organizations including the NWSL, WNBA, UFC, University of Texas, World Rugby, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and R&A.

Vizio said it is launching a new Sports Zone hub on the Vizio hto help viewers find the games and events they want to watch.

Vizio Sports Zone, accessible Vizio's TV home scree, gathers live broadcasts and on-demand content from multiple streaming apps into a single spot, enabling smart TV users to stream college and pro games from the home screen with fewer clicks.

“Just in time for the exciting fall sports season, Vizio Sports Zone takes the Vizio home entertainment experience to the next level – making it easier for fans to find their favorite teams and the most exciting games each day directly on the TV,” said Steve Yum, group VP of Product Management. “We’re thrilled to introduce this new feature to Vizio Smart TV users.”

Vizio Sports Zone organizes live and upcoming games by sport and dedicated event pages display all streaming options across available apps.

Vizio Sports Zone users can also create their own personalized schedule by saving upcoming events to their personal watchlist. This allows users to go directly to their personalized Games Sports Watchlist row within Vizio Sports Zone or access from the My Watchlist row on the Vizio home page. 

The launch of Vizio  Sports Zone follows Vizios exclusive presentation of The Women’s Cup on WatchFree Plus.

Vizio  WatchFree Plus, offers more than 300 live channels and over 20,000 on-demand titles that span movies, news, sports, music, kids and family and reality and are available to watch for free.

Kartoon Studios said that Season 2 of the animated series Shaq’s Garage is streaming on Kartoon Channel!

The company said Season 1 of Shaq’s Garage contributed to subscriber growth and generated revenue and profit growth.

A nursery rhyme series also featuring former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal, Baby Shaq, is expected to have its debut in Q4, the company said.

“The first season of Shaq’s Garage drove significant growth for our kid's streaming service Kartoon Channel in terms of subscribers and revenue growth,” said Todd Steinman, president of Toon Networks at Kartoon Studios. “The second season has even more high-energy adventures, heartwarming moments, and positive messages. We are excited to continue our partnership with Shaquille O’Neal and deliver more engaging, value-oriented content that our audience loves."

Shaq’s Garage: Maximum Horsepower can be seen on platforms including Amazon Prime Video Channels, Tubi, Pluto TV, Xumo, Comcast, Cox, Dish, Sling, Roku, Samsung and LG.  

TCL unveiled five content creators who will participate in its  Film Machine AI TV/Film accelerator program. 

The short films they will create using artificial intelligence will premiere at the TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles and can then be viewed on the TCLtv Plus streaming service.

The winning filmmakers will work with TCL Studio to complete their projects and hone their skills. 

“The Film Machine program was designed to build new pathways for creatives to find success in the industry and help shape the future of storytelling. We want to showcase AI as a catalyst for innovation and creative collaboration and we can’t wait to get started developing projects with this extraordinary group of creatives,” said Haohong Wang, general manager of TCL Research America.

The five finalists are George Huang (writer/director), Paul Johansson (actor/writer/director), Kellita Smith (actress/model/comedian), Chen Tang (actor), and Kurt Yaeger (actor/writer/producer). 

“This is a pivotal moment of realignment in the industry and TCL is leading the way of demystifying the use of AI tools through our production initiatives,“ TCL North America chief content officer Chris Regina said. “We are honored to welcome each of these talented and intrepid visionaries to our Film Machine program and the TCL Studios. This imaginative group of creatives represents the very best of the entertainment industry and their experience and expertise will further strengthen our mission to enhance and advance content creation.”

TCL is using AI to develop original content designed to differentiate it from other streamers and TV set makers. TCLtv Plus has launched several AI titles including a sci-fi film short, Message in a Bot, which debuted on the platform in July, with several other AI projects in the development pipeline. 

Prior announcements in AI include the love story Next Stop Paris, which will debut later this year. 

In addition to being available on TCL sets, TCLtv Plus is distributed through Roku, Amazon and Google TV.

Bad Monkey, the new series on Apple TV Plus, took the top spot on TVision’s Power Score ranking of shows streaming on connected TV for the week of August 12.

The first two episodes of the drama starring Vince Vaughn dropped August 14 

In the No. 2 spot is another newly dropped show, Season 4 of Emily in Paris on Netflix. Part One of the new season dropped August 15.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Season 1 of RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars on Paramount Plus, Season 7 of Seal Team, also on Paramount Plus and Season 1 of Lady in the Lake on Apple TV Plus.

Paramount Plus had three shows in the Top 20 for the first time, with Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coming in at No. 20.

Netflix. which had the top two shows the previous week, had five shows in the Top 20 and Hulu had four.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

TV usage grew 2.3% in July as people started tuning in to watch the Paris Olympics on NBC and Peacock, according to Nielsen.

Led by Peacock, which jumped 33%, streaming’s share of TV usage climbed to 41.4%, its largest share ever, and the largest share ever for streaming, broadcast or cable since Nielsen began issuing monthly updates.

Peacock was not the only streaming service with a big July. YouTube became the first streamer to register a share of more than 10%.

HIstorically, with the broadcast networks in reruns, July has not been a big month for TV usage. But it has usually been a month in which streaming’s share increased.

But the Paris Olympics were a very big deal, with the top five–and seven of the top 10--telecasts in the month. 

In addition to increasing its share from 40.3% in June, total streaming usage increased by 5%.

YouTube was the top streamer with a 10.4% share in the month, up from 9.9% in June.

Netflix had an 8.4% share unchanged from June; Prime Video share share was 3.4%, up from 3.1%; Hulu had a 2.7% share, down from 3%; Disney Plus’ share grew to 2.1% from 2%; Tubi also had a 2.1% share, up from 2%; The Roku Channel’s share was 1.6% compared to 1.5%; Peacock’s share jumped to 1.5% from 1.2%; Max had a 1.4% share, unchanged; Paramount Plus had a 1.1% share, unchanged  and Pluto TV’s share was 0.7% down form 0.8% in June.

Max’s House of the Dragon was the biggest streaming show with 4.7 billion viewing minutes, followed by Bluey on Disney Plus, which had a record month in terms of share. The Boys had 4.2 billion viewing minutes, boosting Prime Video. In addition to the Olympics, Peacock had a hot show in Love Island.

Streaming had 10 titles that exceeded 1 billion viewing minutes and four of the top 10 days for streaming took place in July.

The Olympics brought NBC an average of 10 million viewers on July 28. For the month, broadcast had a 20.3% share, down from 20.5% in June. Broadcast viewing in July was up 5% from a year ago, when it was at a record low.

Cable usage in July was even with June, but its share dipped to 26.7% from 27/2%. The Republican National Convention and coverage ofthe shooting of former President Trump boosted cable news by 23% compared to June.

Paramount Global’s free streaming service Pluto TV said it added local news on channels from Fox stations in 17 markets.

The markets include major cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

They also include stations in political battleground states like Georgia, Texas, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Wisconsin as the presidential election approaches.

Pluto TV said it streams a diverse lineup of news from national sources like BBC News, Bloomberg TV, CBS News 24/7 and NBC News Now, as well as news from a number of CBS-owned stations.

Looking to take advantage of its Olympic shine, NBCUniversal will be airing the pilot episode of new Peacock series Mr. Throwback with gold medal-winning basketball hero Stephen Curry on NBC September 12 in primetime.

Mr. Throwback is a comedy featuring a down-on-his-luck sports memorabilia dealer who attempts to turn his life around by reuniting with Curry, a teammate in sixth grade.

From its premierw on August 8,  Mr. Throwback was a Top 5 Peacock original comedy

The series got a big push during the Paris Summer Olympics as Curry and the USA hoopers were winning the gold. During the games, Mr. Throwback was Peacock’s top non-sports program.

NBCU said 77% of the Peacock account holders who watched Mr. Throwback also watched Olympic basketball.

NBCU has already made a big investment in basketball, agreeing to a $2.6 billion year deal to air NBA games on NBC and Peacock starting with the 2025-6 season.

In addition to Curry, Mr. Throwback stars Ego Nwodim and Adam Pally.

Curry and Pally are executive producers of the show, along with David Caspe, Matthew Libman, Daniel Libman, Erick Peyton and David Wain.

Mr. Throwback is produced by Universal Television with Unanimous Media.

Amid the proliferation of direct-to-consumer services and free-ad supported streaming television (FAST) channels, a report from connected-TV programmer Future Today found that consumers trust brands appearing in family-friendly content.

The study, conducted by The Insights Family, found that 91% of parents believe that brands that advertise in kids and family content — including Future Today’s HappyKids FAST Channel — compared to brand advertising in other types of programming. 

Family programming encourages co-viewing, with parents watching with their kids. 

According to the study, 96% of parents engage with ads on HappyKids with parents and kids discussing the ads that they see. The discussions enable brands to build deeper connections with the parents and lead to better outcomes.

Moms tend to co-view more than dads and have shown significant interest in watching reality TV. Dads are more likely to co-view nature, history, and educational documentaries. 

“Ads on HappyKids are effective at capturing parental attention and driving engagement,” Jennifer D’Alessandro, head of ad sales and marketing at Future Today, added. “Families are talking about brands they see while consuming content, which leads to high purchase power within the family unit.”

Families were most comfortable discussing ads in the retail, food and restaurants, and travel categories.

Parents who watch HappyKids shop both in-person and online, with half preferring to shop online and a third preferring both forms of shopping.

More than a third of families dine out one to two times each week and 26% dine out two to four times weekly. Fast-food restaurants are the most popular choice as 78% of families dined at these establishments in the last month.  

Parents who watch HappyKids plan to take a family vacation in the next six months. Of those, 61% plan to visit a theme park as they have mass appeal to all ages within families. 

More than half (62%) of families watch content on streaming services daily with consumption shifting from cable TV. According to the study, 60% of users called streaming services their primary source of content consumption versus 4% who said that about cable TV.

“Advertising in family-focused content is good for brands, consumers and the advertising ecosystem,” Vikrant Mathur, co-founder of Future Today, said. “Parents, particularly moms, watch HappyKids with their children and are more engaged with the commercials when viewing in that co-viewed environment. This means if advertisers want to reach the primary driver of purchasing decisions within a home, they can’t ignore family-themed content.”

The study was based on online interviews with 302 parents in Q1 of children age 3 to 12 who watch kids and family content on Happykids. 

Two show shows freshly added to the Netflix lineup topped TVision’s Power Score rankings of shows on connected television for the week of August 5.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was the No. 2 show followed by the newly dropped Season 4 of The Umbrella Academy.

Apple TV Plus’ Presumed Innocent was No. 3 after consecutive weeks in the top spot.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Amazon Prime Video new Batman: Caped Crusader and Paramount Plus’s Mayor of Kingstown (Season 3).

Netflix had nine shows in the Top 20 (not counting The Big Bang Theory, which appears on multiple services.  No other service had more than two shows on the list.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the platform’s scale or the program’s release schedule.

DirecTV Stream is getting viewers ready for some football by offering new customers a big discount.

Starting Friday for a limited Time, new customers can sign up for DirecTV Stream’s entertainment package for $49.99 for the first three months. The regular price is $69.99.

New customers can also subscribe to DirecTV Stream’s Choice package for $69.99 for three months, That tier usually costs $108.99. 

Earlier this year for National Streaming Day on May 20, DirecTV Stream ran a similar promotion for viewers interested in the National Basketball Association postseason and the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup playoffs.

The company said the May offer doubled the amount of new DirecTV Stream customers per day, prompting the company to replay the offer with National Football League pre-season games starting.

Vizio reported smaller profits in the second quarter as usage of its smart TVs grew. 

Net income was $200,000, or 0 cents per share, compared to $1.9 million, or 1 cent a share a year ago.

Net revenue rose 11% to $437.3 million. Costs for selling, research and development were up.

The company is in the process of being acquired by Walmart.

Vizio’s Platform Plus business — advertising and data sales — posted gross profit of $98.6 million, up 15%.

Revenue for the Platform Plus business rose 19% to $169.4 million

The number of SmartCast active accounts rose 7% to 18.8 million. Total Vizio usage hours rose 5% to 9.3 billion and SmartCast hours rose 13% to 5.6 billion hours.

SmartCast average revenue per user (ARPU) rose 16% to $35.39.

Gross profit for Vizio’s device business was $900,000, up from $300,000 Revenue rose 6% to $267.9 million.

Smart TV shipments rose 15% to 1.2 million.

Apple TV Plus’ Presumed Innocent was remanded for a second-straight week in the top spot in TVision’s Power Score ranking for the top shows on connected TV for the week of July 29.

The Bear (Season 3) on Hulu, moved up to the No. 2 slot, while Netflix’s Dirty Pop: The Boy Bank Scam dropped to No. 3.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Those About to Die on Peacock and Mayor of Kingstown (Season 3) on Paramount Plus.

Netflix had six shows in the Top 20, while Apple TV Plus had five.

Axel F, the Beverly Hills Cop sequel on Netflix, was the top CTV movie in July.

Jumping up into the No. 5 position was Hillbilly Elegy on Netflix, based on the autobiographical book by vice presidential candidate JD Vance.

The other Top 5 movies in July were Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black on Amazon Prime Video, My Spy The Eternal City on Amazon and Find Me Falling on Netflix.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

Hearst Media Production Group said it expanded its relationship with Samsung TV Plus.

Under the new agreement, mor ethan 500 hours of original content from Hearst will be available to viewers on the free  Samsung TV Plus streaming platform. 

The added content includes episodes of weekly series Lucky Dog, Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward and various shows hosted by wildlife expert Jack Hanna,

“In this evolving media landscape, we’re expanding the distribution and access of HMPG’s premium content reaching millions of new viewers,” said Frank Biancuzzo, HMPG president.  

Samsung TV Plus already distributed  Hearst Media Productions Group free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels Xplore, Rovr Pets and The Jack Hanna Channel, 

“Our vast library of iconic family-friendly and timely series continues to build audiences across all platforms,” said Andrew Tew, HMPG senior vice president, global licensing & distribution.  “Samsung TV Plus is an ideal partner to advance our viewership footprint.”

Sports-focused streamer Fubo continued to reduce its net loss in the second quarter, despite losing subscribers.

The company lost 61,000 North American subscribers in the quarter, finishing with 1.45 million, up 24% from a year ago.

The company’s net loss in the fourth quarter was $26.7 million, or 8 cents a share, compared to a loss of $50 million, or17 cents a share a year ago.

Revenues rose 25% to $391 million  North American revenue were up 24% to $382 million, with revenue per subscriber rising to $85.69.

North American ad revenues rose 14% to $26 million in the quarter.

Fubo said it expects to have between 1.605 million and 1.625 million subscribers by the end of the third quarter and generated 3Q revenues of $360 million to $370 million.

At the end of fiscal 2024, the company expects to have 1.725 million to 1.745 million subscribers and generate $1.57 billion to $1.59 billion in revenues for the full year.

“Fubo delivered excellent results in the second quarter of 2024, despite the Warner Bros. Discovery content drop, achieving our sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year improvement in our global profitability metrics,” said David Gandler, co-founder and CEO, Fubo.  “In North America, we exceeded guidance, growing North America revenue by 26% and subscribers by 24% year-over-year. We're confident we can continue this success as we remain focused on delighting our users with more flexible bundle options as part of our Super Aggregation strategy, delivered to them through a single, frictionless app,” Gandler said.

Fubo has sued Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox and The Walt Disney Co. charging that their sports streaming joint venture Venu–launching later this month–violates antitrust laws. The company said it continues to believe the suit has merit.

“We also continue to advocate for a fairer playing field in the media industry, benefiting Fubo, our competitors and, most importantly, the American consumer,” Gandler said.

Vizio is jumping into sports with exclusive live coverage of the Women’s Cup summer soccer tournament on its WatchFree Plus streaming platform.

The Women’s Cup, featuring top professional soccer teams from the U.S., South America, Europe, Asia and Africa, is the first live sporting event on WatchFree Plus in the U.S., Vizio said.

Vizio will also be looking to cash in on the boom in women’s sports.

For Vizio set owners, a free pop-up channel will kick off August 7 and live games will start streaming August 9.

“We are thrilled to be the exclusive home of The Women’s Cup in the United States, highlighting our commitment to showcasing excellence in women’s sports,” Vizio group VP of platform content and partnerships Katherine Pond said. “Bringing live sports to WatchFree Plus is one way that we can celebrate the talent and passion of female athletes while making world-class sports entertainment more accessible to everyone.”

Previously the Women’s Cup was streamed on Paramount Plus.

The Women’s Cup is a co-production of Onside Entertainment, FXE Futbol, Royal Soccer, and Agrizonis Sports, along with ex-Juventus, Boca Juniors, and FC Dallas players.

“The Women’s Cup aims to reach new audiences and share the power of women’s soccer,” The Women’s Cup CEO John Paul Reynal said. “We are proud to name Vizio the exclusive viewing destination for the tournament in the U.S. so that millions will be able to enjoy the best talent and competition from around the world.” 

Vizio is also offering fans who attend tournament games in Louisville, Kentucky, and visit the Vizio bus a chance to win a Vizio smart TV or soundbar.

Rapper, actor and filmmaker Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit Film and Television production company have teamed up with Lionsgate to create 50 Cent Action, a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel.

Lionsgate said 50 Cent Action is one of the first talent-branded FAST Channels and is designed to target action lovers, a potentially large audience.

“50 Cent’s movies and television series are synonymous with non-stop action, and we’re thrilled to extend our longstanding partnership into the FAST space,” said Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution Jim Packer. “Drawing from one of the biggest action libraries in the world, this channel will give 50’s global fan base a deep slate of action movies and television series while expanding his reach to new audiences worldwide.”

50 Cent has worked with Lionsgate, executive production the Power universe of series that have appeared on Starz, as well as the current crime drama BMF.

“This is a natural extension of the work we’re doing at G-Unit Film and Television and G-Unit Studios,” Jackson said.

“This channel will bring diverse, action-packed content to audiences everywhere, reflecting my passion for storytelling and providing a platform for fresh, dynamic voices,” he said. “I look forward to working closely with all the FAST platforms to make this a successful channel."

Jackson will work closely with Lionsgate to promote and curate the channel, taking advantage of the more than 100 million followers he has across social media.

In addition to a dozen films featuring 50 Cent and the original Power series, the channel will feature titles from Lionsgate’s library of more than 20,000 films including action hits like The Expendables, The Hitman’s Bodyguard and Rambo.

The channel will also offer behind-the-scenes footage of the star.

50 Cent Action joins two dozen Lionsgate FAST channels. The portfolio includes Ebony TV, focused on African-American audiences, as well as MovieSphere, the only global premium movie channel offered by a major studio and the first FAST channel to be rated by Nielsen.

Amazon Prime Video will be spending $1.8 billion a year to stream National Basketball Association games under the new deal it reached with the league. 

That’s a lot of money, but New Street Research analyst Dan Salmon expects Amazon to get some of that back by increasing the price for Prime Video in 2025, the year the NBA deal kicks in.

Amazon turned Prime Video into a mostly ad-supported business this year. And while sports attracts big numbers of viewers and are still coveted by advertisers, increased subscription video could help turn Prime into a money making business alongside Amazon’s online retail and web services businesses.

Also Read: Legal Precedent Favors the NBA in Wrestling Match Against Warner Bros. Discovery

“We think the addition of NBA rights puts Amazon in a better position to raise the price of Prime in 2025, after promising to leave price in place in 2024 as advertising rolls out on Prime Video, Salmon said in a research note.

With most streamers other than Netflix losing money on their direct-to-consumer business, subscription prices have been going up across the board, which is good for Wall Street, but not so good for consumers  who thought their cable bills were too high.

Ad supported streaming services have lower subscription prices, offering viewers’ wallets, while subjecting their eyeballs to commercials.

To be sure, fueled by data from Amazon’s retail business, Prime Video will probably be able to ramp up its ad business faster than steaming rival Netflix, which belatedly launched a lower-priced tier that included commercials in shows..

“Amazon’s access to targeting data (shopper, retail, etc.) and proprietary ad tech create the potential for superior monetization than a traditional network could achieve on its own,” Salmon said. “Whether we will see that prove out will likely take several years to determine, but it’s easy to understand why the NBA would want to start proving that out sooner rather than later.”

Amazon will be announcing its second quarter earnings on Thursday. In the first quarter Amazon’s ad revenues--predominantly online retail advertising--rose 24% to $11.8 billion. The Wall Street consensus is that will increase to $11.7 billion in Q2.

Working with Amazon helped the NBA boost its rights fees in this go around and could continue to do so well into the future. 

The NBA’s decision to go with Amazon–and reject long-time partner Turner Sports (now part of Warner Bros. Discovery)--”shows that major sports leagues are increasingly included to play ball with the streamers (pun intended) as their legacy linear network careers are existentially weakened by accelerated cord cutting,” he said.

“Starting a relationship today, even at slightly less favorable economics or smaller scale, may pay dividends in the future both as a stalking horse in future negotiations and as the natural evolution of a business that remains popular with consumers, but whose legacy delivery mechanism is not,” Salmon said.

Brad Altfest,managing director of media and entertainment at Agora, adds that the NBA sees Amazon as a better fit with its fans than traditional, linear media.

Altfest notes that 30% of NBA viewers are under the age of 35.

“The league might be looking to appeal to young, tech-savvy viewers by giving them a more interactive streaming experience,” he said. “Broadcasting games on Amazon can allow fans to interact with the game they love like never before, thanks to real-time engagement tools such as live polls, selectable camera angles, and interactive stats, making each game more immersive and personalized.”

On the ad side, Amazon can send viewers more personalized ads, making it easier for viewers to buy jerseys and other nicknacks featuring their favorite team’s logos and player names.

“In a league where the stars are the brightest, this can revolutionize the way fans can watch and interact with some of the biggest names in sports,” Altfest said. “It also provides a massive air of legitimacy to Amazon's live sports offerings- previously their biggest get was the NFL's Thursday Night Football, but they're graduating from one game a week to more consistent offerings, including the WNBA finals, that show that it's entry to the sports market is only just beginning."

Comscore said it now measures YouTube audiences across all digital devices in the U.S.

The new capability adds data about YouTube viewing on connected TVs to Comscore’s Video Metrix Multi-Platform product, enabling advertisers to better evaluate ad campaigns that incorporate YouTube.

Comscore's expanded YouTube CTV measurement includes a direct integration with YouTube, the company said. 

“Comscore is solving for the convergent shift in cross-platform audiences and continues to lead in digital and video measurement that incorporates person-level insights and deduplicates video audiences across digital,” Comcscore chief commercial officer Steve Bagdasarian said. “Bringing YouTube CTV to Comscore’s Video Metrix Multi-Platform suite will give publishers complete reporting of its reach across all video platforms.” 

Comscore said total YouTube audiences will be available in more countries in 2025, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Spain and the U.K. 

Going deep into its playbook, Verizon Communications is offering NFL Sunday Ticket to new subscribers and customers who upgrade their home internet plans or add an additional line or new device to their mobile account. 

Sunday Ticket, sold by YouTube, costs $449 a year and enables fans to watch out-of-market NFL games.

Some existing subscribers will get $100 off a season of Sunday Ticket.

Verizon is also working with YouTube to offer $10 a month off subscriptions to the YouTube TV Base plan, which cuts the monthly price to $62.99 a month from $72.99 a month.

As part of the promotion, Verizon is also offering customers an opportunity to win tickets to games from Verizon Access. Verizon said tickets to every NFL game for all 32 teams will be given away.

“Whether you watch the game on NFL Sunday Ticket, YouTube TV, or score tickets from Verizon Access, Verizon is making it easier than ever for football fans to stay connected to the game and teams they love,” a Verizon spokesperson said. “Plus, Verizon now powers all 30 NFL Stadiums with 5G Ultra Wideband technology, delivering the best experience and connectivity.“

Cobra Kai returned to Netflix for Season 6 and jumped to the top spot in TVision’s Power Score ranking of shows on connected TV for the week of July 15.

Netflix dropped the first five episodes of the new season of the Karate Kid sequel on July 18.

Apple TV Plus’ Presumed Innocent was the No. 2 show, followed by The Bear (Season 3) on Hulu, The Acolyte on Disney Plus, and Evil on Paramount Plus.

Like the previous week, TVision notes that each of the top 5 show streams on a different service.

Netflix had the most shows in the Top 20 with seven. Apple TV Plus, Hulu and Paramount Plus each had three shows in the Top 20.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

Streaming media company Future Today said it is working with iSpot.tv to measure and optimize the streaming advertising campaigns it sells.

iSpot is one of the measurement companies challenge Nielsen, the leader in the TV measurement business. 

iSpot’s Streaming Measurement systems focuses on measuring the incremental reach of streaming beyond linear, helping advertisers fine tune the delivery of their campaigns.

It will also enable Future Today to demonstrate audience reach with third-party data.

iSpot also works with streamers ranging from Amazon and YouTube to Roku and Moonbug Entertainment, as well as The Trade Desk

“With more content being consumed on streaming platforms, we knew we were bringing in a new audience that had never experienced cable or linear television, and it was crucial for us to partner with an innovator like iSpot.tv, to help advertisers reach, measure and engage with audiences at scale in these environments,” said Vikrant Mathur, co-founder of Future Today

“Through our integration with iSpot.tv, we are able to unlock valuable viewership insights including co-viewership and incremental reach to measure and optimize campaign performance across our flagship and hundreds of partner apps for brands to feel confident in knowing the campaigns are successful,” added Jennifer D'Alessandro, head of ad sales and marketing at Future Today. 

Early data from iSpot indicates that ads on Future Today’s apps achieve substantial incremental reach above linear TV.

Smaller brands had 89% incremental reach and impressions and medium-sized brands showed a 67% incremental reach and 67% more incremental impressions.

The results spanned today, auto, travel and quick-service restaurant brands.

“With iSpot’s Streaming Measurement, advertisers can tweak creative, reallocate budgets and re-strategize mid-flight based on real performance data. This agility lets brands maximize the impact of every ad dollar and capitalize on the clear opportunity that exists within the streaming environment,” said Dan Lowenberg, VP of media partnerships at iSpot.

Netflix said in last Thursday’s Q2 letter to shareholder’s that it won’t be taking part in the increasingly common practice of bundling its service with subscription streaming competitors.

“We haven’t bundled Netflix solely with other streamers like Disney Plus or Max because Netflix already operates as a go-to destination for entertainment thanks to the breadth and variety of our slate and superior product experience,” Netflix said in the letter. 

This position jibes with data released last month by Antenna suggesting service bundling presents more of a "cannibalization risk" to Netflix vs. other streaming companies. 

Also read: Disney Bundle Cuts Hulu Churn Nearly in Half (Charts of the Day)

In the Q2 version of its  State of Subscription report, published last month, Antenna tracked the effectiveness of bundling by measuring the ratio of customers who are "curious" about seeing other streaming services, vs. "committed" customers.

Also Read: Netflix Solidly Beats Revenue Forecasts With 17% Growth in Q2, Adds More Than 8 Million Subscribers

To differentiate between potentially productive bundles and what Antenna calls “cannibalistic” bundle opportunities, it’s important to determine whether both services have a large enough pool of curious customers.

According to Antenna, if one service has a greater ratio of committed customers compared to its partner, the bundle presents a cannibalization risk to the service with fewer curious customers.

And Antenna’s report says that Netflix boasts the highest percentage of committed customers, with 58%.

It’s also the only premium SVOD with more committed customers than curious ones.

That’s likely why Netflix’s has avoided partnerships involving just fellow streaming services, favoring instead collaboration with internet service providers to avoid crossing customer bases.

Just last week, Verizon unveiled a new bundling promotion for its home and wireless internet customers, offering them a year free of Netflix Premium if they also pay for Peacock Premium. 

The difference between these bundles and Antenna’s “potentially cannibalistic” partnerships is that they run through internet providers rather than directly with Netflix’s curious-customer-rich streaming competitors.

Season 3 of The Bear on Hulu moved up into the top spot in TVision Power Score rankings of shows streaming on connected TV during the week of July 8.

Last week, The Bear was the No. 2 show. Season 1 of The Bear ranked No. 15 as viewers caught up with older episodes.

Following The Bear in the rankings was The Acolyte, the latest Star Wars series from Disney Plus.

Presumed Innocent, which was just picked up for a second season by Apple TV Plus, was the No. 3 show for the week.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Paramount Plus’s Evil (Season 4) and Netflix’s The Man with 1000 Kids.

While each of the Top 5 series came from a different streaming service, Netflix had 10 shows in the Top 20.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

Team USA TV, a new free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel has been launched ahead of the Paris Summer Olympics by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, working with NBCUniversal and FAST Studios.

The channel will give viewers a look at athletes training and competing to be part of Team USA, as well as archival footage of past Olympic Games.

Tune in to learn more about Team USA athletes, relive iconic Olympic and Paralympic moments, get behind-the-scenes access to Team USA House in Paris and hear about the Team USA athlete journey as Olympians prepare to qualify and compete.

“Team USA TV represents a welcome expansion of coverage for American Olympic and Paralympic athletes, providing a year-round companion to NBC’s coverage of national and international events, the Olympic & Paralympic Trials and the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” NBC Sports senior VP of Olympic programming and executive editor Joe Gesue said. “Showcasing athlete stories and bringing viewers closer to their journeys is the bedrock foundation of NBC’s approach, and the opportunity to partner even more closely with the USOPC will amplify our collective ability to do so.”

The new channel is available via Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Vizio WatchFree Plus, LG Channels and Xumo Play. It is expected to launch soon on Comcast NBCU’s Peacock.

“Adding Team USA to the FAST Studios roster, and producing Team USA Now, a flagship studio-based show, will allow fans everywhere to experience the athlete’s ongoing journey to represent Team USA,” FAST Studios CEO Stuart McLean said. 

FAST Studios works with well-known brands to launch streaming television networks.

“In addition to supporting NBCUniversal’s wonderful Olympic and Paralympic broadcasts from Paris, Team USA TV will serve as a year-round home for Team USA athletes to share their stories, and for fans to follow the journeys of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic team athletes,” Katie Bynum Aznavorian, chief strategy and growth officer, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, said. 

“This partnership with NBC and Fast Studios extends coverage of Team USA in between the Games, fueling fans’ interest to get access to the diverse personalities and gritty performances that make up Team USA as they work every day to drive their personal performance forward and represent the United States in competition,” she said.

BET Media Group is launching free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels featuring comedies and dramas created by Tyler Perry.

The BET Tyler Perry Comedy channel and BET Tyler Perry Drama Channel are available on Roku, Pluto TV, Plex and TCL. BET said more platforms will be added soon.

The channels will feature back-to-back episodes of popular shows that appeared on BET as part of a production partnership between the channel and the producer/performer.

The partnership was recently expanded through 2028 and included creating programming for both linear networks and streaming. As part of the new deal, Perry will deliver hundreds of new episodes of current and new series to BET.

BET Media Group is part of Paramount Global, but there have been reports that BET is one of the units Paramount is considering selling. At one point, Perry was named among the parties interested in buying BET.

“The introduction of Perry’s content to FAST channels is a momentous occasion in our partnership,” Louis Carr, president of media sales at BET Media Group, said. “We’re thrilled to provide Black audiences with a fresh avenue to enjoy Tyler Perry's content and offer more access options for our original programming.”

BET shows already on the new channels include Tyler Perry’s Sistas, Tyler Perry’s The Oval, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, Tyler Perry’s Ruthless, All the Queen’s Men, Tyler Perry’s ZATIMA and Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living. 

Soon to be added are the series Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns, Tyler Perry’s The Haves and The Have Nots, Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse and Tyler Perry’s Too Close To Home.

Streaming penetration increased in the second quarter despite services pulling back on original content, according to a new report from MoffettNathanson media analyst Michael Nathanson.

In his All Things Streaming update, Nathanson said Netflix’s efforts to crack down on password-sharing appear to be paying off, and that he is raising his forecast for how many subscribers the platrform added for the quarter by 500,000 to 5.5 million, ahead of the streamer reporting its earnings on Thursday. The increase includes gains in North America.

The analyst also raised his estimate for Netflix’s second-quarter earnings to $22.35 a share from $22.25 a share and his target price for Netflix stock by $35 to $565 a share.

Using data from polling firm HarrisX, Nathanson said that during the quarter, streaming penetration edged up to 85% and usage increased as well for all of the key streaming services.

The biggest gainer in penetration was Comcast NBCUniversal’s Peacock, which rose to 21%. The smallest gainers were Apple TV Plus and Disney’s Hulu.

Daily usage of streaming services was also up for all of the services except Disney Plus and Warner Bros. Discovery's Discovery Plus.

The average number of streaming services per household rose to 4 from 3.8 and the average number of streaming services watched increased to 4.2 from 4.1.

“On the one hand, we expect in time this number to start ticking down as the streaming space rationalizes and consolidates, the increasing prevalence of bundles may keep users subscribed to a multitude of services well into the future,” Nathanson said. 

Nathanson said that Netflix widened its lead over the other streamers during the quarter with 40% of its subscribers using the service daily. Paramount Global's Paramount Plus and WBD's Max also showed substantial gains in daily usage.

The streaming gains came as they released less content.

Netflix released 92 original seasons, down from 97 a year ago, according to the report.

“Two years ago, Netflix released a flurry of originals each quarter to find the select few shows that would break out,“ Nathanson said. “Now the market has shifted to allow the company to drive an increasingly large share of its viewership with its competitors’ content. 

“This is reflected in acquired titles (and especially nonexclusive acquired titles) rapidly increasing share of the list of top streamed titles,“ he added. “Only two of 2Q24’s top 20 most streamed titles this quarter were an original.” 

Most of the other big streamers followed suit by releasing less content in the second quarter. Peacock was the exception, releasing the same number of new original seasons in Q2 as it did a year ago.

Looking at the increase in nonexclusive titles streaming on multiple services, Nathanson noted this is something Netflix has grown increasingly comfortable with.

“It has seen time and again that a top acquired title, even if available elsewhere, can still be a top performer,” he said.

“Whether success on Netflix trickles back to the licensee is to be seen; popularity on Netflix seems to elevate what were previously second-tier titles such as Suits and Warrior but likely has a more muted impact on already popular titles such as Young Sheldon,” he said. “Still, this arrangement will likely only continue to increase in popularity as companies seek out increased licensing revenues.”

In the HarrisX survey, the number of people citing cost as the reason for cutting the cord declined, while the share mentioning content as a motivation increased, particular for Hulu, which streamed Shōgun and The Bear in the quarter.

As the number of people who have streaming services increased in the quarter, so did the percentage of people with both pay TV and streaming, which rose to 35% from 32% in Q1.

Future Today said it has signed licencing deals with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Samuel Goldwyn Films and Gravitas Ventures that will add fresh content to its Fawesome free ad-supported streaming service.

“Fawesome’s growing audience has come to expect engaging and entertaining content,” Future Today VP senior VP of content acquisitions and partnerships David Di Lorenzo said. “Our new deals with these major studios allow us to continue to expand our premium content offering while satisfying the wants of our audience.”

Fawesome will add nearly a dozen films from Sony including Drive, Priest and The Guns of Navarone.

Titles coming to Fawesome from Samuel Goldwyn include The Baader Meinhof Complex, Taxi, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific.

The films Killbird, Bleeding Heart, Bluejay and The Stalking Fields will arrive on Fawesome from Gravitas, an Anthem Sports & Entertainment unit.

Earlier this year, Fawesome added a package of movies from Warner Bros. Discovery.

Future Today recently updated Fawesome’s user interface and said user growth increased more than 100% year over year.

“Future Today is dedicated to providing premium content solutions for advertisers. With Fawesome boasting an exceptionally diverse audience, often challenging to engage, these partnerships help brands reach desired audiences more effectively,” Jennifer D’Alessandro, head of ad sales and marketing at Future Today, said.

Zeam Media, formerly known as Syncbak, said it hired a group of senior executives to staff the local TV streaming service, Zeam, which was launched in February.

The new executives are Ali Edwards, executive producer and studio manager; Jessica Levy, senior director, social media; Bea Bueno, associate creative director; Alan Barish, senior media planner and buyer; and Martial Gentil, media director.

Backed by Gray Television, Zeam streams local news, sports and culture programming from TV stations across the country.

“The Zeam platform is filling a need in the market and has resonated with viewers, broadcasters, advertisers, and content creators,” Zeam CEO and founder Jack Perry said. “The addition of these talented individuals to our team will help us meet the growing demands for what Zeam uniquely offers. With their contributions, we are looking forward to building into a leading player in streaming and hyperlocal content.”

Edwards was previously head of development for Disarming Film and wrote, produced and starred in the independent feature August at Twenty-Two. At Zeam, she will aim to elevate the platform’s original content.

Levy had been senior director, social content and strategy for Audacy. She also worked at Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone. At Zeam, she will oversee social growth strategies for Zeam Media’s brands.

Bueno has been at ad agencies including Known and DDB and will lead visual identity, user experience and user interface design at Zeam. She will also oversee digital campaign production.

Barish had been SEM manager at Diligent. He will oversee the research, planning and execution of media buying strategies to optimize Zeam’s ad campaigns.

Gentil had been global media director at ISPD, Happyfication and Havas. He also founded a consulting firm SHARP Media & Data. He will serve as a consultant to lead the company’s media team. 

Netflix’s series Worst Roommate Ever (Season 2) was the top show streaming on connected TV, according to TVision’s Power Score rankings for the week of July 1.

Worst Roommate Ever beat out such high-profile shows as Hulu’s The Bear, Disney Plus’s The Acolyte and Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys to be No. 1 for the week.

Netflix’s Supacell came in fifth place and was one of nine Netflix shows in the Top 20.

Netflix also had the top streaming movie in June with Hit Man.

Hulu’s Brats was No. 2, followed by Netflix’s Atlas and Mother of the Bride.

Rounding out the Top 5 was Disney Plus’ Jim Henson Idea Man.

Netflix had 9 of the top 20 movies for the month.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

With a big election coming up, LG Ad Solutions has released a study showing that Democrat, Republican and independent connected-TV users all prefer streaming compared to cable, satellite and broadcast.

LG hired Keith Norman last year to head political ad sales. The study will be used to help convince candidates to shift more money from traditional TV to streaming.

“We wanted to understand the affinity for CTV regardless of political affiliation and location across the country and found voters are streaming and are open to receiving political advertising,” said Norman, VP of sales, political practice, at LG Ad Solutions.

“This research underscores a seismic shift towards streaming across all political affiliations and geographic regions in the U.S.,“ Norman said. “Political marketers must adapt their outreach strategies accordingly, prioritizing CTV and streaming to ensure comprehensive voter engagement.”

Money is already moving. Citing a forecast from AdImpact, LG Ad Solutions said political-ad spending on connected TV is expected to jump 24% to $1.34 billion from last year’s midterm elections. 

LG’s survey found that independent voters particularly like streaming, with 70% saying they preferred streaming to cable, satellite or broadcast.

Among Democrats, 63% said they preferred streaming, while 57% of Republicans voted for streaming.

Other findings include:

• Over the past 12 months, viewers across political parties have begun watching less linear TV, with Democrats watching 27% less, Republicans watching 35% less and Independents watching 39% less.
• Regardless of political affiliation, CTV users in the U.S. prefer free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST), with 69% of Democrats, 72% of Republicans and 66% of Independent affiliated viewers stating they prefer FAST to ad-free subscription streaming.
• 93% of viewers across parties indicated that they multitask across devices while streaming, creating extended opportunities to engage on mobile and desktop.

Perhaps most importantly, CTV viewers expect streaming ads to be relevant, increasing the likelihood of engagement.

LG said the findings support that there are advantages to dong business with a smart TV maker.

“Our direct-to-glass strategy allows political marketers to leverage our proprietary advanced ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) data for precise targeting while maintaining reach and frequency control, which hasn’t been possible before,” said Norman.

CTV also enables advertisers to target streaming-only voters, avoid the high costs of commercial time on broadcast and focus on ZIP codes rather than designated market areas (DMAs). 

LG Ad Solutions said it surveyed 973 U.S. CTV users who are affiliated with political parties via an online panel in February and March.

Smart TV-set maker TCL’s streaming service TCLtvPlus said it employed artificial intelligence to create its first sci-fi short film, Message in a Bot.

TCL has been using AI to create original content that will make it stand out from other set makers' streaming platforms.  A love story produced using AI, Next Stop Paris, will debut later this summer.

“With our bullish approach to AI in all its applications, TCL is surpassing the legacy business practices of film and television, reinforcing innovation that drives growth across every aspect of our business,“ said Haohong Wang, general manager of TCL Research America, who oversees TCLtvPlus and the TCLtvPlus Studios.

Message in a Bot tells a story of what happens when an alien craft crash-lands on Earth containing advanced technology and instructions. Humans build and launch a spacecraft capable of interstellar travel and journey across the universe in an attempt to make contact. 

The short film had its online debut on Monday on YouTube and X. It will premiere on TCLtv Plus on July 22. 

Message in a Bot was conceived and animated in-house at the TCLtvPlus global studios. The script was developed as a research project to pressure test new tech advancements in AI, but one of the animators discovered it and wanted to bring it fully to life. Erik Howell, the animator, is credited as an executive producer, along with TCL chief content officer Chris Regina and TCL chief creative officer Daniel Smith. 

“We are energized by the resourcefulness and ingenuity of artists working in AI who can quickly bring their imagination to life,” Regina said. “By leaning into rapidly evolving AI tools, the timeline from idea to release is shorter than ever before. It’s an exhilarating process that allows for extraordinary freedom and creativity.”

Fox has launched Tubi in the United Kingdom, looking to spread the fast-growing free ad-supported streaming platform in international territories.

U.K. viewers will be able to access a free Tubi app on every major connected TV platform, iOS and Android smartphones and on the web, the company said.

The service will feature more than 20,000 movies and TV episodes on demand, including Tubi Originals as well as content from The Walt Disney Co., Lionsgate, NBCUniversal and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Since being acquired in 2020 for $440 million, Tubi has been one of Fox’s fastest growing businesses. 

In May, it tied with Disney Plus, accounting for 1.8% of all television usage in the U.S., according to Nielsen, and the fastest growing streaming service since Nielsen began issuing monthly assets more than a year ago.

During Fox’s fiscal third quarter earnings call, the company said Tubi’s revenues increased 22% with a 36% jump in total view time and 20% growth in in monthly active users to nearly 80 million in the U.S.

“Tubi has spent the last decade honing our approach to vast, free and fun streaming in North America, and we feel that now is the perfect time to bring that recipe to U.K. audiences,” Tubi CEO Anjali Sud said. “We are launching with one of the largest and most diverse content libraries in the U.K., designed to indulge viewers in everything from blockbusters to original stories to hidden gems. Most importantly, we're committed to listening to what resonates with U.K. fans, and bringing them more and more of what they love.”

With cord-cutters having difficulty finding content they want to watch, Tubi uses machine learning to deliver a personalized experience that highlights shows and movies likely to resonate with viewers.

The U.K. launch will be backed with an advertising campaign starting July 15 with the slogan, “Watch what you actually want to watch.”

“At a time when traditional programming feels homogenous and when finding what to watch feels like a chore, Tubi has been effective at delivering delight beyond the monoculture with content that appeals to diverse and vibrant fandoms,” Tubi executive VP and managing director of international David Salmon said. “We believe that we can build a brilliantly broad, culturally ambitious offering that puts U.K. audiences back at the center and makes it fun and easy to enjoy great entertainment from around the world.” 

When kids want to watch SpongeBob SquarePants, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol, they’re going to YouTube, not cable or media-company streaming services, according to a new study from Precise TV and Giraffe Insights.

The new volume of the Precise Advertiser Report: Kids found a 30% increase in kids using YouTube, while paid streaming services usage was down 53% and free VOD services were down 40%.

Content from Paramount’s Nickelodeon, which used to dominate kids’ viewing on cable, is now being consumed more on YouTube than on streaming services Netflix or Hulu. 

When they’re streaming on their phones and tablets, kids are seeking out  the Nickelodeon channel on YouTube.

Among the most popular channels were SpongeBob SquarePants, watched by 48% of kids, with the Nickelodeon and Paw Patrol channels watched by 40% of kids. 

Next on the list were Bluey, Peppa Pig, Nick Jr., Cocomelon, Disney Music, MrBeast and PJ Masks.

Paramount’s Paramount Plus ranks high among streaming services with 29% of parents and families saying they’ve watched it recently. That ranks it behind only Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube Kids.

“Traditional media networks and their time-honored franchises are winning attention in the non-TV arena, and winning Gen Alpha’s attention at record rates,” Christian Dankl, co-founder and chairman of Precise TV, said. “Children and their parents are increasingly turning to social video to watch content traditionally accessed via streaming services. We’re noticing certain media networks rise above the pack with effective social-mobile strategies that are stoking attention in their kid-friendly content.” 

For advertisers, YouTube has established itself as the place to go to reach kids. The report said the platform delivers high advertising recall rates and has a great deal of influence over family purchase decisions.

• YouTube delivers 2.3 times greater ad recall compared to broadcast TV and 2.6 times greater than video-on-demand.
• Nearly a third of kids think the best commercials air against their favorite YouTube content
• More than 20% of parents are inspired by YouTube to buy things for their children.
• 60% parents agree that they are more likely to purchase a product they saw advertised when co-viewing with their child.

Video also faces a challenge from gaming in reaching kids, according to Precise TV.

Gaming is the third most-popular media consumption platform for kids, behind only YouTube and VOD apps. Nearly 60% kids play mobile or tablet games, with 45% playing video games.

Puzzle, adventure and building games are the most popular mobile games, the report said..

In-game ads are proving to be effective with kids. More than a fifth of kids remember seeing ads when they are mobile gaming, with toy and game ads being the most recalled ad categories.

E.W. Scripps Co. said it is making its Ion Plus free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) network available over-the-air beginning July 1. 

Ion Plus will be available in 90% of the U.S. television homes over the air, enabling the channel to reach a bigger audience. 

It will continue to be streamed on FAST platforms including Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Vizio WatchFree Plus, LG Channels and Amazon Freevee. It can also be watched by subscribers to Fubo.

Scripps operates a number of digital multicast over-the-air networks, including Grit, Laff, Court TV and Scripps News and it has expanded their distribution by creating FAST versions.

At a time when cord-cutting is reducing the number of pay TV subscribers, Scripps has been promoting over-the-air to viewers (via antennas) and advertisers trying to reach viewers no longer available on cable.

Scripps is among the leaders in the amount of broadcast spectrum it has available between its local network affiliated stations and the stations it acquired with Ion Media in 2020.

The purchase of Ion Media boosted Scripps national networks business, but since the acquisition, the ad market has tightened and revenues have been down.

Also Read: E.W. Scripps Takes $686 Million Charge Against National Networks

In the second quarter, Scripps reported that segment profit for its national network unit dropped to $49.7 million from $51.5 million the prior year as revenue dipped 3.3% to $209 million. 

Programming on Ion Plus features off-network series including MacGyver, Scorpion, Murdoch Mysteries, Leverage, Hudson & Rex and Private Eyes.

Scripps rebranded Ion earlier this year and has been adding sports and live events to the network, making deals to air games from the WNBA and the National Women’s Soccer League.

Scripps also has Ion Mystery, which is currently available as a FAST channel.

The Boys returned for a new season on Amazon Prime Video and jumped into the top spot in TVision’s Power Score Ratings for connected in the week of June 10.

Prime Video released the first three episodes season four of The Boys on June 13.

Three other new shows were among the Top 5 for the week, with Apple TV’s Presumed Innocent at No. 2, season two of Disney Plus’s The Acolyte at No. 4 and Paramount Plus’s Mayor of Kingstown at No. 5.

Netflix’s Bridgerton (Season 3) was the No. 3 show.

Last week, Netflix’s Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult was the top show. It dropped to No. 9. 

Netflix had five shows in the Top 20 to lead all of the other streaming services.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

Fremantle said it made a deal with Paramount Global’s Pluto TV to launch 25 free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels across 13 countries.

The channels are based on well-known shows, such as Baywatch, Three’s Company and Family Feud. The deal also includes the launch of an all-new channel, Escape to the Country, in the U.K.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Pluto TV globally, extending Fremantle’s treasured IP to many new territories,” Laura Florence, senior VP, global FAST channels at Fremantle, said. “Pluto TV’s state-of-the-art platform provides a seamless streaming experience for viewers and makes it the perfect home for our channels. This is the next stage of our valued partnership with Pluto TV, as we continue to evolve our FAST strategy and content delivery for our global audience.”

The new channels are being launched in markets including Austria, Spain, Italy, San Marino, Demark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S. 

The channels are being curated for their specific markets.

“We are beyond excited to expand the Fremantle content offering on Pluto TV across international markets,” added Katrina Kowalski, senior VP, international content and acquisition for Pluto TV at Paramount. “Pluto TV’s mission to offer lean-back entertainment for fans around the world harnesses the spirit of content like Escape to the Country and Three’s Company, which are perfect for people to gather to watch from the comfort of their living rooms.”

Streaming grabbed a record high 38.8% share of television usage in May as total usage fell 2.4% from April, according to Nielsen.

Nielsen said the sitcom Young Sheldon presented a strong example of how TV is converging. The series generated 6 billion viewing hours, with half coming on streaming and the other half on traditional broadcast and cable TV. 

Young Sheldon appeared on CBS, TBS, Nick at Nite, Paramount Plus, Netflix and Max. It ended its first run on CBS on May 16. 

With season finales airing, broadcast’s share of TV usage rose to 22.3% of viewing from 22.2% in April.

Broadcast also got a boost from NBC’s broadcast of the Kentucky Derby, the most-watched linear telecast May.

Compared to a year ago, broadcast’s share was down 0.5 points.

Cable’s share fell to 28.2 from 29.1% in April. With no March Madness and fewer sports telecasts overall, not only was cable down from April, but its share was down 0.5 points from last year.

Helping streaming’s share rise from 38.4% in April was growth at free, ad-supported platforms Tubi, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV. Fox-owned Tubi’s share equaled that of Disney Plus.

YouTube again was the top streaming service with a 9.7% share in May, compared to a 9.6% share in April.

Netflix had a 7.6% share, unchanged from April.. 

Hulu’s share was 3.1%, unchanged; Amazon Prime Video was 3.0%, down from 3.2%; Disney Plus was 1.8%, unchanged; Tubi grabbed a 1.8% share, up from 1.7%; The Roku Channel generated 1.5%, compared to 1.4%; Max had 1.2%, unchanged; Paramount garnered 1.2%, up from 1% Peacock had 1.1%, down from 1.3% and Pluto TV had 0.9%, up from 0.8%

Bridgerton on Netflix was the most-streamed programing, capturing 5.5 billion viewing minutes as the first four episodes of Season 3 dropped.

Vhagar, the oldest and largest dragon managed by House Targaryen, currently can be seen belching fire over Roku City.

The image is a promotion for Max’s House of the Dragon, the second season of which debuts on the streamer Sunday.

The purple tinged Roku City will also feature a castle bearing the Targaryen sigil.

In addition to serving as a screen saver, Roku City has become a home for advertisers and networks looking to promote their shows. 

Also Read: HBO Orders ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3

Roku said 85% of its subscribers have watched the screen saver scroll by as they take streaming breaks. 

House of the Dragon will also be prominently featured on the Roku home screen, where millions more streamers will see it.

Netflix’s Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult waltzed into the top slot in TVision’s Power Score ranking of the biggest shows streaming on connected TV for the second-straight week.

The No. 2 show for the week of June 3 was The Kardashians, in its fifth season on Hulu.

Another of the top streaming shows is the long-running CBS broadcast staple Criminal Minds, with Season 17 available via Paramount Plus.

Also in the Top 5 were Netflix’s Geek Girl and AppleTV Plus’ Dark Matter.

Netflix was the leader with six shows in the Top 20.  As viewers anticipate the return of The Bear for Season 3, both Season 1 and Season 2 of the FX series, now streaming on Hulu, made the Top 20.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across more than 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers spend paying attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach and the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

David Oyelowo’s Mansa said it signed content deals expanding the amount of programming available on Mansa Streaming service and its Mansa Mix FAST channels.

Viewers on the Mansa platform — focused on global Black culture — will find hundreds of hours of programming from  Mass Appeal, Stingray, Red Bull, Electric Entertainment, Freestyle Digital Media, and Oscilloscope, the company said.

"From vibrant stories told through hip hop and music culture, to extreme sports, and compelling perspectives offered by auteur film and television, we’re ensuring Mansa audiences have access to an expansive and varied library of entertainment that crosses genres,” Oyelowo, the award-winning filmmaker, actor and co-founder of Mansa, said. “We’re thrilled to announce these new partners as we grow the Mansa service.”

In addition to Oyelowo, Mansa’s founders include Nate Parker and Chiké Okonkwo, as well as tech entrepreneur and film financier Zak Tanjeloff.

Since launching a year ago, Mansa has amassed a library of thousands of hours of content, accessible through a growing list of devices and other distribution partners.

Last month, Mansa made a licensing deal with Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing to distribute a curated selection of ARRAY’s independent feature films directly to audiences via the Mansa Streaming Service and on the Mansa Mix FAST channel.

The Mansa Mix FAST Channel is available on platforms including The Roku Channel, Vizio WatchFree, and TCL.

The Reign by Mansa channel is available exclusively on Amazon Freevee.

Mansa’s free platform features a multiscreen interface that enables consumption anytime, anywhere, and uniquely integrates conversation and community through the viewing experience.

Netflix had the top show in TVision’s Power Score ranking of programs on connected TV for the week of May 27 with its documentary series Dancing for the Devil: the 7M TikTok Cult.

Hulu’s Under the Bridge was the No. 2 show, followed by Season 3 of Bridgerton on Netflix, the previous week’s top show.

Rounding out the top 5 shows were Evil (Season 4) on Paramount Plus and Tires on Netflix.

Netflix had five shows in the Top 20 for the week. Apple TV Plus had four.

Netflix also had the top movie in May with Jerry Seinfeld’s Pop-Tart opus Unfrosted.

Other top movies and specials on CTV included The Idea of You on Amazon Prime Video and three more Netflix entries: The Roast of Tom Brady, Mother of the Bride and Atlas.

Netflix had 11 movies in the Top 20 for May.

The Power Score ranking is designed to compare streaming shows on an apples-to-apples basis. In calculating its Power Score, TVision, which measures activity across over 1,000 apps, looks at the amount of time viewers pay attention to the program, the amount of program time available for the season, the program’s reach, as well as the application’s reach.

TVision said it chose that combination of metrics to enable a neutral look at the quality of programming and its unique, inherent ability to draw in viewers — regardless of the scale of the platform or the program’s release schedule.

Lionsgate said it has made a deal with Nielsen to make its MovieSphere channel the first major free ad-supported television (FAST) channel to get traditional linear audience metrics from the measurement company.

With cord-cutting reducing the number of viewers watching cable TV, marketers have been putting more of their ad dollars into streaming FAST channels. But a lack of reliable and familiar audience metrics has raised concerns about whether that money is well spent.

“By bringing proven linear TV metrics to the FAST space, Nielsen is providing us with a valuable and innovative tool to benchmark performance, evaluate what’s working and respond quickly to our audiences,” Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution Jim Packer said. 

“This is potentially a very significant development where our team can leverage viewer reach, duration, frequency, concentration and other audience indicators to help us shape our branded general-entertainment channels to better return value for our partners,” Packer said.

MovieSphere has been growing, with viewership up 87% in Q1 of 2024. The channel was watched for an average of about 123 minutes per viewer, according to Nielsen, making it comparable to some of the top basic cable networks.

Nielsen will provide Lionsgate with detailed demographic data on MovieSphere’s audience, allowing the company to better understand its viewers and make informed content decisions.

“With more channels and choices than ever before, Nielsen is highly focused on innovating to ensure our measurement helps clients understand what and where people are watching,“ Nielsen chief revenue officer Amilcar Perez said. “The FAST market is growing rapidly, demanding more solutions to understand how people are engaging with FAST channels. “We’re pleased to collaborate with Lionsgate, a leader in the FAST market, to bring more clarity and efficiency to FAST players.”

MovieSphere is available on 18 streaming platforms, including Samsung, Roku and Pluto TV, and will be available on nearly 20 platforms before the end of the year, Lionsgate said.

The FAST channel features movies from Lionsgate’s film library including Silver Linings Playbook, Winter’s Bone, Hacksaw Ridge, Meatballs, Good Luck Chuck and Dirty Grandpa.

Free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels have fast become a big part of how Americans consume content, according to a study from Xumo and FASTMaster Consulting,

The study found that a third of American adults said they regularly watch FAST channels during primetime hours and they spend as much time with FAST channels as with other entertainment options.

The average FAST viewer spends one hour and 40 minutes watching FAST channels in the evening. By comparison a gamer typically spends one hour and 42 minutes playing video or mobile games during this same time frame. Consumers said they scroll social media for one hour and 53 minutes, while cable TV customers spend one hour and 58 minutes watching cable network programming.

The report found that 47% of MVPD and vMVPD subscribers said they regularly watch FAST channels, and 46% of cord-cutters watch FAST channels.

Among FAST channel viewers, 72% also watch cable or broadcast TV and a whopping 86% subscribe to at least one subscription video on demand service.

“The findings of this report underscore the increasingly important role FAST plays in today’s entertainment landscape, dispelling myths and highlighting the diverse, engaged, and growing audience that finds value in our free and easy streaming,” said Stefan Van Engen, VP, content programming and partnerships at  Xumo, a joint venture of Comcast and Charter Communications.

“As engagement levels during primetime rival other major forms of entertainment, it’s clear that FAST is becoming a part of people’s everyday lives,” Van Engen said.

The study also found that pay TV customers watch more FAST than cord-cutters or cord-nevers,

FAST viewers trend younger and more diverse. While 46% of the U.S. adult population is between the ages of 18 and 44 according to the U.S. census, 58% of FAST viewers fall within that range.

Black viewers represent 20% of FAST’s audience, compared to 14% of the U.S. population. Similarly, 23% of FAST viewers have Latino origins, compared to 19% nationally.

FAST viewers over-index on news, movies and crime TV. Together, these genres represent 58% of total viewing hours on Xumo Play, but only account for 11% of total channels.

Nearly 70% of FAST users said they can always find something to watch on free streaming channels.

“There are many myths about FAST which are often bandied about by external onlookers, such as FAST viewers watch because they have no alternatives or they are a less desirable consumer for advertisers,” said Gavin Bridge, chief analyst, FASTMaster Consulting. 

“I am very happy that Xumo has sought to address this via research into who watches FAST, dispelling false narratives with facts and illustrating why FAST continues to grow and needs to be part of any marketer’s toolkit to maximize reach.”

Xumo commissioned FASTMaster Consulting to conduct the study. Responses from 4,000 U.S. adults were collected between the third quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024.

“There are many myths about FAST which are often bandied about by external onlookers, such as FAST viewers watch because they have no alternatives or they are a less desirable consumer for advertisers,” said Gavin Bridge, chief analyst, FASTMaster Consulting.

“I am very happy that Xumo has sought to address this via research into who watches FAST, dispelling false narratives with facts and illustrating why FAST continues to grow and needs to be part of any marketer’s toolkit to maximize reach.”

Xumo commissioned FASTMaster Consulting to conduct the study. Responses from 4,000 U.S. adults were collected between the third quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024.

More people are using their smart TVs only to stream content, eschewing antennas and cable hookups, according to a new report from Inscape, set-maker Vizio’s data unit.

At the same time, more of the big-ticket tentpole programming from broadcast and cable is being streamed using smart TV apps including virtual multichannel video programming distributors — like YouTube TV — that can access live, linear broadcast and cable networks 

Nearly 25% of the content viewers “must see live” was streamed in Q1, according to Inscape’s 1Q Trends Report.

The number of smart TVs used only for streaming jumped to 58% in Q1 from 55% in Q4 2023, the largest quarterly increase since Q2 2023.

TVs that only accessed content via cable or satellite or over the air remained steady quarter over quarter at 5%.

“To put it bluntly, more than half of smart TVs included in the data did not access any content via cable, satellite or over-the-air antenna (OTA),“ Inscape said. “But that doesn’t mean people are only watching in an on-demand fashion.

“With a variety of apps and devices, smart TVs can access live, linear TV airing on broadcast or cable networks,“ the company added. “In Q1 2024, nearly a quarter of that ‘must-see-live’ content was streamed.”

Although the broadcast and traditional pay TV platforms continue to own the bulk of live, linear viewing, streaming’s share has increased to 24.4% from 15.2%, Inscape said.

Still, traditional TV is still where the bulk of sports (72.3%) and news (79.9%) got watched in Q1.  For March Madness specifically, 72.7% of viewing time of the women’s basketball tournament was watched over the air, on cable or satellite. For the men’s tournament, 68.6% was watched via traditionally-delivered TV.

In Q1, 94% of total streaming time was driven by smart TVs that only (66.8%) or mostly (27.1%) streamed content.

After a twofold increase in the average number of apps used per smart TV from 2021 to 2023, usage has leveled off in the last few quarters, with about 5.5 apps being used per TV. 

Inscape said this signals a stabilization in TV viewing behavior and a clear limit to how many apps people are willing to use. 

The Inscape report is based on data from more than 23 million opted-in Vizio devices.

NBCUniversal said it is rebranding its teen-oriented TNBC free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel as NBC Comedy Vault.

NBC Comedy Vault will initially be available on Amazon Freevee, The Roku Channel and Xumo Play.

The change is effective June 1, the beginning of Pride Month.

NBC Comedy Vault will be featuring all eight seasons of Will & Grace, the comedy that ran on NBC from 1998 to 2005.

Will & Grace will be featured in primetime on the channel. Comedies including Charles in Charge, Coach, and Major Dad will be available in July as daytime programming. 

NBCU launched TNBC last year as part of a large group of channels launching on Freevee and Xumo Play.

TNBC featured shows from NBC’s TNBC teen block including Punky Brewster and Major Dad.

Connected TV is becoming a bigger deal for consumers and advertisers, according to a new report from TVision.

According to TVision’s Q1 2024 State of CTV Advertising Report, the attention paid to CTV advertising rose from the end of last year.

Overall CTV ad attention rose to 51.5% from 49.2% in Q4 2023, but attention paid to ads in premium CTV jumped to 56.1% from 51.7%.

That makes attention to premium CTV higher than attention to linear ads. Attention to linear ads rose to 54.5% from 54%.

TVision defines premium apps as those with both ad-supported and subscription-only tiers.

"Each quarter we see advancements in CTV advertising - in terms of reach and scale but also in terms of attention and engagement from viewers,” said Yan Liu, CEO of TVision. “The latest report highlights these trends and is a useful tool for marketers to better understand CTV attention norms, and how to leverage these metrics within their own campaign processes.”

TVision found that in Q1, most household tuned into three or fewer apps. Lower income households were more likely to use 10 more more apps than more affluent households.

Households used 2.5 devices on average and watched 9.4 over-the-top programs per person.

TVision noted that equipment-makers’ free ad-supported streaming television apps have a household reach of  24%,  That’s up 9% from Q4 2023.

The streaming leaders in terms of reach were Netflix with 64%, YouTube with 57%, Hulu with 41%, Amazon Prime Video with 34%, Max with 29%, Peacock with 23%, Disney Plus with 22%, Paramount Plus with 21 and Tubi with 18%.

Ranked by viewing time, YouTube was No. 1, followed by Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV and Prime Video.

The top show for the quarter was Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video’s Reacher, based on TVision’s Power Score formula.

Other top shows included Netflix’s Griselda, Prime Video’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Disney Plus’ Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Peacocks’ Ted.

The top movie was Amazon Prime Video’s remake of Road House.

TVision found that shorter ad break yield higher attention scores, with breaks of less than one minute getting a 55.4% attention score, compared to a break of two to three minutes getting a 50.8% attention score. Breaks o five minutes and up had a 48.4% attention score.

As wilth linear, the first commercial in a pod garnered the most attention, while the final ad in a pod did better than spots in the middle.

Industries buying the largest share of CTV ads included entertainment, health and legal/financial.

Categories that are growing including government and organizations, education, electronics/technology and consumer products.