With more than 1,000 Oscar-, Emmy-, and SAG-nominated titles streamed for free on Roku Channel in the past year, entertainment is the top option( 52 per cent of FAST hours), followed by news( 18 per cent), and unscripted programming( 17 per cent).
Nielsen: Advertising should treat linear, streaming, FAST as one ecosystem
Nielsen, the specialist audience measurement, data and marketing intelligence, has released The 2026 Upfront Planning Guide, which takes an in-depth look at ad supported TV viewership trends across key audience demographics and in sports. Nielsen has compiled the series to give advertisers and agencies the insights and applicable takeaways they need ahead of this year’ s upfront marketplace. Nielsen also, for the first time, reported on demographic information surrounding two of today’ s fastest-growing streaming sectors: FAST and AVoD.
In doing so, Nielsen discovered this overarching takeaway: Each of the different ad supported viewing options( linear, FAST, AVoD) attract a different audience profile, giving advertisers opportunities to build reach. The key to navigating today’ s multiplatform TV ad world is to approach the different ad supported viewing environments as one integrated ecosystem.
Findings from across the report include:
• 18-49 Ad Supported Viewing: Adults ages 18 to 49 spend 63.8 per cent of their TV time with ad supported TV, indicating that most viewers favour the value exchange of watching ads in order to get the content that they want. Within that chunk, streaming now accounts for 66.7 per cent of the total amount of time that 18 to 49-yearolds spend with ad supported TV. Also, within streaming, 81.1 per cent of viewing for adults ages 18 to 49 occurs on the ad supported tiers of platforms such as YouTube, Hulu, Prime Video, Peacock and Paramount +. These platforms often provide an attractive library of content, originals and sports that draw viewers in.
The other 19 per cent of viewing within streaming goes to FAST platforms, which offer free access to content from a wide variety of sources.
Streaming aside, linear( which comprises 33.4 per cent of total time with ad supported TV) remains critical for live sports, events and news. Primetime dramas on broadcast and movies on cable are also top genres for the adult 18 to 49 demo, specifically.
• FAST( inclusive of Roku Channel, Tubi, Pluto and others)
FAST platforms offer a unique middle ground, capturing the growing attention of those ages 35 to 64. 28 per cent of Gen Xers said they frequently buy products based on streaming TV advertising.
• Non-FAST AVoD( inclusive of YouTube,
Disney +, Peacock, Netflix, etc) This remains the hub for the youngest viewers, effectively capturing the 18 to 34 and 2 to 17 age groups. Of note is the remarkably even distribution across all age segments for“ other ad supported,” providing a unique opportunity for cross-generational reach in a single pillar.
• Sports: The evolution of the NBA’ s distribution is a great example of how streaming’ s growth has propelled live sports into a multiplatform viewing environment. Adding NBC provides broad reach across fans of all ages, while streaming games on Prime Video brings in younger digital natives who watch less linear TV. Another key finding is that the concentration of an audience is different from the volume. Example: While Prime Video delivers a higher
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Forecast: LatAm FAST households at 52m by
2029
The Latin American media and entertainment market is experiencing unprecedented transformation, with streaming adoption and ad-supported business models propelling the region toward $ 55 billion(€ 47.2bn) in revenues by 2025, according to Omdia.
Omdia revealed during a MIP Cancun preview panel that Latin America’ s media revenues will grow 9.4 per cent in 2025— three times the 3.3 per cent growth expected in the US. This surge spans online video, television, gaming, music and cinema sectors.
The region’ s Free Ad-
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Supported Streaming TV( FAST) sector is experiencing strong growth, with Omdia forecasting FAST households will more than double from 26 million in 2024 to 52 million by 2029. Simultaneously, AVoD revenues are projected to climb from $ 2.1 billion to $ 5.4 billion over the same period.
Latin America has emerged as one of the fastest-growing regions globally for FAST advertising revenue, with the category expected to expand 2.3x by 2030, outpacing North America and Europe in percentage growth terms.
“ Brazil is now the thirdlargest market for FAST services outside the US— and will climb to No. 2 ahead of Canada in revenues by 2029,”
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Rua Aguete said.“ It’ s not just about adoption; it’ s about monetisation.”
According to Omdia, Brazil’ s online video revenues will reach $ 14.4 billion by 2029, with $ 3 billion of that increase coming from advertising. Brazilian consumers are increasingly choosing free services over additional subscriptions, with platforms like Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus and Tubi now ranking among the country’ s top 10 most-watched services on Smart TVs, sitting alongside Netflix, Prime Video and Globoplay.
Online video continues its dominance, set to reach $ 24 billion next year while outpacing traditional segments including TV($ 20 billion),
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games($ 6.2 billion), music($ 2.7 billion), and cinema($ 2.4 billion). Brazil maintains its regional leadership position, projected to account for 40 per cent of all FAST subscriptions by 2029.
The region’ s appetite for local and Spanish-language productions remains a key growth catalyst. Platforms including Globoplay, Netflix, Movistar and Claro continue expanding through strategic partnerships and investment in regional storytelling.
“ The region’ s combination of youthful audiences, expanding broadband, and rising advertiser interest makes Latin America one of the most exciting markets globally,” said Omdia.
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