Consumers’ viewing of free, ad-supported streaming channels has grown extensively in the last year, creating new opportunities for advertisers, according to the CTV Trends Report 2025: Advertiser Edition released by Wurl.

Some highlights of the streaming report:

• There was a 29% increase in total viewing time across platforms year-over-year.
• The number of monthly active households watching free, ad-supported channels grew 12%.
• The average daily hours of viewing per household climbed 16%.
• Average channel session duration was up 25%, with viewers examining more channels than they did a year ago.
• Different genres offer opportunities: Reality, drama, and documentary showed the highest viewership numbers. News remained steady, though news viewership spiked during major events.
• Loyalty to core channels is strong: The report found most households spend most of their time with a small set of streaming favorites — typically three to four.
• Households are watching more channels than they were a year ago: Across streaming platforms, the report found year-over-year increases in the average number of channels viewed per household. Depending on the platform, channel exploration was up from 10% to 50%.
• The average number of streaming channels viewed per household still trails linear TV.
• Advertisers have not caught up with the inventory and opportunity available from free streaming channels. Ad fill rates are still lower than in previous years, which means there is an untapped advertising opportunity in the streaming market.

“As the streaming landscape continues to evolve, free streaming TV is proving itself to be an efficient and high-performing channel,” Dave Bernath, Wurl CEO, said in a prepared statement about the report.

“We’re seeing significant growth in both audience scale and engagement. At the same time, premium ad inventory remains available, which means advertisers have a unique opportunity to secure high-impact placements as the market continues to mature.”