The majority of American consumers say they feel streaming services should offer a commercial-free experience if they are expected to pay a fee to access shows and movies on those platforms, according to a report published on Tuesday.
The report, from Fox-owned Tubi and The Harris Report, said 79 percent of consumers expect to come across no advertisements at all if they’re paying for a streaming service. That affirmation comes at a time when premium video services are getting more expensive, with the average streamer paying around $129 per month for their premium video subscriptions, including pay television like cable or satellite.
In the past, one way streamers used to cut down on costs was by sharing their password with friends and family. But, as costs climb, streamers are getting stingier with the practice: 70 percent of those surveyed said they wouldn’t share their password with a romantic partner “unless they were seriously dating,” and more than half of young streamers who identify as “Generation Z” say password-sharing has made their family and peer relationships “more complicated.”
So, it comes as no surprise that more streamers are taking advantage of free platforms — like Tubi — as one way to offset higher streaming costs and to avoid the awkwardness that password sharing invites.
Eighty-one percent of people surveyed by Tubi and The Harris Poll said they were more tolerant of advertising if it meant they had free access to streaming TV and movies, and 81 percent of survey participants within Generation Z said they’d consider taking an action based on an ad spot if they found it to be engaging.
That said, streaming ads still have a long way to reach younger consumers, with 73 percent of young consumers surveyed reporting streaming ads are “misaligned” with their personal preferences.
