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Global live streaming up 50 per cent YoY

Conviva reports a 52 per cent jump in plays and 63 per cent growth in total viewing hours

Global live streaming has increased by over 50 per cent according to new figures from Conviva.

According to the company’s State of the Streaming TV Industry Report for Q3 2018, global streaming saw a 52 per cent increase in plays and 63 per cent growth in total viewing hours year-on-year.

The report also found:

  • Live sports streaming has surged, as viewer confidence in streaming TV grows and providers deliver improved quality. 
  • Connected TV plays and viewing hours more than doubled. After a run at the top of the chart, mobile growth has slowed in favour of connected TVs, which experienced a 145 per cent growth in plays and a 103 per cent growth in viewing hours.
  • Significant overall improvements seen in global quality. Video start failures drastically lowered (down 33 per cent), as did buffering rates (down 41 per cent), while picture quality (bitrate) substantially increased (up 25 per cent).
  • Virtual MVPDs are becoming more attractive, with 292 per cent more plays and 212 per cent more viewing hours YoY in the US, drawing significant share away from publisher apps by offering bundled content with better quality delivery, resulting in higher engagement.
  • Long-form content is becoming more popular, experiencing 111 per cent growth in plays, 93 per cent growth in viewing hours, with their increased share now accounting for more than half of all global plays and viewing hours.
  • Roku remains the leader among Conviva’s customer base of connected TV devices with a steady 40 per cent share of viewing hours, yet Amazon Fire TV is growing rapidly with a 500 per cent increase in share of viewing hours.

“Streaming TV consumption shows no signs of slowing down, and publishers have stepped up to the plate, delivering better quality and reliability that viewers have come to expect,” said Conviva CEO Bill Demas. “The demand for quality is pushing connected TVs to the top in terms of device share, commanding more than 50 per cent of total viewing hours at the expense of PCs that have lost seven percent while mobile remains relatively flat.”

“It’s clear that viewers are less tolerant of a poor experience, as 16 per cent of global viewer attempts result in an exit before the video starts,” Demas said. “Providers must increasingly focus on the streaming TV experience to match viewers’ rising standards.”