Observed Signal · Jul 30, 2026 · Podcast Release · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
MRI‑Simmons: Streaming Buys Likely Duplicate Linear Reach
MRI‑Simmons consumer expert Emily Williams argues that adding streaming to linear TV plans often does not produce incremental reach because of high household overlap and platform churn. Using address‑based probabilistic sampling, MRI‑Simmons' Cord Evolution Study found that 75% of cable or satellite subscribers also stream, while their USA Study reports 63% of adults multitask while watching TV. The average American uses roughly 11 streaming services per year, contributing to cyclical platform churn rather than true audience expansion. Williams recommends planning by unified audience behaviors and intent — not by siloed channels — and highlights MRI‑Simmons metrics such as the Unified Streaming Power Index and a 'Popularity Score' to track audience movement. The discussion is presented in a podcast episode hosted by State of Streaming that dives deeper into the data and planning implications for media buyers and sellers.
Research highlights measurement and reach overlap between linear and streaming, which affects media planning and buying across CTV/OTT — meaningful to buyers, sellers, and measurement vendors but not industry‑shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- MRI‑Simmons' Cord Evolution Study found 75% of people who still pay for cable or satellite TV also stream.
- MRI‑Simmons' USA Study found 63% of adults say they usually do something else while watching TV.
- The average American uses 11 different streaming services per year, per the article's summary of MRI‑Simmons data.
- MRI‑Simmons tracks 170+ FAST channels and publishes a monthly Unified Streaming Power Index with a 'Popularity Score'.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“That means before assuming a streaming buy adds incremental reach to an existing linear plan, check for household overlap first or consider ...”
“That means before assuming a streaming buy adds incremental reach to an existing linear plan, check for household overlap first or consider ...”
“Emily shares an interesting unified audience data point: 90% of Instagram users shop on Amazon, 50% of Amazon shoppers watch Hulu, 50% of In...”
“Emily shares an interesting unified audience data point: 90% of Instagram users shop on Amazon, 50% of Amazon shoppers watch Hulu, 50% of In...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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