Commentary

Millennials Top TV Streamers

According to the results of The Harris Poll of 2,300 U.S. adults, while 77% of U.S. adults say they regularly watch television shows via either cable or satellite TV, 43% say they regularly watch via streaming, including 67% of Millennials. The percentage of Americans saying they most often watch TV on a live feed, recorded or on demand, without streaming, is down from 89% in 2012. Streaming, meanwhile, is up from 20% in 2012 to 23% today.

Regularly Watch Television Shows (Base: All U.S. adults)

 

 

Generation

Watch TV

Total

Millennials

Gen X

Boomers

Matures

Cable/Satellite (real time) (net)

77%

62%

76%

85%

89%

   Cable TV provider (in real time as the program is aired)

55

46

50

61

69

   Satellite TV provider (in real time as the program is aired)

23

19

27

25

22

Streaming [NET]

43

67

44

32

14

   Streaming via websites (net)

33

55

33

22

9

   Streaming via apps (net)

24

39

23

16

8

   Streaming via non-network-affiliated    websites/apps (net)

28

49

28

19

9

   Streaming via network-owned websites/apps (net)

28

44

32

19

7

   By purchasing or renting episodes or seasons through a video on demand service

7

8

10

6

3

   Tivo, DVR or other recording device

37

33

40

39

34

   On-demand content through cable or satellite provider

27

25

32

27

25

    By purchasing, renting or borrowing episodes or seasons on DVD

19

24

21

18

8

   Over the air using an antenna (Broadcast TV)

14

12

21

13

8

Source: HarrisInteractive, June 2014 Multiple responses OK

23% of Americans say they're watching more online/streaming television programming now than they were a year ago, while 37% say their online/streaming viewership is no different than last year and 7% say they're watching less this way now than a year ago. Looking ahead, 18% expect to be watching more online/streaming television programming a year from now while 4% expect to be watching less and 50% don't anticipate a change.

Online/Streaming Viewership Vs. A Year Ago (Base: All U.S. adults)

 

Generation

Watching

Total 2012

Total 2014

Millennials

GenX

Boomers

Matures

I am watching more online or streaming television programming now than I was a year ago

20%

23%

37%

25%

15%

10%

No different

39

37

36

44

37

27

I am watching less online or streaming television programming than I was a year ago

9

7

12

6

4

6

Not applicable - I do not watch any television programming online

32

33

16

25

43

56

Source: HarrisInteractive, June 2014 Multiple responses OK

Both premium cable networks and streaming services are hard at work trying to make themselves indispensable through exclusive content, but how much is this impacting consumer behaviors? Nearly four in ten Americans (38%) say they've subscribed to premium cable channels in order to watch specific shows, while one-fourth (24%) have subscribed to one or more streaming services for the same reason.

Looking specifically at streaming TV's likely "core" constituents, 50% of those who list streaming among their top go-to's for television shows say they've subscribed to streaming services for access to specific shows. Additionaly:

  1. 60% of streaming-dominant viewers would like to be able to watch TV pilots and vote on what gets ordered as a full series
  2. 40% would be willing to pay extra for a service that allowed them to stream current shows ad-free
  3. 37% would pay more for a streaming service that allowed them to temporarily download TV episodes, for when they're away from an Internet connection

Among those who regularly watch television shows via streaming, 74% use a computer to do so, while 55% use a television (whether via a set-top box, a game system or a television with integrated online capabilities).

  1. 37% watch on tablets, including more than six in ten tablet owners (63%).
  2. 30% watch on smartphones, including just over four in ten smartphone owners (42%)

Distracted viewing continues to be the norm, with nearly eight in ten U.S. adults (78%) saying they're ever doing other things while watching TV. More specifically, more than six in ten (63%) engage in online activities; over one-third (35%) text, three in ten (30%) read a book, magazine or newspaper, and 7% read a book on an electronic reading device. 22% say they do other things.

Other Activities While Watching TV Base: All U.S. adults

 

Generation

Most often watch TV shows

Activity

2013

2014

Millennials

GenX

Boomers

Matures

On TV, non-streaming

Via streaming

Doing any other things (net)

81%

78%

85%

78%

75%

73%

80%

83%

Online (sub-net)

65

63

76

69

58

38

64

74

Surf the Internet using a computer

51

40

47

49

36

25

41

51

Go on a social networking site

35

34

49

40

25

16

33

46

Shop online

27

26

34

28

24

11

27

35

Surf the Internet using my mobile phone  (among smartphone owners 38%)

21

23

42

28

11

2

22

37

Surf the Internet on a tablet (among tablet owners 41%)

15

19

24

18

19

10

20

24

Text

35

35

58

41

22

12

35

51

Read a book, magazine or newspaper

37

30

25

28

31

44

32

27

Read a book on an eReader

11

7

6

5

8

11

8

5

Something else

25

22

22

19

21

27

23

23

None

17

19

11

19

24

25

19

17

Source: HarrisInteractive, June 2014 Multiple responses OK

For additional information from HarrisInteractive, please visit here.

 

 

Next story loading loading..