Study: Millennials Streaming Comedy, GenX Prefers Movies & Dramas Live

MIAMI: The second part of a joint study from NATPE and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has revealed that viewers who stream TV programs say they have more positive impressions of the quality and assortment of TV content available to them, and are more willing to try a greater variety of programs.

Among the findings is that consumers now seek out TV programming through many more outlets than in the past, with 71 percent saying they have watched streamed full-length TV programs in the past six months. The top sources for full-length TV programs include Netflix (40 percent), YouTube (26 percent), network websites (25 percent), sites that offer free programs (22 percent), and network or service provider apps (12 percent). Nearly two in ten (19 percent) have watched TV programs on VOD in past six months as well.

In terms of who is watching what, the study finds that movies, comedy and drama are the top three TV program genres consumed by viewers in broadband households. Comedy is the top genre watched regularly by Millennials (74 percent compared to 70 percent for GenXers, and 68 percent for Boomers). Millennials are most likely to seek out comedy through streamed sources (57 percent go to Netflix first). GenXers and Boomers are most likely to watch movies (76 percent and 75 percent, respectively) and dramas (69 percent for both GenXers and Boomers, compared to 59 percent for Millennials). GenXers’ first source for viewing TV programming is live TV (62 percent), followed by DVR (53 percent). Boomers have a high affinity for live programming, including local news (76 percent) and to a lesser extent national news and weather. Live TV is by far the first choice for viewing TV among this group (77 percent).

“If a great show is created but no one is there to see it, then what’s the point? It’s critical that we understand the path of content and new ways to market and reach audiences that have scores of new platform alternatives, so that programmers can maximize sampling and repeat viewership, as well as sustain the costs of production,” said Rod Perth, NATPE's president and CEO.

“Our joint study confirms that consumers are increasingly embracing streaming as a means of discovering and viewing TV programming,” added Gary Shapiro, CEA's president and CEO. “As content distribution evolves, device manufacturers are launching a variety of innovations that deliver richer experiences and empower consumers with ‘anytime/anywhere’ access to their favorite television programs.”