Convenience and Nostalgia Collide: Live and Scheduled TV Streaming on the Rise in Canada
TV viewing habits also indicate the majority of TV streamers are now addressable by advertisers
- More than two-thirds (69 per cent) of Canadian TV streamers are now watching some form of ad-supported TV (AVOD, BVOD, SVOD) at least once a month (up from 59 per cent in 2023)
- Ad-addressable TV streamers spend an average of 23.3 hours weekly watching TV, compared to only 20.4 hours for all TV viewers
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Roku’s fifth annual Video on Demand (VOD) Evolution study examines Canadian TV streaming behaviours and trends. (Graphic: Business Wire)
In the past, consumers streamed TV on-demand as a replacement for cable. Today, with new and innovative solutions in streaming programming, those consumers are reverting to more traditional viewing habits, enjoying the convenience of live and scheduled television. On-demand content still makes up a majority of TV streamers’ collective weekly viewing time (57 per cent), but more than a quarter of streamers’ time (28 per cent) continues to be spent with live TV programming.
With ongoing economic challenges, including the rising cost of living, many Canadians are continuing to cut down on discretionary expenses like entertainment. According to the study, 58 per cent of Canadians say the everyday cost of living will be their biggest concern over the next few years. As a result, cost-effective ad-supported TV streaming options have become a mainstay in Canadians’ home entertainment arsenal. According to the survey, 46 per cent of Canadian TV streamers now use at least one ad-supported subscription TV streaming service, compared with just 31 per cent in 2023.
“We’re seeing the emergence of a modernized ‘prime time’ in streaming, one that’s less about the ‘watercooler’ shows of the past and more about the streaming platform itself, one destination that allows Canadians to shape their own experience according to their budget, preferences, and interests,” says
TV streaming advertising trends for 2024
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There’s an uptick in TV streamers taking measurable actions after viewing an ad (74 per cent as compared to 70 per cent in 2023). The top three responses include:
- Visiting a brand’s website, online store, or app after seeing an ad (42 per cent, up from 38 per cent in 2023).
- Searching online for more information about the product/brand while continuing to watch TV (41 per cent, up from 36 per cent in 2023).
- Using Google/Apple Maps to work out where to find the brand, in-store (29 per cent, up from 23 per cent in 2023).
- Canadian TV streamers like creative diversity when it comes to the ads they view, with 82 per cent of TV streamers preferring every ad they view to be different (up from 77 per cent in 2023).
- Over the last five years, more TV streamers (45 per cent) indicate that they are more likely to pay attention to ads that reflect or are relevant to their mood (up from 42 per cent in 2023).
- 43 per cent say they prefer when TV ads match the tone of the program they are watching (up from 38 per cent in 2023).
Who are the “addressable streamers” and how are they watching?
For the first time since the study’s launch in 2019, brands can reach the majority of TV viewers - not just on-demand TV streamers - through ad-supported streaming platforms. For advertisers, these “addressable TV streamers” are incredibly important – and make up more than two-thirds of the TV streaming audience.
- Over half (55 per cent) of TV viewers – up from 44 per cent in 2023 – are now addressable TV streamers (streamers who use ad-supported TV streaming services in an average month).
- Addressable audiences are more engaged than all TV streamers as a whole – eight out of 10 addressable streamers have responded to a TV ad.
- Addressable TV streamers spend more time in an average week with ad-supported on-demand TV streaming compared to all TV viewers (8.9 hours with ads vs 5.9 hours with ads).
Addressable Canadian TV streamers' content and viewing trends
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On an average weekday, 32 per cent tune into live TV during “breakfast” (
6 AM-10 AM ). -
52 per cent are watching on-demand TV streaming with ads, on-demand TV streaming with no ads (50 per cent), and live TV (45 per cent) during “Prime Time” (
6 p.m. - 10 p.m. ). - 64 per cent rated crime/investigation/police dramas as their #1 genre preference in the drama genre (up from 59 per cent in 2023).
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62 per cent rated blockbuster
Hollywood movies as their #1 genre preference for general entertainment (up from 59 per cent in 2023).
To learn more about the study, and to download the full report, please click here.
About Roku’s
Roku’s annual Video on Demand (VOD) Evolution study examined Canadian TV streaming behaviour and trends. This is Roku’s fifth study of Canadians’ TV streaming habits and an update to its research in 2023. Like those, this study is based on the results of an online survey of Canadian adults aged 18+ who use the internet and watched TV at least once in the last month. Fuse Insights research commissioned by Roku took place between June and
About
Roku pioneered streaming on TV. We connect users to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Roku TV™ models, Roku streaming players, and TV-related audio devices are available in various countries around the world through direct retail sales and/or licensing arrangements with TV OEM brands. Roku-branded TVs and Roku Smart Home products are sold exclusively in
Roku is a registered trademark of
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240912422505/en/
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