Q&A: TiVo's Chris Kleinschmidt on Glastonbury 2025 and Lean-Back Livestreaming Cultural Events
With Glastonbury 2025 in the books, Streaming Media spoke with Xperi VP EMEA Advertising Sales Chris Kleinschmidt about the streaming lessons learned from the event, in a cultural moment when Gen Z fans say they increasingly regard straightforward first-screen livestreaming experiences as a reasonable substitute for experiencing the live event onsite.
Political controversies aside, premium cultural event streams like the BBC iPlayer live broadcast of Glastonbury 2025 are helping to shape a new kind of lean-back streaming experience, where audiences engage more passively yet deeply with live content. At the same time, the rapid rise of AVOD and FAST platforms has sparked renewed interest in understanding what makes viewers tolerant or averse to advertising. These overlapping trends offer valuable lessons for advertisers seeking to maximise engagement during live cultural moments, emphasising the importance of timing, relevance, and audience context.
Kleinschmidt lent his insight on these issues and more in this Q&A with Streaming Media.
Chris Kleinschmidt, VP EMEA Advertising Sales, Xperi
Are we seeing the rise of a new genre of event-driven, passive engagement streaming? What's the opportunity for platforms and brands?
We’re seeing a growing appetite for event-driven streaming, particularly around live cultural events like festivals and sports. I personally wouldn't call it "passive engagement", as I think that might be slightly misleading. Live music events naturally drive active viewership and communal viewing, and are time-sensitive.
For advertisers and platforms, streaming large scale events offer a major opportunity. In an on-demand world where audiences are fragmented, live events still draw mass, real-time attention. That kind of scale is rare and valuable.
What’s especially interesting is the role of connected TV (CTV) operating systems (OS). Even when events are streamed on ad-free platforms like BBC iPlayer, brands can still engage viewers at the point of entry through homepage ad units on smart TVs. Think of it as the digital equivalent of a billboard, visible right before users dive into the content. It’s a powerful brand and marketing opportunity, particularly when aligned with high interest live programming.
Sports streaming is thriving on the big screen. According to our UK Smart TV research, 74% of consumers use sport-focused streaming services, and two-thirds access them through an app installed directly on their TV. With 84% naming the TV as their primary screen for sports, the data reinforces just how central the TV remains in the streaming era.
How can advertisers align their strategies with real-time cultural moments like Glastonbury to maximise reach and relevance?
Timing and context are key. While some live events don’t allow for traditional ad breaks, like BBC streams, brands can still insert themselves into the broader viewing experience.
For instance, TiVo OS has launched programming that lets users interact with homepage ads that feature QR codes and branded imagery, positioned before they enter streaming apps. It’s a way to capture attention early and surround a moment like Glastonbury or Wimbledon with relevant, timely messaging. Advertisers can’t always be within the stream, but they can absolutely be part of the journey.
The industry is still adapting to the full potential of live digital experiences. Advertisers have more tools than ever, but the key lies in execution: aligning creativity, timing, and targeting to meet audiences where they are, in the moments that matter most.
Is brand integration into the stream more effective than relying on traditional ad breaks?
In traditional linear TV, ad slots are pre-scheduled and reliable. In digital, while you can technically replicate that predictability, it’s far less common. Advertisers often want dynamic, contextually relevant ad insertions, but doing that well requires more planning and budget.
Streaming also brings new targeting capabilities. Brands can overlay audience data on top of content signals, creating highly tailored experiences. That’s powerful, but it adds complexity. If targeting is too narrow, some viewers may have inconsistent or even ad-free experiences, which can dilute brand impact.
A good example is the Super Bowl, where the ads are as anticipated as the content itself. In digital environments, where each household might see a different ad, that shared cultural moment can be lost. It’s something advertisers need to weigh when designing campaigns.
How has ad-supported streaming evolved over the past five years and what makes AVOD and FAST platforms more appealing now?
Five years ago, FAST platforms were in their early stages, often experimental with limited content. Today, we’re seeing much more sophistication in content curation. Viewers now have access to a broader, more compelling selection, and the high-quality, free, ad-supported content value proposition is clear.
It's no surprise therefore that our latest UK Video Trends Report found that 43% of UK consumers use free AVOD/FAST services such as Freevee and Pluto TV and 79% are in favour of and tolerant of ads.
From an advertiser’s point of view, the appeal lies in flexibility and targeting. While ad loads are often lighter than linear (typically 4-8 minutes per hour), what’s more appealing is the ability to target households with precision. Unlike linear, which broadly targets based on programming, FAST allows for additional segmentation based on behavior, demographics, and more.
Performance is another big differentiator. On CTVs, 30-second ads routinely achieve 95%+ completion rates, which is far higher than on social media platforms, where people tend to scroll past ads. This high percentage of completion rates makes CTVs an impactful medium for brand storytelling.
I'm intrigued by this idea of the "lean-back viewing experience" as something that's trending for Gen Z. Can you expand a bit on what you mean by "a new kind of lean-back streaming experience"? How does this new kind of experience differ from traditional live TV?
Traditionally, a lean-back experience meant settling into a sofa and watching whatever was on live TV. For Gen Z, a new kind of lean-back experience is emerging. It is “passive” in feel, but smarter in delivery.
Today’s viewers are navigating an average of 6.5 different video services in the UK. This fragmentation has led to real browsing fatigue, especially when using multiple apps in a single session. While the lean-back experience offers a seamless experience, powered by independent CTV OS platforms (e.g., TiVo OS) that curate and surface relevant, personalised content. It still feels relaxed, but it is shaped by personalisation rather than programming schedules.
What are the factors that make audiences more ad-averse, and what are platforms doing to make ad-supported experiences more palatable to users, particularly those in Gen Z?
Audiences often become ad-averse when faced with too many ads or the same ones are repeated. Among users of free streaming platforms, this is cited as the main reason for tuning out. For Gen Z, who are used to custom content from social video platforms, interruptions that feel irrelevant or too long are particularly off-putting.
Despite this, many viewers accept ads as part of the trade-off for free access. According to the UK Video Trends Report, over half of UK respondents are open to adverts if it means watching content without paying, and nearly half say they are simply used to them.
To improve the experience, platforms are leaning into more engaging ad formats such as QR codes or interactive banners. The aim is to make advertising feel less like an interruption and more like part of the viewing environment.
Can you expand a bit on your findings regarding UK viewer cord-cutters who went back to pay TV? Are the numbers rising?
The number of viewers returning to pay TV after cutting the cord has actually fallen. Xperi’s Video Trends Report shows that 28% of UK pay TV users in Q2 2024 said they had unsubscribed in the past but then chose to come back. That is down from 30% in the previous year.
Most of these returning viewers say they came back because pay TV gives them access to more content than the national broadcasters or individual streaming services. For some, it is also about convenience, especially when pay TV is bundled with the internet. While cord-cutting remains an ongoing trend, these numbers suggest that pay TV is still seen as a reliable, content-rich option by a significant share of viewers.