Deloitte: 70 Percent of Americans are Binge-Watching

NEW YORK: The results are in for Deloitte’s tenth annual Digital Democracy Survey, which reports that 70 percent of U.S. consumers binge-watch an average of five episodes per sitting, and 31 percent are bingeing on a weekly basis.

The new study also found that 46 percent of Americans subscribe to streaming-video services. Millennials aged 14 to 25 are spending more time on streaming content than they are on live television. Plus, Millennials aged 14 to 25 value their streaming video subscriptions more than pay-TV subscriptions. The upper end of the Millennial set, those 26 to 32, who are paying for streaming video have an average of three subscriptions.

Of all consumers, more than half are watching movies and TV shows via streaming services at least once a month. For Millennials that goes up to some 75 percent.

The percentage of subscribers who ranked a streaming service among their top three most-valued subscriptions has tripled in the last three years, from 17 percent to 61 percent.

“The proliferation of online content shows no signs of slowing down and the consumer appetite to consume content is equally voracious,” said Gerald Belson, vice chairman and U.S. media and entertainment sector leader at Deloitte Consulting. “The survey data indicates that consumers are more willing than ever to invest in services to watch whenever, wherever and on whatever device they choose.”

The survey also looks at attitudes towards advertising. Almost three in four of those aged 19 to 32 are more influenced in their buying decisions by social media recommendations than TV ads. For the 19 to 25 demo, 71 percent said that buying decisions are influenced by online reviews from people they do not know—and this is higher than the number who are influenced by TV ads. Almost half of Millennials and more than a third of those under 50 are influenced in their buying decisions by an endorsement from an online personality.

For Millennials, social media is a more popular news source than television. The survey also found that 90 percent of Americans multitask while watching television. Millennials engage in an average of four additional activities while watching TV, primarily internet browsing, using social networks and text messaging. Among all consumers, 33 percent browse the web while watching TV. However, less than 25 percent are engaging in second-screen activities related to the show they’re watching.

“The on-the-go, always-connected consumer is driving cultural changes in content consumption that fundamentally impact how companies connect with and engage consumers,” said Kevin Westcott, principal and U.S. media and entertainment consulting leader at Deloitte Consulting. “These behavioral changes combined with the shift towards mobile-based consumer experiences are disrupting traditional business models—while at the same time paving the way for newer opportunities for technology, media and entertainment companies to adapt and evolve for the next generation.”