Free, paid or live: Latinos consume more TV streaming than everyone else in the U.S.

Latinos have always been at the forefront of adopting and using subscription streaming services in the U.S. And recent findings from a study by Horowitz show the trend has continued in 2024.

Titled FOCUS Latinx Volume I: Subscriptions 2024, the report found that the demographic is flocking to streaming services at an accelerated rate, driven mainly by the ever-growing offer of tailored content in such platforms.

According to Horowitz, Latino-content-viewers “are more likely to have and use subscription streaming services (78%, compared to 63% for the total population), free streaming services (80% among Latinos, compared to 67% overall), and virtual MVPDs such as YouTube TV, Sling, Hulu with Live TV, etc. (36% vs. 23%).” Usage of free streaming services alone has jumped over 20 percentage points, from just 14% among Latino audiences in five years.

The reasons behind such an increase in streaming consumption are varied, but one that Horowitz points out has to do with access to Spanish-language content and the thirst for such programming. According to the study, 3 in 4 Latino viewers watch at least some content in Spanish, while 2 in 3 Spanish-dominant and bilingual Latino consumers say that having Spanish-language content is an important consideration when choosing a TV service.

In a statement, Adriana Waterston, EVP and Insights and Strategy Lead for Horowitz Research explained that “services hoping to attract and retain Latine audiences must continue to focus on presenting the best Spanish-language offerings with high quality, desirable new content as well as robust libraries of classic Spanish shows and movies to represent real value for these viewers.”

The rise in streaming has one glaring victim: cable subscriptions. This year’s report finds that less than 4 in 10 (39%) Latino households subscribe to either cable or satellite, a substantial drop from 6 in 10 (60%) just last year.

According to a recent report by EMarketer titled US Hispanic Consumer Media Habits 2024, Latinos have the highest rate of digital video penetration among racial and ethnic group (81.3%), with one contributing factor being multigenerational households: “a larger household means a greater demand for content variety, which streaming offers more readily and affordably than traditional or cable TV.”