Tubi, A Free Platform That Funds And Amplifies Black Filmmakers, Surpasses Viewership Of All Other Streaming Services Except YouTube

Tubi has touted its position as a consumer-first platform, and clearly viewers believe the streaming company.

Per a recent LA Times report, Nielsen data showed that May was Tubi’s most-watched month ever, with an average audience of 1 million viewers, up nearly 50% from 2023. The free platform commanded a higher viewership than other major streaming services including Netflix, Disney+, Max and Peacock, all of which have steadily price gouged customers according to social media responses to rolling announcements about new hiked costs. YouTube is the only free ad-supported streaming platform with more viewers than Tubi, according to the outlet.

“Tubi continues to pull ahead from its (ad-supported video on demand) competition and post faster than expected growth,” analysts at research firm MoffettNathanson said in a report shared by the LA Times.

The escalating subscription costs of the competition have certainly helped. With Netflix, Amazon and others now selling advertising in addition to charging fees, Tubi is looking like a better deal to many budget-conscious consumers.

“Of course, those are things that are going to positively impact us,” Adam Lewinson, chief content officer for Tubi, said in a recent interview with the LA Times.

Tubi has not only remained free for consumers, it has become a go-to source for democratized filmmaking as well. In May, Tubi announced a partnership with Issa Rae co-founded production company ColorCreative to help roll out Stubio, a fan-fueled studio for aspiring filmmakers and their fans.

“They have done a great job of seeing their audience, cultivating that audience, and now investing in that audience tenfold,” Rae shared with ESSENCE in May. “Not only investing in the audience, but they’re investing in creators to make long-form work for that audience and putting it in some ways in their hands to determine whether or not the work that’s produced out of this program is worthy enough to continue. And I love that about it because it fosters a creator and audience relationship that can often be ignored. Democratize is the process, which is how I came up with my own digital background. But I really appreciate and I think it’s incredibly cool that they are actually and quite literally putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to black audiences and audiences of all diverse backgrounds, which the creators that are chosen will reflect.”