The World Cup shows that streaming services can deliver a live experience equal to broadcast TV. But SSIMWAVE’s video score reveals that the UltraHD wow factor isn’t there.

In the US, Paramount+ has the best value and is taking it more European countries. Disney+’s ad tier is here, but Roku users can’t watch. And 4K might not be necessary for the best World Cup experience.

SVOD will continue to grow through 2028, with providers jostling for a place at the top. But AVOD/FAST will grow much faster as consumers tighten their belts and providers lean into the opportunity.

The Men’s World Cup looks set to break US streaming records because of cord-cutting, NFL and MLB streaming, and the presence of the US team. But UHD could strain the infrastructure.

In the third quarter, Vizio and Roku sharpened their attack on the TV platform business and continued to get results. I put the two head-to-head to see which is biggest and growing fastest.  

Frequency helps Hearst, Scripps, and Revry reach all the major FAST linear platforms. This interview with the company’s CEO and BizDev head explores how it does it and discusses the future of the industry.

New data on YouTube TV and Sling TV suggest that vMVPD market health is good. Both are growing daily users even though subscriber growth performance isn't clear.

High churn, the growth of discovery companions, and reliance on friends and family recommendations show that discovery tools in apps and TV platforms aren’t doing enough.

Peacock now has 15 million paying subscribers and 30 million monthly active accounts. That seems to make it a mid-pack SVOD and top FAST service. But how you count can have a huge impact on how you rank!

You can access the webinar recording mentioned in the podcast here.

Single video business models treat all subscribers the same. We need a more sophisticated approach that allows deep customer segmentation and rich experience personalization.