A majority of Black viewers are seeking out platforms and services that offer culturally relevant content, with SVOD and free, ad-supported streaming television leading the way, according to a new report from Horowitz Research.
The report, Focus Black Volume I: Subscriptions 2024, revealed that content geared toward Black audiences is important for more than six in 10 Black households. The survey of 559 adult viewers of Black TV content, conducted this March and April, also reported that as traditional cable or satellite subscriptions decline, the penetration of subscription streaming services has remained steady among Black households.
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About two-thirds of viewers of Black TV content subscribe to at least one subscription VOD service, with Netflix and Prime Video topping the list. Also, more than 40% of Black viewers have access to at least one Black-targeted SVOD service such as BET Plus, Zeus or ALLBLK, according to Horowitz, a division of M/A/R/C Research.
The study also reports that 75% of Black viewers use FAST services compared to 67% of total market consumers, a five-fold increase from 2019 when only 13% of Black households reported using these services. That compares favorably to a 25% increase during that same span among the total market usage.
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“Culturally relevant content has always been an important piece of the media pie for Black audiences,” Horowitz Research executive VP of insights and strategy lead Adriana Waterston said. “With retention being a challenge in the SVOD and vMVPD spaces and engagement a challenge for FAST/AVOD, offering top-notch Black content can be an important differentiator.”
