An updated edition of the Nov. 11, 2025 article.

Over roughly the last 20 years, streaming has evolved from a niche concept into the backbone of the global entertainment ecosystem, fundamentally changing how people consume content across genres. What began as a supplemental option to traditional pay TV is now the primary viewing choice for many households, driven by faster connectivity, improved devices and changing audience habits. This structural shift has opened meaningful opportunities for players such as Sony Group Corporation (SONY Quick QuoteSONY - Free Report) , Fox Corporation (FOXA Quick QuoteFOXA - Free Report) and Roku (ROKU Quick QuoteROKU - Free Report) , each benefiting from streaming’s expanding role in the media value chain.

The appeal of streaming lies in its convenience and control. Viewers can move seamlessly across screens, customize viewing schedules and choose between ad-free or lighter ad experiences. In response, platforms have aggressively invested in original programming, exclusive distribution rights and differentiated content strategies as competition intensifies. At the same time, advances in technology are enhancing engagement. AI-driven recommendations, improved user interfaces and the widespread adoption of connected TVs are helping platforms surface relevant content more efficiently and deepen viewer loyalty. 

Industry projections indicate substantial runway remains. Ampere Analysis estimates global streaming revenues could approach $190 billion by 2029, supported by nearly 2 billion subscriptions worldwide. While subscription-based models remain the foundation, ad-supported and blended offerings are expanding access, particularly in cost-conscious markets.

Emerging trends such as live sports streaming, interactive formats and strategic partnerships are becoming key differentiators. For investors, the combination of innovation, diversified monetization and global scale suggests streaming remains positioned for sustained, long-term growth.

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Sony Group’s move into streaming has been years in the making. The company experimented with digital video as early as the 2000s through services like Crackle, but streaming only became strategic in the late 2010s as physical media faded. A major shift came in August 2021 when Sony acquired Crunchyroll for about $1.17 billion and merged it with Funimation, creating a scaled global anime platform. That same year, Sony launched Sony Pictures Core, then called Bravia Core, embedding premium video streaming into Sony TVs, smartphones and later PlayStation consoles as part of a broader ecosystem push.

Crunchyroll is now central to Sony’s streaming story. By mid-2025, paid subscribers exceeded 17 million across more than 200 countries, reflecting how anime has grown into a global mainstream category. Sony’s ownership of anime production through Aniplex and distribution through Crunchyroll gives it strong control over content, pricing and fan engagement, while PlayStation Network integration supports discovery and retention.

Sony Pictures Core plays a more focused role by delivering movies directly to consumers in formats such as 4K and IMAX Enhanced. While smaller than mass-market platforms, it strengthens the value of Sony devices and keeps premium film content within Sony’s ecosystem.

Geographically, Sony is expanding through partnerships. Sony launched Sony Pictures – Stream as a dedicated add-on subscription channel on Prime Video in India in February 2024. More recently, in December 2025, the channel, Sony Pictures Core, was made available on Prime Video in the United States and Canada. Sony’s streaming business is built around owned IP, ecosystem leverage and disciplined, long-term growth rather than scale alone. SONY sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Fox Corporation’s streaming journey began in earnest with its 2020 acquisition of Tubi, a free ad-supported streaming platform designed to expand FOX’s direct-to-consumer footprint beyond traditional broadcast and cable. Tubi, offering a vast library of licensed movies and TV shows without subscription fees, quickly became the centerpiece of FOX’s streaming strategy. 

Over time, the service expanded into FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) channels and exclusive original content, positioning itself as a strong alternative in the crowded streaming environment. By 2025, FOX had also launched FOX One, a paid streaming service bundling news, sports, and entertainment.

Tubi achieved a critical milestone by reaching quarterly profitability in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, earlier than initially projected, while simultaneously delivering 27% revenue growth driven by 18% viewership expansion. This profitability inflection point validates the platform's business model and advertising monetization capabilities. 

With a long-term margin framework targeting 20-25%, Tubi represents a meaningful future earnings growth engine as the platform scales toward its user base exceeding 100 million monthly active users. 

Growth remains encouraging as Tubi gains from younger viewers migrating to free, ad-supported streaming. Its wide content slate and data-led advertising stack create meaningful upside. With Tubi now profitable and scaling, Fox can deepen its digital video push, fund targeted content and ad innovation, and stay disciplined on spend. The streaming unit has moved from experimentation to execution, going forward. FOXA has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 

Roku entered streaming in 2008 with simple devices that enabled televisions to access internet video. As usage expanded, the company moved past hardware and built an end-to-end streaming platform encompassing content distribution, advertising, and subscription management across TVs and third-party devices. The transformation repositioned Roku from a gadget seller into an operating system and ecosystem for streaming.

A core strength is platform scale. Tens of millions of active households generate steadily rising viewing hours, giving Roku leverage to deepen monetization. In the third quarter of 2025, total streaming hours reached 36.5 billion, a 14% increase year over year. That reach supports growing ad inventory, improved targeting and incremental service revenues, reinforcing long-term platform economics over time and globally. It has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Roku’s streaming services distribution business is gaining traction, led by growth in Premium Subscriptions and the addition of Frndly TV. Improved content discovery is lifting subscriber sign-ups, while the Sports Experience positions Roku to capitalize on live sports shifting to streaming. With major events and exclusive packages expected in 2026, sports-led engagement should rise further, reinforcing subscription growth and supporting the platform’s ongoing margin expansion.

The launch of Howdy, a $2.99 monthly ad-free service offering nearly 10,000 hours of content, broadens Roku’s audience. Platform-wide promotion enables low-cost subscriber acquisition, while the asset-light approach enhances margins and provides added flexibility as subscriptions scale.