2024 was a big year for streaming and the media entertainment industry at large, and we want to say a big thank you to our readers for joining, contributing and following our coverage of the people, companies and events shaping the ecosystem. As we wind down and head into what’s undoubtedly poised to be an exciting 2025, here’s a look back at some of our top stories. The articles that made it into this year’s top 10 are ones that had the most viewership with readers and those that give a glimpse at the key trends and happenings over the past year that have and continue to impact the future of streaming and CTV.
Take a look to recap some of the 2024 highlights with StreamTV Insider and get ready for more in 2025 - full stream ahead!
DirecTV quietly tests transmitting national NBC feed to offset loss of TEGNA affiliates
Broadcasters, programmers and distributors continued to butt heads over retransmission and carriage renewals in 2024, with some like DirecTV looking to alternate methods to offset affiliate losses amid dispute-related channel blackouts.DirecTV was also in the middle of other major stories this year reflecting the struggling shifting dynamics of the pay TV market including a dispute with Disney that was eventually resolved.
Those disputes relate to another trend, where experiments with new models of pricing and packaging started to evolve this year. Some streamers teamed up together and for offers from providers, like Comcast’s StreamSaver bundle and the Disney, Max, Hulu bundle, while operators like Charter started including ad-supported SVODs in pay TV packages.
The desire for skinner, genre-based TV packages also got court attention as vMVPD Fubo scored a preliminary injunction against the Venu Sports JV, where analysts at Lightshed believe the ability to offer skinnier, customized pay TV bundles would benefit consumers and the industry at large
- Amazon's Prime Video aims to be one-stop video entertainment hub
Some major platforms players are aiming to be a one-stop shop, including Prime Video, which jumped into the ads game in a major way and has built a comprehensive offering of original and licensed SVOD films and TV shows, free ad-supported streaming, TVOD, live sports, and partner subscription channels. This interview with Prime Video VP Andrew Bennet delves into its device distribution strategy of ubiquity, the lack of need for bundling and more.
- Netflix plans in-house ad tech, partners with The Trade Desk, Magnite, Google
Netflix made progress on work to build up an ads business, with its subscription ads plan that now counts 70 million monthly active users. Earlier this year it disclosed plans to build in-house ad tech to launch next year as the ads plan scales and it expanded partnerships with The Trade Desk, Magnite and Google.
- TVOS battle brews do consumers care?
TVOS remains a battleground, but one where some execs said it’s still price and screen size driving consumer purchasing decisions. More TVOS players put the home screen front and center to help monetize in 2024 and beyond, and companies are also looking to the OS for content discovery as it exerts more influence as the entry point to TV viewing.
But this year wasn’t without more competition, including with new entrants like forthcoming Ventura from The Trade Desk, and Titan OS in Europe. Another top story by views was the debut of the Google TV Streamer device, where the OS competitor and tech giant also recently separately disclosed its YouTube platform users streamed more than 1 billion hours a day globally on CTV in 2024.
- FAST channel growth explodes but for how long?
FAST channel counts grew but the market is becoming saturated and some have cited concerns over lackluster fill rates.
Virtual MVPDs like Fubo, Philo and DirecTV all made moves this year to pad out pay TV offerings, boost usage or reengage churners with free streaming channels. While services appear to be culling lower performing channels in favor of higher quality ones, there’s still opportunity for those content owners that can carve out a niche or engaged fan base – like C15 Studio’s focus on sports, The Design Network’s commitment to premium-quality home design programming, VideoElephant leaning on its short-form content roots, and Tastemade catering to an engaged base of food enthusiasts.
NBCUniversal’s Peacock expands shoppable TV to six Bravo series
Shoppable TV and retail media continued to be on the radar for several, where Comcast’s NBCUniversal leaned in further to shoppable content pilots on Peacock for select episodes of Bravo series, alongside user experience updates on the SVOD.
New CTV ad formats including interactive styles also continued to gain favor, but QR codes proved not so hot. Related to new forms of advertising, contextual targeting is a method explored on CTV in 2024, with players like Gracenote jumping in and Wurl offering genAI-powered emotion-based contextual tactics.But while streaming continues to be a testbed for new formats, Comcast, like other legacy media acknowledged struggling linear networks, and in the second half of the year the company took the step to officially spin out its linear business – sans Bravo- into a standalone publicly traded entity. That followed separate respective multi-billion write-downs of linear networks by each Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery – the latter which split its linear networks business into a distinct operating unit from streaming and studios in December.
Tidbits and takeaways from the StreamTV Show 2024
Catch up on what you missed from our favorite streaming industry event!
DirecTV-Dish merger deal dashed again, for now
Plans for a DirecTV and Dish merger didn’t happen after Dish bondholders rejected a debt-equity swap. At least one analyst thinks a combination of the two pay TV providers could still be hammered out under a new agreement.
And more M&A for the industry at large could be on the horizon in 2025 with a potentially more relaxed regulatory environment under the incoming Trump administration.
Walmart completes $2.3 billion Vizio acquisition
Retail giant Walmart completed its acquisition of smart TV maker and TVOS platform Vizio as it looks to expand its Walmart Connect retail media ads business. Now others see Roku as primed for acquisition, with analysts citing potential suitors like Amazon, Target or the Trade Desk.
Addressing TV ad fragmentation: Don't try to boil the ocean
The most common F word challenging the industry is fragmentation. This deeper dive explores hurdles and potential ways to navigate the evolving TV ad ecosystem. It's a topic we're sure to hear more about in 2025.
Thank you for reading and wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!