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#BizTrends2026 | Reach Africa’s Leslie Adams: 5 streaming trends for 2026
In 2026, as South Africa celebrates 50 years of broadcast, the local streaming market is proving to be one of the most agile and fast-moving in the world. Viewers here are mobile-savvy, format-flexible and quick to embrace new ways of watching – often faster than platforms expect.
Leslie Adams, sales director at Reach Africa, says new formats, viewing behaviours and industry moves are setting the scene for streaming in 2026 (Image supplied)
Several shifts are already defining how people watch, and how streamers respond, as new formats, viewing behaviours, and industry moves set the scene for the year ahead.
5 Trends
Here are five trends that will shape the streaming landscape in 2026.
- Hardware will play a greater role in the viewing experience
For years, the streaming conversation has centred on platforms and content. But in 2026, the hardware itself is stepping into the spotlight. Smart TV operating systems are becoming increasingly influential in how content is discovered, accessed and monetised, much like app stores did for mobile.
As TV manufacturers and operating systems take greater control of the home screen, the viewing journey starts before an app is even opened. Home-screen advertising, such as Reach Africa’s hero billboard, device-level recommendations and curated content environments are reshaping how audiences encounter content, shifting discovery away from individual apps and into the TV interface itself.
This shift is also accelerating the growth of free, ad-supported TV (FAST). Many manufacturers now offer built-in free channels and FAST environments, encouraging audiences to spend more time within the device ecosystem rather than jumping straight into paid subscription apps.
The result is a broader mix of content consumption – and far more apps being used on the TV beyond the traditional “Big Five”.
- AI shifts streaming to ‘lean in’ instead of ‘lean back’
The streaming experience is no longer as “lean back” or passive as it once was. Now, viewers are commenting, remixing, parodying, clipping and reimagining the content they love – and AI is speeding up this shift. What used to live on fan forums or TikTok is starting to look more like a parallel content universe.
Disney’s recently announced partnership with OpenAI shows how seriously streamers are starting to treat this shift, with the studio calling it a move toward “new possibilities in imaginative storytelling.”
In 2026, we’ll see platforms and studios grappling with a new reality: fan-made, AI-enabled content isn’t fringe anymore. It’s culturally relevant and highly shareable. The tension will sit between control and collaboration – how much freedom brands give audiences to play with their worlds without losing ownership of them.
- Short-form viewing will fill the gaps (but not replace the main event)
In the world of streaming, long-form storytelling like series, documentaries and movies aren’t going anywhere, but they’re no longer doing all the work. Viewers increasingly expect content to fit into the in-between moments of their day: a commute, a coffee break, a few minutes before bed.
Short, vertical and mobile-first formats are stepping into that space. They’re designed for speed and addictiveness, offering quick narrative payoffs without the commitment of an hour-long episode.
In 2026, streamers will increasingly give audiences the option to binge deeply when they want to, or dip in briefly when that’s all the time they have.
- Live sport will become a battleground
For a long time, live sport was the one clear advantage traditional broadcasters held onto. That advantage is shrinking fast. In 2026, streamers are no longer experimenting with sport; they’re committing to it.
Live sport delivers something on-demand content can’t always: appointment viewing, shared moments and real-time conversation. It attracts audiences who show up consistently and engage loudly, both on-screen and off.
As more streaming platforms enter this space, expect increased competition for rights and a bigger focus on surrounding content like build-ups, highlights, behind-the-scenes access and post-match analysis.
- Connected TV will stop being “experimental” spend
CTV has quietly crossed a line. What was once treated as a test-and-learn channel is now earning its place in core media plans. Viewers are already there – watching streaming apps on the biggest screen in the house – and brands are catching up.
The appeal is simple: CTV combines the scale and impact of television with the precision of digital targeting. In a fragmented viewing environment, it offers a way to reach audiences where attention is still concentrated. In 2026, you can expect that CTV will start taking a greater share of the TV ad spend pie.
About Leslie Adams
Leslie Adams is the sales director at Reach Africa
