Netflix, Hulu and Roku Inc. all recently declared strong subscriber and ad revenue growth in 2018 -- proving that streaming and digital media is not only here to stay, but also remains on a strong growth path.
Hulu, a joint venture with Walt Disney Co., Twenty-First Century Fox Inc., and Comcast Corporation, announced its largest annual increase in history in 2018: adding 8 million live TV and on-demand subscribers, putting it over the 25 million subscriber mark for the first time. The company also reported its ad revenue at just under $1.5 billion, up more than 45% over 2017.
Hulu’s announcement is followed by Roku’s, which reported that its fourth quarter active accounts went over 27 million -- up about 40% on a y-o-y basis -- and that its streaming hours were over 70% from the same quarter last year.
According to analysts, these reports underscore steaming digital viewing on the rise, which is also good news for advertisers. Analysis further reveals that the audience for digital streaming channels is primarily a young demographic. With show viewer engagement on a rise, but with a shorter attention span, the digital platform has emerged as the right avenue for advertisers to grab the attention of young viewers.