📺 Free Streaming Is Pushing Out Cable TV

According to a joint study by Roku and Horizon Futures Group, more than half of U.S. households (57%) that in 2020 watched only ad-free paid services have now switched to FAST.

If all FAST channels were combined into a single app, it would rank as the 4th most popular app on the Roku platform. Already, 64% of U.S. households watch this type of content.

Viewers believe FAST offers more high-quality content than traditional TV. Over the past year alone, more than 1,000 Oscar- and Emmy-nominated movies and shows were streamed for free on Roku.

Entertainment programming leads by genre (52%), followed by news (18%) and reality TV (17%).

Roku predicts that by 2026, 100% of the streaming audience will encounter video advertising in one form or another. Free access in exchange for ads has become the market’s dominant trend.