NEW YORK, June 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) today renewed its call for a migration from the traditional basis of measurement, “TV Households,” to the more comprehensive “TV-accessible” households. Data from the DASH 2023 TV Universe Study, released to licensees earlier this year, show that 6% of U.S. households now watch TV exclusively on mobile devices, an increase of more than a million homes since 2022. Driven primarily by younger viewers, the rise of device-only TV households highlights the need to redefine the basis of TV audience measurement to include all households consuming TV signals, not just those who own TV sets.
The ARF first called for the adoption of TV-accessible (TVA) households in March 2023, based on the results of DASH 2022. “TV set-less” viewing has gone up significantly in the intervening year, increasing the urgency of the shift the ARF is proposing.
Run annually in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago and a technical committee of measurement experts, DASH produces a dynamic data map of how Americans connect to and consume TV. Conducted online, in-person and by phone, DASH is based on a national probability sample of more than 10,000 adults to produce reliable, projectable results for the benefit of the media industry.
"The trend toward TV access exclusively on mobile devices shows no signs of letting up, particularly because younger households drive the trend. Not surprisingly, younger households are behind many of the dynamics changing the shape of TV, as highlighted in the DASH 2023 report," said Paul Donato, Chief Research Officer at the ARF.
Select Highlights of the DASH 2023 Report
- Penetration of paid AVOD services more than doubled in 2023, to nearly half of US households. Reflecting a shift back to ad-supported TV, paid AVOD penetration rose from 17% in 2022 to 45% in 2023, while the penetration of SVOD services fell from 79% to 72%.
- Younger households disproportionately drove the changes in paid streaming. Households headed by people 18-54 were much more likely to subscribe to streaming services, and more of them, than those headed by people 55+. In 2023, 10% of younger households went without a paid streaming TV service, and 62% had three or more. In contrast, 28% of older households had no paid streaming TV subscription, and 41% had three or more. Younger households were also more likely than older households to add subscription and shift tiers within services, but older households were more likely to cancel services (especially SVOD) outright.
- Adoption of AVOD services was far less influenced by household income than SVOD was. The income effect in AVOD was fairly flat, suggesting that providers have been successful in finding price points that “democratize” AVOD and its ad base.
- The crackdown on Netflix password sharing worked – and not just on Netflix subscribers. In May 2023, Netflix introduced restrictions designed to limit password sharing outside of subscriber households. The percentage of Netflix accounts shared with outside relatives dropped from 36% in 2022 to 28% in 2023, and, with friends, from 13% to 9%. Interestingly, sharing levels among Disney+ and Amazon subscribers also fell year over year, though neither company took action in 2023 to limit sharing in the U.S.
- Broadband Only (BBO) access may have plateaued in 2023. The share of households classified as BBO for TV reception has grown two to three points a year since DASH was launched in 2021. For the first time, however, there was no growth in BBO between the Spring and Fall waves of 2023. The effect held true regardless of whether vMVPDs were included in BBO or, consistent with an emerging convention in the industry, excluded and reclassified as Pay. Still, there is a growing body of evidence that the distinction among the three traditional modes of TV access (Pay/BBO/OTA) is blurring.
- Virtual MVPDs like YouTube TV gained traction with older households, and “light” vMVPDs entered the scene. Households headed by people 55+ were more likely than their younger counterparts to take on a vMVPD to watch linear TV, suggesting that those services have mainstreamed. Another interesting development was the launch of limited live television through the paid streaming services Paramount+ and Peacock. Those “light MVPDs,” which deliver local and network programming from CBS and NBC, respectively, added live TV access to 6% of U.S. households that previously had none.
DASH 2023 includes more granular at-home viewership signals, an expanded question set on out-of-home viewing and a new section on FASTs. In addition, DASH 2023 includes a longitudinal sub-sample of more than 3,000 respondents who also took the DASH survey in 2022, which enables in-depth analysis of switching dynamics. The newly released DASH 2023 report draws on that data.
The mission of the DASH program is simple: to produce a reliable standard for TV universe estimation that is accessible and useful to providers across the industry. For more information about the DASH program and options for licensing the data, visit the DASH website or email DASH@theARF.org.
About the Advertising Research Foundation
Founded in 1936, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) has emerged as the preeminent authority on unbiased quality in advertising, media, and marketing research. With over 400 member companies, the ARF's powerful knowledge, unified standards, and best practices have proven invaluable time and again. The ARF continues to drive continuous improvement in advertising and marketing practices by fostering collaboration and innovation, shaping the industry's future.
In today's rapidly changing technology landscape, the ARF remains committed to providing accurate information, setting industry standards, and promoting transparency. For more information, visit www.thearf.org and also visit us on LinkedIn, YouTube, X (Twitter), and Facebook.
Media Contact
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