Samsung Ads has revealed its latest ‘Behind the Screens’ report looking into the changing nature of TV viewing.
One of the most intriguing revelations in the report for agencies was that some 36 per cent of people who purchased Samsung Smart TVs in the last year chose not to connect it to an antenna — instead relying solely on Connected TV for their viewing experiences.
The report also found that time spent streaming continues to grow. On Samsung devices, two-thirds of all streaming time is spent with Subscription Video On-Demand (SVOD) services.
However, time spent in ad-funded streaming grew the fastest, with double-digit growth across all formats. At the other end of the scale, traditional linear TV remains an environment of high engagement, although across an increasingly concentrated group of heavy linear viewers who account for 88 per cent of the total time spent within linear on Samsung Smart TVs.
Three out of five Aussies said that they don’t mind watching ads in return for free content – and that appetite would be even higher if fees were reduced further. But, viewers prefer free to paid-for at every turn. As it stands, there are currently 522 Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) channels operating in Australia across multiple services. Australia also over-indexes globally when it comes to FAST sports channels with 15 per cent of all FAST channels dedicated to a variety of sports.
“The adoption of ad-funded streaming suggests the future of TV has more in common with the past than we think. The notion of introducing ads after a decade-long ad-free streaming experience would have seemed impossible just a few years ago,” said Alex Spurzem, managing director, Samsung Ads ANZ & SEA.
“Yet platforms are now focused on drawing in the widest audience by catering to all wallet sizes. With the rise of TV app-based viewing, it is important for advertisers to understand the insights and behaviours of these growing streaming audiences”.
