The pandemic has millions of American sheltered at home. And when they aren’t working or going to school, they are streaming — in record numbers.
Nielsen found that year-over-year, March 25, 2019 to March 23, 2020, “streaming among people 25-54 has increased almost 100%,” reports Deadline. But even before the COVID-19 outbreak, streaming was on the rise, especially with the entrance of new streamers, such as Disney+.
Popular streaming categories included entertainment, fitness, cooking and gaming.
However, streaming of non-linear content rose in all age groups.
Specifically, younger demos saw “more than 60% increases between the weeks of March 2 and March 23 across all markets,” according to Nielsen. School closings are a big factor, as viewing spiked in the early afternoon.
That finding held for adults working at home. The media research company found “more than 50% increases in streaming from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. across markets between the weeks of March 2, 2020 and March 23, 2020.”