Amount of time people spend binge-watching movies and TV streamed upward during the summer
THE AMOUNT of time Americans spend binge-watching movies and TV has streamed upward during the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research. The study finds that the average person has watched 20 movies in the past two months. The study of 2,000 nationally-representative Americans examined the part streamers have played this summer […]
THE AMOUNT of time Americans spend binge-watching movies and TV has streamed upward during the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research.
The study finds that the average person has watched 20 movies in the past two months.
The study of 2,000 nationally-representative Americans examined the part streamers have played this summer amid the pandemic.
Over half of respondents — 52 percent — said they streamed more than they would in a normal summer due to stay-at-home restrictions with COVID-19.
The survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Tubi, revealed Americans aged 25–34 increased their streaming the most this summer — with the average respondent watching an additional four hours of content a day, on top of what they were watching at the start of quarantine in March or April.
The average person binged four shows in the past two months, with Americans 18–24 and 25–34 binging five shows in that same time frame.
Two in five parents — 47 percent of respondents — estimated their child is streaming more now than when the pandemic started.
And over half of parents — 55 percent — think TV has become an educational tool to keep their child learning when school is not open.
With typical activities off the table because of COVID-19, a third of parents were dependent on streamers to keep their child busy this summer.
As the months inside continue, parents and kids alike are on the hunt for new content.
Thirty-seven percent of respondents would try a new streaming service with ads to watch something they haven’t seen.
Many Americans are also turning to ad-supported streaming services as a way to save money, as others look for additional ways to cut their subscription streaming costs.
Nearly one in four — 24 percent — respondents aged 18–34 have canceled a streaming service they pay for in favor of using a free service in the past few months.
Three in 10 respondents are facing financial difficulties, which are causing them to reevaluate which streaming services they subscribe to.
One in four have gotten extra crafty to save some cash and have started a free trial and canceled it before having to pay the subscription fee. The average person to subscribe and cancel before paying has done it three times.
Meanwhile, 17 percent have shared passwords with others in order to gain access to streamers they don’t subscribe to, with 38 percent of respondents 18–24 and 31 percent of 25–34 participating in password swaps.
“We’re all in need of distraction and entertainment as we continue to stay home and practice social distancing,” said spokesperson for Tubi.
“Exploring free, ad-supported streaming services is a great way to discover something new to watch and help cut costs.”
With Americans continuing to follow stay-at-home orders, one thing is clear — the demand for new content remains high.
Two in five respondents — 39 percent — are struggling to find new content on streamers after exhausting their options earlier in quarantine, which has led 35 percent to try a new streaming service to find different content options.
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Two in five — 44 percent — are also taking advantage of the extra screen time to catch-up on shows they’ve missed.
Some shows respondents are playing catch-up with are Yellowstone, The Umbrella Academy, This Is Us, The Good Doctor, Stranger Things, Schitt’s Creek, and Ozark.
Others are finally getting around to shows that aired years ago like The Sopranos, Shameless, and The Office.