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  • Inside the Stream: YouTube’s Record Q1, Roku’s Howdy Hits 1 Million Subscribers

    Friday, May 1, 2026, 10:03 AM ET
    |
    Posted by Will Richmond

    YouTube’s Q1 ad revenue approached $10 billion, up 11% vs. last year and around 25% vs. two years ago. YouTube said that both direct response and brand advertising were strong. However, subscriptions were the fastest growing part of the business, with YouTube Premium and Music performing best, recording their largest increase in non-trial subscribers. 

    Meanwhile Antenna estimates that Roku’s Howdy has hit 1 million subscribers less than one year following its launch. At $2.99 per month Howdy is a relatively low cost SVOD service that appears to have high stickiness. The gains speak to Roku's promotional clout. Roku also reported a strong Q1 for ad revenue. 
        
    Listen to the podcast to learn more (25 minutes, 39 seconds)




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    Categories: Advertising, Podcasts, SVOD

    Topics: Antenna, Podcast, Roku, YouTube

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