Connected TV viewers prefer streaming programming on free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels to paying for subscription services without ads, a survey from LG Ad Solutions found.
According to the survey, 69% of those polled picked FAST over subscription streaming, with 53% of respondents saying they spend two hours or more per week using such channels.
“Consumers are now overwhelmingly open to ad-supported streaming content, signaling a seismic shift in their CTV habits,” LG Ad Solutions chief marketing officer Tony Marlow said. “Far from the era of passive TV consumption, this latest research gives us a peek into a future where CTV thrives as an immersive, personalized platform. It is now a place where people engage with the personalized content they love and where marketers can connect with those audiences through highly relevant messages. It’s a win-win for the entire ecosystem.”
The survey of more than 1,000 U.S. CTV owners also found that 56% of viewers said it takes them more time to find something to stream. Respondents said it takes nearly 12 minutes to decide what to watch, up from 6 minutes in last year’s survey.
The biggest challenges to finding something to stream are too many choices (38%) and not remembering what platform a particular show is on (37%).
When watching CTV, 42% of viewers said they prefer interactive ads with features such as QR codes.
"As content continues to proliferate across channels and platforms, making content more discoverable through strategies like leveraging the OEM home screen will be vital to capture consumer eyeballs,“ Marlow said. “In fact, two in five CTV users already rely on the TV home screen for content recommendations, and we expect that to continue to grow.”
