Media Comparisons 2026: Reaching Ad-Free Streamers

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With an increasingly diverse media landscape, it is important for advertisers to take every opportunity to connect with consumers. TVB’s 2026 Media Comparisons Study found that 40% of adults watched TV programs or movies on streaming platforms without advertisements. Obviously, advertisers are unable to reach these viewers, so TVB zeroed in on ad-free streamers’ media usage to analyze other ways for advertisers to reach them.

Some key findings:

• Linear TV reaches far more adults 18+ ad-free streamers than streaming platforms.
• Ad-free streamers spend more time streaming than the average adult, but Linear TV still dominates.
• If streaming platforms have no advertising, advertisers cannot reach these viewers. But Broadcast assets can reach most of them.
• Local broadcast TV news assets are the primary source for local news and are the most trusted for ad-free streamers.

For more information, please contact Hadassa Gerber, Chief Research Officer, TVB.