A Magnite study of 900 Australians indicates that 90% of viewers use CTV for live streaming, with non-sports content becoming nearly as popular as live sports. The report highlights emerging opportunities for shoppable ads as 49% of viewers report using a second screen while watching live content.
The parity between sports and entertainment live streams suggests that CTV inventory is becoming more versatile for advertisers seeking mass-reach moments outside of expensive sports rights. The high rate of second-screen usage during live broadcasts provides a concrete path for shoppable ad formats, effectively closing the gap between brand awareness and conversion. As news remains the final stronghold for linear TV at 51% of viewers, the ecosystem is nearing a tipping point where CTV becomes the default for all high-stakes live viewing. Watch for whether Australian broadcasters accelerate the migration of news sub-brands to FAST or live-streaming apps to capture the remaining linear-first demographic.
The shift in Australian viewing habits aligns with broader regional trends reported by Telsyte in July 2024, which noted that the average Australian household now subscribes to 3.5 streaming services. This fragmentation has pushed local broadcasters like Nine, Seven, and Ten to aggressively transition their BVOD (Broadcast Video on Demand) platforms toward live-centric models. Per the IAB Australia 'State of the Nation' report from May 2024, CTV now accounts for the largest share of programmatic digital video spend in the country, as buyers prioritize the brand-safe, big-screen environment for reaching fragmented audiences. This investment is bolstered by the rollout of VOZ (Virtual Australia), the national total TV measurement system, which aims to provide unduplicated reach figures across linear and digital screens. Competitive activity in the ANZ region has intensified as global giants integrate local live content. For instance, per Mediaweek in June 2024, Hubbl—the Foxtel-backed streaming aggregator—launched to simplify the discovery of live apps, specifically targeting the 6.2 million Australians who stream video daily. Furthermore, Amazon Prime Video's recent acquisition of ICC cricket rights in Australia, as reported by The Guardian in late 2023, underscores the move of premium live assets away from traditional terrestrial signals. These developments suggest that the 'live' category is no longer a defensive moat for legacy broadcasters, but rather the primary battlefield for CTV hardware and software providers seeking to dominate the home's primary interface.
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