2024 Streaming Recap: Trends, Ad-Supported Models, and Global Growth

As 2025 begins, it’s time to review the 2024 streaming recap, a year full of surprises in the entertainment and media industry.

New Platforms, New Trends: The Streaming Boom 

During last year, 56 unique platforms were launched globally. The United States emerged as the leading country of new projects, with 25 platforms developed there, followed by France (5) and the United Kingdom (4). 

In terms of availability, the United States topped the list with 33 of these new services launched in its market. France (28) and Argentina (27) followed, reflecting a broad and diverse expansion strategy across regions. 

Top Categories Launched

• Miscellaneous platforms dominated with 30 releases, showcasing versatility.
• Sports platforms surged, contributing to 17 new launches, while Horror carved out a niche with 3 platforms entering the scene. 

Major platform owners have been actively reshaping their streaming services offerings through strategic changes such as mergers, rebranding, and service updates. Warner Bros. Discovery led the pack with 13 changes to its platforms, followed by Amazon and The Walt Disney Company, each making 5 changes. Paramount Global (4) and TF1 Group (3) also made notable updates. 

Ad-supported streaming models have grown significantly, with consumers gravitating toward ‘Free with Ads’ and ‘Subscription with Ads’ options, each represented across 16 platforms in 2024. This balance between affordability and access to quality content has become the new normal. 

FAST Growth: Ad-Supported TV Finds Its Audience 

FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) expanded its global presence significantly, with APAC leading the charge, achieving an impressive 49% penetration within a year. Nonetheless, on a quarter-to-quarter basis, EMEA recorded the highest growth, with a 3% increase, reaching 33% penetration. In contrast, LATAM lagged behind with 23% penetration; however, its numbers continue to steadily climb. 

Ad Acceptance Among Regions 

Interestingly, subscribers worldwide showed a growing preference for ad-supported plans as a way to save money. In UCAN, 64% of users favored budget-friendly plans with ads, closely followed by EMEA at 66%, APAC at 60%, and LATAM at 57%.

Ad-Supported Plans on the Rise: Netflix, Max, and Disney+ Dominate 

The rise of Ad-Supported Plans cannot be ignored. Platforms like Netflix, Max, and Disney+ gained more users opting for affordable ad-included tiers.

The Growing Share of Users Opting for Ad-Supported Streaming Plans 

User behavior in 2024 has shown notable shifts, with a growing preference for ad-supported plans. By comparing all regions and analyzing the percentage of users who chose ad-supported options on each platform, we observed the following trends: 

• Netflix (LATAM): Increased from 11.6% to 15.4% (+3.7%). 
• Max (LATAM): Grow from 7.3% to 10% (+2.7%). 
• Disney+ (UCAN): Rose from 29% to 32% (+2.1%). 
• Prime Video (UCAN): Strengthened its share, rising from 28.3% to a solid 32.2% (+3.9%).

The EMEA region saw the most significant jumps. Prime Video boasted a whopping 9.1% increase, proving the demand for affordable plans with ads. 

Global Rollout of Ad-Supported Streaming Plans 

Ad-supported streaming continues to reshape the global entertainment industry, with major platforms expanding their affordable plans across multiple regions in 2024. 

Ad-Supported Streaming Growth in LATAM

• Disney+: Launched ad-supported plans in partnership with Mercado Libre.
• Max, Universal+ and Globoplay: Rolled out their ad-supported tiers region-wide.
• Vix: Expanded its ad-inclusive offerings to Colombia and Peru. 

Ad Tiers Gain Traction in UCAN

• Prime Video: Introduced ads to its base subscription with an ad-free upgrade option.
• Disney+: Rolled out its ad-supported tier, strengthening its presence in the region.
• Vix: Debuted new ad-supported tiers in the U.S. market.
• Paramount+: Launched ad-inclusive plans in Canada. 

EMEA Leads in Ad-Supported Expansion

• Disney+: Expanded ad-supported plans to multiple European countries.
• Prime Video: Rolled out ad-inclusive tiers in France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Germany, and Austria.
• SkyShowtime: Introduced ad-supported options in Spain, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden.
• Viaplay: Launched ad-supported tiers in Nordic countries, including Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. 

APAC Joins the Ad-Supported Revolution 

In the Asia-Pacific region, notable developments included:

• Osn+: Unveiled its ad-supported tier to attract more cost-conscious viewers.
• Paramount+: Introduced ad-inclusive plans in Australia. 

These developments highlight the global shift toward hybrid monetization strategies, as streaming platforms cater to growing demand for affordable, ad-inclusive options while continuing to drive revenue growth. 

Monthly Contracts: The Smart Saver’s Paradise 

Subscription flexibility has become key for consumers. Platforms offering “Monthly Contracts”—annual plans paid month-to-month—enticed users with interesting savings. 

Top 5 Money-Saving Plans in USD 

1. Brazil – Globoplay (Standard with Ads + Premiere): 59% savings, reducing the cost from $10.80 to $4.48. 
2. Brazil – Globoplay (Standard with Ads): Saved users 57%, cutting costs to just $1.65. 
3. Uruguay – Max (With Ads): 50% savings with a final price of $3.59. 
4. Costa Rica – Max (With Ads): Also offered a 50% cut, dropping prices to $3.92. 
5. Brazil – Max (With Ads): Shaved off 37%, ending at $3.14. 

These plans highlight the increasing demand for affordability without sacrificing premium content. 

PAST Channels: Innovating Premium Content Delivery with Ads and Subscriptions

In 2024, PAST Channels (Premium Ad-Supported Television) made their featuring appearance as a hybrid model, blending subscriptions with commercials to make premium content more accessible. Platforms like Disney+ and Netflix adopted this approach, paving the way for a new era of streaming monetization. 

In the United States, Disney+ launched “Continuous Playlists” for kids, alongside ABC News, marking a milestone for live channels with ads. 

Ad Trends Across Regions 

In both LATAM and UCAN, most of the ads on live channels came from Streaming Services, Marketplaces & Delivery, Food and Entertainment sectors. Self-promotion dominated: in UCAN, 85% of promotional ads are campaigns for the platform itself, while in LATAM, this rose to 97%. 

Who Led in Ad Time?

• YouTube TV: Topped the charts in the US with 17 minutes of ads per hour.
• Amazon Freevee: Followed closely at 12 minutes.
• Pluto TV (Brazil): Rounded out the list with 10 minutes per hour. 

The interesting twist? Platforms like YouTube TV tailored ads based on the channel, ensuring brands matched the content seamlessly. For instance, a Cartoon Network channel primarily features Cartoon Network promotions, ensuring brand alignment and seamless integration. 

A 2024 Recap Worth Remembering 

From ad-supported dominance to subscription innovations, 2024 has been a game-changer for the media and entertainment world. With regions embracing affordability, platforms adjusting strategies, and new launches revolutionizing content delivery, this year proved that the future of streaming is both flexible and exciting. 

As we look ahead to 2025, one thing is clear: the streaming landscape will keep evolving. Stay tuned to discover the 2024 trends in content production!

Sources 

BB Media | Ads Monitoring | Platform Essentials | Live Streaming | Online Media Essentials | Prices, Plans & Bundles

ABOUT BB MEDIA 

BB Media is a global Data Science company, specialising in Media and Entertainment for over 37 years. BB Media monitors more than 4,500 streaming services across 250 countries and territories, including their prices, plans, bundles, and commercial offers. In addition, it monitors all movie and series catalogues, including standard metadata. Streaming services, networks, programmers, cable operators, agencies, advertisers, studios, distributors, content apps, and tech companies rely on BB Media’s valuable information and analysis to make strategic decisions.

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