London – January 06, 2026 – Looper Insights, the leading CTV merchandising analytics platform, released a new report, “The Big Reset: 10 Trends Reshaping Streaming in 2026,” that examines how shifting audience behaviour, fragmented discovery, and rapid changes in how content is surfaced across CTV platforms are redefining the way viewers find content. The report draws on insights from senior executives across streaming, CTV, sports, distribution, and media platforms, surveyed between 17 November and 5 December 2025.
“Streaming is entering a reset moment,” said Francesca Pezzoli, VP of Marketing at Looper Insights. “For the first time, OS interfaces, AI-powered recommendations, and platform-level merchandising have more influence over what gets watched on CTV than the content apps themselves. This report shows how the rules are changing and what industry leaders need to do in the year ahead.”
Key Findings of the report:
- AI assistants will control what viewers see. More than 75% of survey respondents say AI viewing assistants built into TV operating systems will decide which shows and apps appear first on screen in 2026, shifting discovery power away from individual streaming services.
- AI reshapes what gets watched, not what gets written: Nearly half say AI’s most significant near-term creative impact will be in automated trailer creation, artwork testing, and content packaging. Respondents see AI enabling faster, scalable creation of thumbnails, cuts, and promotional assets tailored to different audiences, at speeds impossible with manual workflows.
- FAST is becoming a premium business, not just “free TV.” Nearly 60% of respondents believe FAST will operate as a sustainable, high-value ad-supported model next year, signaling a significant evolution from its early role as a free, supplemental viewing option.
- Sports access is moving toward bundles. Almost half of respondents (47%) expect sports rights to be packaged and sold in bundles in 2026, reflecting viewer fatigue with scattered subscriptions and rising pressure to simplify how fans watch live games.
Younger audiences view TikTok and YouTube as their primary TV platforms. Close to 50% say TikTok and YouTube have permanently reshaped youth viewing habits, confirming that for the next generation, these platforms are the new television. 38.3% say streamers must adopt creator-driven models to compete with YouTube.
“The Big Reset: 10 Trends Reshaping Streaming in 2026” is available to download here.
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