According to Horowitz Research’s latest annual report, “State of Media, Entertainment, and Tech: Viewing Behaviors 2024,” two in three (66%) U.S. television viewers use free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platforms in a typical month.

Tubi, Pluto TV, Freevee, YouTube and Roku are the FAST networks most commonly used by consumers surveyed in the study.

The new report also shows the impact of the introduction of FAST services on the TV ecosystem.

On the one hand, more than half (53%) of FAST users were found to have limited their paid streaming services after adopting FAST.

On the other hand, 43% of FAST users say they have subscribed to a paid service to continue watching a show they started on a FAST channel.

Read more A barrier-free remote production facility will open in Cardiff ahead of the 2024 Paralympics

According to Horowitz Research, the data underscores the importance of using FAST strategically through intelligent window and content advertising strategies.

Horowitz’s study also shows that consumers who rely exclusively on on-demand streaming options miss the relaxing experience of channel surfing.

Over 7 in 10 (73%) FAST users agree that watching TV is more fun now that they can turn on these free services and see whatever is on. Particularly among cord-breakers who no longer have a cable or satellite subscription, nearly 6 in 10 (58%) say free services are like cable TV.

“As the FAST space matures, it actually feels like a corrective to many of the problems that on-demand streaming has created for both consumers and the industry,” said Adriana Waterston, EVP and Insights & Strategy Lead at Horowitz Research, a division of M/A/R/C Research. “On the consumer side, FAST helps mitigate the challenges of on-demand TV, where consumers had to work pretty hard to find content to watch every time they sat down in front of the TV – not exactly the most relaxing TV viewing experience. It also creates opportunities to generate both advertising revenue and syndication revenue, which will help rebalance the business model.”

Read more Netflix reports 150% increase in advertising sales commitments