Black Households Are Turning To Streaming Services That Provide Black Content

Black Americans are more likely than the wider U.S. population to use virtual multichannel video programming distributors (vMVPDs) like Hulu, Sling, and YouTube, as well as free ad-supported TV (FAST) services like Tubi and Pluto TV.

A recent Horowitz Research report highlights that content targeted at Black audiences is a key factor driving this trend.

Black audiences Want Black content

The new annual FOCUS Black report reveals that over 3 in 5 Black households consider content geared toward Black audiences vital.

“With retention being a challenge in the SVOD and vMVPD spaces and engagement a challenge for FAST/AVOD, offering top-notch Black content can be an important differentiator,” said Adriana Waterston, the executive vice president and Insights & Strategy Lead for Horowitz Research.

As traditional cable and satellite subscriptions decline, Black households are increasingly adopting subscription streaming services (SVODs) at similar rates to the general population.

While mainstream services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video remain popular, 2 in 5 Black households access Black-targeted SVODs such as BET+, Zeus, Black World Cinema, and ALLBLK.

Moreover, 3 in 4 Black TV content viewers use FAST services, like Tubi and Pluto TV, compared to about 2 in 3 of the general market.

This is partly driven by the availabilty of Black-focused content, with 2 in 3 Black FAST viewers watch content geared toward Black audiences at least weekly.

The Rise of vMVPDs Among Black Viewers

Virtual MVPD services like YouTube TV, Sling, and Hulu with Live TV are also gaining traction among Black households. 

The study indicates that 1 in 3 Black TV content viewers subscribe to at least one vMVPD service, a notable over-index compared to 1 in 5 overall consumers. 

Satisfaction with the Black-targeted content on these platforms is high, with nearly 2 in 3 vMVPD subscribers expressing contentment with the selection.

Feature Image Credit: AdAge