Hub Entertainment Research Charts “Must-Have” Platforms

The average U.S. household uses 12.5 different sources of entertainment—from TV and streaming to social media, music, gaming, podcasts and more—but only regard half (6.2) as “must-haves,” according to Hub Entertainment Research’s Battle Royale consumer survey.

Hub surveyed 3,014 consumers between the ages of 18 and 74 with broadband access, assessing usage of MVPD/vMVPD services, pay-TV networks, free and paid streaming, social media, streaming music, seasonal sports subscriptions, audio and reading. The average consumer uses 12.5 entertainment options, but among 18 to 34, that number goes to 15.5. In households with kids, it’s even higher, at 16.4.

Spotify was ranked as a must-have platform by 75 percent of respondents, followed by YouTube (69 percent), Netflix (68 percent), Crunchyroll (67 percent) and Funimation (65 percent). The list of must-have platforms also includes the gaming services Stadia Pro and XBox Live Gold. Prime Video is more valuable to consumers when bundled with other Amazon services, Hub says, with 45 percent ranking it as a must-have on its own, while 64 percent use Prime Video plus Prime Gaming and Amazon Music. Platforms with no easy substitute are more resilient, the research notes.