Providing Market Intelligence for 40 Years

In The News

You Can Save Over $350 a Year on Streaming Services If You Don’t Mind Commercials

Quite a lot, according to new data from Parks Associates.

The average streaming household, which subscribes to 5.6 platforms, according to the research firm, could save $366 a year on average by switching to ad-based tiers.

“The move to ad-based services provides more options for consumers, especially as they are seeking a balance between costs and the desire for multiple content options,” Jennifer Kent, Parks Associates vice president of research, said in a statement. “Not everyone’s favorite streaming service offers a cheaper ad-based service tier yet, and many subscribers will choose a mix of ad-based and premium options, depending on household preferences.”

Earlier this month, during the firm’s presentation of its State of the Market: Streaming Video Services report, Parks Associates said in the past month, 31% of U.S. households reported watching an ad-supported video on demand or a free ad-supported streaming service – a 13% increase from 2018. In addition, 41 million U.S. households are expected to watch ad-based over-the-top (OTT) video services like Tubi, Freevee, and Pluto TV. Last December, the firm said streaming subscriptions has declined 25% from $90 in 2021 to $73 in 2023, as viewers migrated to free, ad-supported services to save money.

Kent’s prediction that subscribers will choose a mix of ad-based and premium options further supports the firm’s previous notion that platform consolidation could be a potential solution for companies, viewers, and advertisers.

From the article, "You Can Save Over $350 a Year on Streaming Services If You Don’t Mind Commercials" by Shelby Brown

Previously In The News

What the CBS Blackout Means for the Future of Streaming

"The question is the degree to which consumers value content other than CBS, and whether CBS will be missing permanently from the AT&T lineup," said Brett Sappington, principal analyst at Parks Associ...

The Future of Entertainment Services Authentication

A leading area of innovation is in adaptive authentication. This technology determines the level of authentication needed for a given interaction with a service. So, each interaction comes with a spec...

Google's Super-Sized Nest Hub Draws Mixed Reviews

Google has included a hardware switch on the unit that shuts off both the camera and microphone. "The ability to shut off both the camera and the microphone will appeal to those who have privacy conc...

Fitness: The Sweet Spot for Smartwatches

In fact, 76 percent of respondents to a recent Parks Associates survey used their smartwatch to track steps. Sixty percent used them as a heart rate monitor, and 53 percent to track calories. Overall,...