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On New York, March 25, 2026, Deloitte published the 20th edition of its annual Digital Media Trends survey, offering a granular look at how audiences now interact with media and entertainment. The report is based on a sample of 3,575 consumers, age 14 and older, fielded by an independent research firm in October and November 2026. Its findings highlight three converging forces: steady household streaming spend, rapid adoption of ad-supported streaming, and rising willingness among audiences to accept AI-enabled experiences when transparency is clear.
Streaming economics: flat spend, rising ad tiers, and price sensitivity
The landscape is no longer defined by relentless subscriber growth. Average reported household spending on streaming video services remains steady at $69 per month, reflecting market maturation. At the same time, consumers show pronounced sensitivity to price changes: roughly 61% say they would cancel their favorite service if its monthly fee rose by just $5. That fragility matters because churn levels hold near historical averages, about 40%, even as platforms experiment with monetization. A notable shift is the surge in ad-tier adoption: now about 68% of subscribers use at least one ad-supported option, up from 46% in 2026, signaling that many viewers prefer lower-cost, ad-enabled access over higher-priced, ad-free plans.
The fan economy: a cross-generational growth engine
One of the clearest themes in the survey is the economic power of fandom. Around 80% of respondents identify as a fan of something — music, sports, TV and film franchises, games, books, creators, or genres — and that loyalty translates into measurable value. Fans report spending an average of $71 per month on streaming subscriptions, which is about 27% more than the $56 reported by non-fans. They also invest time: fans spend roughly 51 additional minutes per day on entertainment, which is about 16% more time than non-fans.
How fans discover and move across platforms
Discovery and multi-platform behavior are key attributes of fandom. Over half of fans say social networks are their primary discovery route, a figure that climbs to 73% among Gen Z fans. However, many fans first encounter material on social and then migrate to other services to watch or purchase the full experience; nearly 44% follow that path. Cross-platform engagement is common: about 55% of fans use multiple platforms to follow their interests, rising to roughly 70% for Gen Z and millennial fans, which underlines why platforms that foster continuous engagement can extract more lifetime value.
Personalization, AI, and advertising: opportunities and caveats
Platforms aiming to deepen fandom should prioritize personalization and thoughtful use of generative AI. Consumers show openness to AI when it is transparent and useful: nearly 40% of fans would accept AI-created entertainment if it is clearly labeled. Around 27% want AI-generated, personalized digests and highlight reels, and almost 22–24% say enhanced AI recommendations or co-creation tools would increase their platform engagement. On the advertising front, about 49% of fans believe ads tailored to their fandoms would be more effective, and roughly one-third express indifference to whether ads are produced by GenAI, suggesting pragmatic acceptance when relevance and trust are preserved.
Practical implications for platforms
These findings point to concrete tactics: invest in features that help fans gather and curate content, enable cross-platform journeys, and create opt-in AI tools for personalized digests and co-creation. Transparency matters: labeling AI-created content and protecting intellectual property are essential to maintain trust. Equally important is offering a mix of ad and premium tiers that match consumer price sensitivity while preserving revenue. Platforms that treat fandom as a strategic asset—building year-round experiences rather than one-off moments—are better positioned to retain subscribers and increase lifetime engagement.
Conclusion: turn casual viewers into lifelong fans
Deloitte’s survey shows a stable spending baseline for streaming but also identifies clear levers for growth: deepen fan relationships, embrace ad-supported models that match consumer budgets, and deploy AI transparently to enhance discovery and personalization. By prioritizing fan engagement and smart monetization, content owners and platforms can convert steady market conditions into durable business advantage. The data-driven path forward is less about chasing new subscribers and more about keeping the devoted audience at the center of product and marketing strategies.