YouTube TV is rolling out genre-specific options to curb churn, betting viewers prefer cheaper, targeted bundles over bloated pay TV.

US lawmakers draft bill to revive easy-cancel rules as consumer budgets are pinched.

Streaming’s new reality is testing viewers as rising prices, heavier ad loads, and uneven experiences push them to reassess what they keep. Value, tolerance, and convenience now drive the fight for attention.

YouTube TV will offer over 10 new, genre-specific subscription bundles in 2026, with one option focused on sports, per a company announcement. YouTube TV Sports Plan will give users access to major sports networks and broadcasters that the pay TV provider offers, including NBC Sports Network, all ESPN networks and ESPN Unlimited, and FS1. Advertisers who thrive will rely on an omnichannel approach that keeps track of where viewers are watching while simultaneously accounting for the enduring relevance of linear to reach sports audiences.

Apple TV and NBCUniversal’s Peacock are partnering to offer a streaming bundle for $15 per month starting Monday. The new bundle provides potential for advertisers who have been hesitant to invest in Apple TV and Peacock respectively because of a lack of proven results.

YouTube TV is in a dicey position after it lost access to Univision networks and reached a temporary extension with NBCUniversal as a total blackout looms. Brands should prepare for fragmentation and adapt accordingly. Looking to CTV and OTT platforms with more stable sports offerings—like Prime Video and its 11-year deal with the NBA and WNBA—will provide a cushion amid uncertainty.

Disney is raising streaming prices again; Disney+ ad-free will climb to $18.99 per month, Hulu’s ad tier will rise to $11.99, and bundles will increase by up to $3. The hikes follow similar moves by Apple TV+ and Peacock, as subscription inflation outpaces consumer budgets. Nearly half of US adults have altered streaming subscriptions in the past six months, with two-thirds of cancellations tied to high costs. Disney can point to premium franchises, ESPN, and bundles as value, but modest daily engagement gains make retention a tougher challenge in a saturated market.

Nearly half of US adults have changed their streaming subscriptions in the past six months, with cost now serving as the top driver of both cancellations and new signups. Two-thirds of those who dropped a streaming service said it was too expensive, per YouGov. As cost sensitivity rises, building trust through easy trials and frictionless exits will be crucial. The platforms that focus on quality service and diverse content over hype and lock-in systems will make their offerings feel more like essential services.

NFL RedZone will bring ads to the current NFL season, stepping away from its commercial-free roots for the first time. Ads will initially only account for 1 minute of RedZone’s seven hours of content but could expand to 2 minutes during the season, per AP News. With attention shifting to digital live sports and RedZone’s availability on ESPN’s new DTC streaming service, advertisers have the opportunity to tap into broad audiences in a format that is likely to be more tolerable to viewers than traditional TV ads.

The news: As the NFL season approaches and digital video becomes a sports destination, fans are looking to new streaming services to stay caught up—and 35% are planning to subscribe to a new service to watch fall and winter sports, per CivicScience data. Our take: Sports will remain a key opportunity for brands to reach engaged and passionate audiences—but as fragmentation worsens, advertisers must prioritize cross-platform strategies that unlock consistent exposure.

Max adds new paid sharing feature with profile transfer tools: As inflation rises, Max bets on flexibility over price hikes to reduce churn and increase retention.

Organizations will prioritize governance in 2025 as they ramp up genAI investments in pursuit of business transformation.

The top B2B marketing trends in 2025 include AI-driven insights, first-party data strategies, and balancing automation with authenticity. In this report, marketers and agencies can learn how to embrace these evolving strategies in order to boost engagement, trust, and ROI.

CEOs’ politics impact their brands: Hastings’ endorsement triggers Netflix boycott, drawing parallels with Musk's controversies impacting Tesla and X.

DirecTV bends the knee to Disney: After a major blackout, the pay TV provider is offering a path to join Disney+ and Hulu.

Consumers are feeling the squeeze of the rising cost of subscriptions. Nearly seven in 10 (67%) US consumers saw at least one of their subscription services increase their cost, per March 2024 survey by CNET. Meanwhile, more than half (52%) of US adults have canceled a streaming service subscription because of increased pricing, per October 2023 data by TransUnion and Dynata.

Twitter employee departures accelerate as Musk drama wears on: Uncertainty over company direction and stalled growth initiatives could be a turnoff to advertisers as well.

The recent influx of premium streaming services is changing the way people access movies and TV shows. In the US, 18% of US paid video subscribers purchase just one streaming service, down 17 percentage points from 2019. By contrast, 35% currently pay for four or more services, up 24 percentage points from three years ago.

On today's episode, we discuss how the omicron variant might change consumer behavior, the significance of Tide refusing to air a Super Bowl 2022 commercial, the real threat of churn, what people click on, how Americans share information with brands, how to solve working from home annoyances, what it's like in the coldest place on Earth, and more. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst Suzy Davidkhanian, director of forecasting Oscar Orozco, and senior forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Peter Vahle.

On today's episode, we discuss which ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services Americans are using, why they're using them, and if these types of viewers are different from those using subscription video-on-demand (SVOD). We then talk about what livestream TV could do to help users sign up at a faster clip, how SVOD players can reduce churn, and what to make of Disney+ considering an ad-supported tier. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Paul Verna.