Last week, the Stingray team attended the highly anticipated StreamTV Show in Denver, a premier event that brings together leaders and innovators from the streaming television landscape. With over 1,700 attendees—a 63% increase from 2024—and its largest speaker lineup to date featuring over 200 experts in content, technology, advertising, distribution, and innovation, the show was a vibrant hub of industry activity.

 

This event provided an exciting opportunity to connect, learn, and share insights as the industry continues its rapid evolution. More than just a conference, the StreamTV Show served as a fantastic venue for meeting with our valued partners, discussing ongoing collaborations, and exploring new avenues for growth together.

 

Stingray’s presence was strong, with a diverse group of 13 team members from our IT, Advertising, Content, Sales, and Marketing departments. Their attendance underscores our company-wide commitment to staying at the forefront of streaming technology, content strategy, and market development.

 

A highlight of the event was the active participation of our Chief Revenue Officer David Purdy, who contributed his expertise to two key panel discussions:

 

“The State of FASTs”

 

In this session, David and other industry experts from Veed, Magnite, LG Ad Solutions, and Xumo delved into the dynamic Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) sector, addressing challenges and opportunities in monetization, transparency, user experience, ad loads, and the strategic use of AI.

The discussion pinpointed several issues: Independent FAST programmers face significant hurdles with scale and data, making it essential to differentiate through strategic partnerships and by understanding the user’s daily journey. Learning from traditional cable’s decline, the panel underscored that FAST services must relentlessly prioritize consumer preferences, much like Netflix did by empowering viewers. Another key concern was the engagement with advertising agencies, leading to ad revenue lagging behind audience growth; the panel called for stronger collaboration with agencies and a concerted effort to solve the ongoing challenge of attribution. Finally, the conversation addressed the fragmented nature of the FAST ecosystem, emphasizing the need for industry-wide standards and deeper cross-platform cooperation to achieve unified measurement and true end-to-end attribution, from living room TVs to in-car entertainment and retail touchpoints.

 

“Leaders’ Roundtable- OTT Growth: The Evolution of Platforms, Content, and Consumer Experience”

 

David joined fellow leaders from NBCU, Plex, Stripe, and Gracenote to discuss the transformative developments in Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, covering crucial topics like revenue models, the impact of AI on user experience and content delivery, and the rise of mobile-first viewing.

 

During this panel, David highlighted how the permanent shift towards remote and hybrid work is redefining content consumption. With many individuals now working from home, prime time viewing has extended into the daytime. This creates a need for green noise or ambient content that aids focus, rather than distracts—a new, additive viewing occasion rather than a cannibalization of existing audiences. David also pointed to future opportunities, such as in-car entertainment in autonomous vehicles, suggesting that Stingray is focused on “nibbling around the edges” by delivering content for these emerging contexts.

 

The StreamTV Show is a vital forum for understanding the latest trends, from CTV advertising and monetization strategies to content management, applied AI, and audience personalization. Our team’s participation underscores Stingray’s dedication to innovation and our role in shaping the future of music and video experiences on a global scale.

 

We’re energized by the discussions and connections made in Denver and look forward to leveraging these insights to continue delivering exceptional streaming experiences to our partners and audiences worldwide.