For years, a pervasive narrative has echoed through agency boardrooms: “Free TV is dead. Nobody watches it anymore. Gen Z is strictly on TikTok, and everyone else has migrated to global streaming platforms.”
It sounds like a compelling headline, but industry data proves it is completely false. The truth isn’t that audiences left free TV—it’s that free TV multiplied.
The Real Data Behind TV’s Resurgence
Every week, 16.4 million Australians tune into free TV. Daily viewership across Linear and BVOD (Broadcaster Video on Demand) sits at an impressive 9.3 million people.
When looking at Connected TV (CTV), BVOD claims an overwhelming 68% of total viewing.
To put that in perspective:
- Double the Share: BVOD’s CTV share is double that of Amazon Prime and Disney+ combined.
- Streaming Rivalry: It stands neck-and-neck with Netflix while dwarfing its ad-supported subscription tiers.
- Gen Z Growth: Among Gen Z viewers, BVOD engagement is actually up 17% year-on-year.
Shared Cultural Moments Drive Unmatched Scale
Television remains the cornerstone of shared national culture and live engagement.
- News: 4.2 million viewers watch free-to-air news daily at 6:00 PM.
- Sports: 3.3 million fans flock to AFL and NRL Friday night footy.
- Entertainment: 4.8 million viewers come together on Sunday nights for major prime-time shows.
The Ultimate Un-skippable Media Channel
For advertisers, free TV delivers an environment that digital feeds simply cannot match: high attention, full screen, sound-on, non-scrollable, and non-skippable. A study conducted with Publicis Media and Neuro-Insight revealed that TV and BVOD act as memory amplifiers, increasing brand recall and making all other video formats perform better.
Furthermore, as households cut budgets, the zero-cost advantage of free TV guarantees that its massive reach remains unchanged. It’s time to move past the myths—free TV works, and it’s time to put it to work for your brand.
