A year after Prominence was fought and won, Australians rely on the TV’s home screen as their primary guide for what to watch.
50% of Australian Connected TV viewers now rely on the TV’s home screen as their primary guide for what to watch, according to a report released by LG Ad Solutions.
The Big Shift 2025 surveyed over 1,000 Australian CTV users.
As streaming becomes the dominant form of TV viewing – preferred by 63 per cent of Australians – audiences are facing an explosion of choice. With content scattered across dozens of apps and platforms, viewers increasingly look to their Smart TV’s home screen for recommendations, inspiration, and immediacy.
This also speaks to the fight over Prominence in recent years in Free to Air networks campaigned for government to mandate Free to Air Television as being discoverable on home screens, and not lost in a sea of apps and subscription services.
In 2024 the Federal Government ruled new Smart TVs and devices must put Free to Air networks on the primary interface.
“The home screen is quickly becoming the new primetime,” said Alex Blundell Jones, Commercial Director, Australia at LG Ad Solutions. “It’s where the viewing journey begins, and for brands and content providers, it represents one of the most valuable touchpoints to capture attention in a fragmented media landscape.”
The study also found:
Big Screen Preference Dominates: Viewers overwhelmingly prefer the largest screen in the house versus smaller screens for key content experiences – 81 per cent for movies, 76 per cent for TV shows, and 70 per cent for sports.
Streaming Video is Growing Fast: 64 per cent prefer streaming free video content with ads over paying for a subscription without ads. 53 per cent are regular FAST users (2+ hours per week), and FAST app adoption has outpaced SVoD growth 4 to 1 year-over-year.
Built-in TV features are gaining traction: A majority of viewers are open to using content hubs—such as sports, music streaming, fitness apps, gaming, and on-screen shopping – directly from their Smart TV, redefining the living room experience. 58 per cent played games on their Smart TV in the past year, pointing to new forms of lean-in engagement.
Ad Relevance Matters: 77 per cent prefer ads that align with their interests, and 66 per cent want ads relevant to the content they’re watching. Nearly half (47 per cent) say they pay more attention to ads while streaming.
CTV Ads Drive Action: After seeing a streaming ad, 37 per cent have visited a website, 36 per cent have searched for a product, 25 per cent have made a purchase, and 24 per cent have visited a store.
Live Content is Gaining Ground: 58 per cent have streamed live sports; 32 per cent have watched award shows or music festivals via streaming.
“Live content is becoming a cornerstone of the CTV experience, especially in the world of sports,” added Blundell Jones. “With 58 per cent of Australian viewers streaming live sports, we’re seeing how CTV is not just for on-demand entertainment – it’s where fans now gather for marquee cultural moments, big games, and shared experiences. For brands, this represents a powerful opportunity to connect with engaged audiences in the moments that matter most.”