According to Nielsen’s 2026 Upfront Planning Guide, adults aged 18–49 are spending 63.8% of their total TV time with ad-supported content, highlighting the continued value of advertising in exchange for content access.
Within this ad-supported viewing, streaming platforms now account for 66.7%, with 81% of that time occurring on AVOD platforms such as YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, and Paramount+, reflecting the appeal of robust content libraries, original series, and live sports offerings.
FAST platforms, including Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto, are emerging as a compelling alternative, offering free, frictionless access to a wide variety of programming. These platforms are particularly relevant for the 35–64 age group, bridging the gap between traditional linear TV and younger AVOD audiences.
Despite the rise of streaming, linear TV remains strategically important, especially for live sports, news programming, and prime-time dramas, which continue to command strong engagement among 18–49 viewers. Notably, sports content accounted for nearly 30% of all ad-supported TV consumption among adults aged 25–54 in Q4 2025, demonstrating its continued power to attract audiences across multiple platforms.
Nielsen emphasizes that treating linear, FAST, and AVOD as a unified ecosystem allows advertisers to leverage incremental reach opportunities and maximize campaign impact. According to Nielsen brands that integrate all three segments strategically can effectively engage audiences across different demographics, from Gen Z and Millennials to Gen X and older viewers.
