Hub’s annual Decoding the Default study tracks the default source of content, and default devices, viewers turn to first when they’re ready to watch TV content.
Compared to just a few years ago, there are an abundance of streaming options for viewers in addition to traditional TV sources such as over-the-air or cable TV. The importance of viewers’ default choice – and the trends showing a shift away from traditional TV sources to streamers – is the assumption that their default is the source they’ll be most loyal to; their TV “home base.”
Not only do we see a trend towards streamers overall, but changes within the streamer space. Last year’s study showed major SVOD services like Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Max were gaining ground on Netflix. Newer streamers like Discovery+, Paramount+, and Peacock may also be eroding Netflix’ previously insurmountable lead as default. And are the industry’s newest darlings, FASTs, making any headway?
What’s certain is that we’ll come away from this year’s wave of Decoding the Default with a strong understanding of how TV consumers prioritize the ever-growing number of TV sources at their disposal.
Source: Interviews with 1,601 U.S. TV viewers with broadband access age 16-74