Streamers have changed the way Americans watch TV. The latest study from global platform Piplsay notes streaming platforms are recording rising numbers, as pay-TV numbers drop.
A recent online poll of 50,063 Americans nationwide conducted in February and released on Tuesday found key viewing trends.
For example, 28% of Americans watch content only on streaming platforms, while 62% of OTT subscribers prefer paid subscriptions and 38% favor free content.
For streamers, the issue of subscriber retention is critical — and media consumption is often determined by demographics. The study found 38% of Gen Zers watch content only on streaming platforms, the highest among age groups. Some 58% of Gen Xers watch content on mobile phones compared to 45% of millennials.
Those stats impact pay TV, with cord cutting rife among younger demos. But Piplsay also found 34% of Americans spend more than three hours watching pay TV versus 21% of OTT subscribers. In fact, 15% of Americans subscribe to traditional platforms exclusively, while another 38% have subscribed to both pay-TV and OTT platforms.
Surprisingly, despite the huge on-demand content, it reports most Americans tend to spend more on pay TV than streaming platforms.
Of course, streaming isn’t just impacting cable premium services. Hollywood studios have also taken a hit. The poll found 46% of Americans have either stopped or reduced going to the movies. While expense can be an issue, others wait for films to show up on streaming services.
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