Top 5 Media Landscape Insights- October

Stay on top of today’s constantly changing media environment with DirectAvenue’s Top 5 Insights. We give you specific network updates and emerging media trends in a digestible format.

October 1, 2024

1. US Holiday Shopping 2024-Retail sales in the U.S. are expected to pick up pace as 2024 comes to an end, with holiday shoppers increasing their spending both in-store and via mobile devices during this crucial season for brands and retailers. Total retail sales for November and December 2024 are projected to rise by a solid 4.8% year-over-year, reaching $1.353 trillion, while e-commerce is anticipated to grow at almost double that rate.
2. DirectTV and Disney End Blackout- DirecTV and Walt Disney have reached a new carriage agreement that provides consumers with more flexible packaging options. For the first time, this deal includes Disney’s streaming services: Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, as stated in their joint press release. DirecTV says: “Thanks to new foundational rights from Disney, we will be able to launch more flexible and lower-priced genre-based options for sports, entertainment, kids and family, and more in the new year.”
3. Global Sports TV and Streaming Documentaries Soar- Along with rising interest in virtually all live TV sports content, recent research has shown the number of global sports TV documentaries is at its highest levels in four years. According to Ampere Analysis, sports documentaries and docuseries accounted for 25% of all documentaries released from May to July 2024, totaling 103 titles—a record share. In July alone, sports documentary content reached an all-time high of 17% of all new unscripted commissions.
4. NBCU Claims Nielsen Gold with Over 13% Share in August-  With its Olympic programming, NBCUniversal surpassed YouTube, Disney, and Netflix to secure the top position in Nielsen’s media distributor index for August, achieving a 13.4% share. In August, following NBCUniversal, YouTube held a 10.6% share, with Disney at 9.5%, Netflix at 7.9%, Paramount Global at 7.1%, Warner Bros. Discovery at 6.9%, and Fox at 6.0%. Only NBCUniversal, YouTube (which gained 2%), and Roku (which increased by 3%) saw gains among the top 14 media distributors. August is generally one of the lowest months for TV viewership each year.
5.  Tapping into CTV Audiences and Consumer Behavior- Consumers are looking to their TVs for holiday ideas: 43% of connected TV (CTV) users believe that TV ads provide helpful information for holiday shopping, and 72% would be willing to scan a QR code in a TV ad to make a purchase. Sixty-five percent of CTV shoppers anticipate making at least one return after the holidays, marking a 19% increase from the previous year. Additionally, parents are 87% more likely to return items compared to non-parents.