Nielsen Launches 2026 Upfront Planning Series With New Data To Help Marketers and Agencies Unlock Growth, Innovation Opportunities

• For the first time, Nielsen breaks out demographic information about FAST and AVOD
• Streaming now accounts for 66.7% of the time that 18 to 49-year-olds spend with ad supported TV
• Sports comprised nearly 30% of all ad supported TV viewing in 4Q 2025
• Report finds the key to thriving in today's multi-platform ad environment is to treat linear, streaming and FAST as one integrated ecosystem

New York, March 12, 2026 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data and marketing intelligence, today released "The 2026 Upfront Planning Guide," which takes an in-depth look at ad supported TV viewership trends across key audience demographics and in sports.

Drawing on its expertise as the industry's leading media intelligence platform, Nielsen compiled the series to give advertisers and agencies the insights and applicable takeaways they need to make the most of this year's upfront marketplace. In the process, Nielsen also for the first time reported on demographic information surrounding two of today's fastest-growing streaming sectors: free ad supported streaming (FAST) and AVOD (advertising video on demand).

In doing so, Nielsen discovered this overarching takeaway: Each of the different ad supported viewing options (linear, FAST and AVOD) attract a different audience profile, giving advertisers opportunities to build reach. The key to navigating today's multiplatform TV ad world is to approach the different ad supported viewing environments as one integrated ecosystem.

Notable findings from across the report include:

18-49 Ad Supported Viewing:

• Adults ages 18 to 49 spend 63.8% of their TV time with ad supported TV, indicating that most viewers favor the value exchange of watching ads in order to get the content that they want.
• Within that chunk, streaming now accounts for 66.7% of the total amount of time that 18 to 49-year- olds spend with ad supported TV.
• Also within streaming, 81.1% of viewing for adults ages 18 to 49 occurs on the ad supported tiers of platforms like YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Peacock and Paramount+. These platforms often provide an attractive library of content, originals and sports that draw viewers in.
• The other 19% percent of viewing within streaming goes to FAST platforms, which offer free, frictionless access to content from a wide variety of sources.
• Streaming aside, linear (which comprises 33.4% of total time with ad supported TV) remains critical for live sports, events and news. Primetime dramas on broadcast and movies on cable are also top genres for the adult 18 to 49 demo, specifically.

FAST (inclusive of Roku Channel, Tubi, Pluto and others)

• FAST platforms offer a unique middle ground, capturing the growing attention of those ages 35 to 64.
• 28% of Gen Xers said they frequently buy products based on streaming TV advertising.

Non-FAST AVOD (inclusive of YouTube, Disney+, Peacock, Netflix, etc.)

• This remains the hub for the youngest viewers, effectively capturing the 18 to 34 and 2 to 17 age groups. Of note is the remarkably even distribution across all age segments for "other ad supported," providing a unique opportunity for cross-generational reach in a single pillar.

Sports

• The evolution of the NBA's distribution is a great example of how streaming's growth has propelled live sports into a multiplatform viewing environment. Adding NBC provides broad reach across fans of all ages, while streaming games on Prime Video brings in younger digital natives who watch less linear TV.
• Another key finding is that the concentration of an audience is different from the volume. Example: While Prime Video delivers a higher percent composition of adults 18-34 with its streams, NBC attracts a comparable number of adults 18-34. ABC and ESPN average the highest number of viewers in that demo.
• By understanding how the unique age profiles of each platform might attract different advertisers, or, how, together, they can serve to extend the reach for the same brand, the NBA has increased its viewership by 18% so far this season.
• Sports accounted for nearly 30% of all ad supported TV viewing among adults ages 25-54 in 4Q 2025.

These insights come as the share of time that viewers spend with ad supported TV continues to climb. Per Nielsen's latest Ad Supported Gauge, the medium represented 74.2% of overall TV viewing in Q4 2025, which also marked its highest point throughout all of 2025. Compared to Q3 2025, ad supported viewing was also up 9%, outpacing the 7% increase in total TV viewing, as football and young adults helped drive this surge.

"With upfront and newfront season upon us, we took an even closer look at FAST and AVOD to uncover new areas of growth as ad supported TV viewing evolves," said Nielsen Data Communications Director Brian Hughes. "We found that each pillar of ad supported TV offers something to help brands meet their goals, and when used together, the opportunities have the potential to multiply."

About Nielsen

Nielsen is a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their global audiences-now and into the future. Learn more at www.nielsen.com and connect with us on social media (X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram).

Elaine Wong
Nielsen Communications
[email protected]