TBI Tech & Analysis: What did younger viewers watch under lockdown?

The Mandalorian

New research focused on viewers under the age of 34 claims to offer an insight into consumption habits during lockdown and an idea of what younger audiences will watch as the country returns to some sort of normality.

Streaming movies has emerged as being more popular than watching TV content online among selected viewers aged under 34, according to the findings from a newly released survey.

Of the more than 3,000 UK-based pop culture fans questioned by events & marketing firm Experience 12, 61% said they prefered watching films to TV, a stat supported by the fact that two-thirds said they would be heading to their nearest cinema within two months of venues re-opening. A further 11% said that they would go to watch a movie within three months.

The research also found that streaming is the favourite way for younger viewers to watch content, with 90% opting for the format, compared to 4% preferring on-demand TV and just 3% choosing live TV.

The Great British Bake-Off

Netflix leads the way in terms of subscriptions, with 92% of respondents accessing the service, followed by Amazon Prime Video at 72%.

Almost two thirds (62%) were subscribed to the recently launched Disney+ at the time of the survey (25 June to 2 July), with 47% picking up service during lockdown.

The surging growth supports a recent report from TBI sibling Omdia, which reported in June that the Mouse House streamer was already the third-largest subscription streaming service in the UK with 4.3 million subscribers secured since its 24 March launch.

The latest survey, which collected data through MCM Comic Con online channels, was focused on younger viewers, with 80% of the respondents aged between 18 and 34 (48% were in the 25-34 year old category; 32% in the 18-24 category). Meanwhile, 58% were male, 38% female, 2% non-conforming and 1% transgender.

In terms of on-demand TV services, the BBC’s iPlayer was well ahead, with 47% of respondents claiming it as their favourite, compared to Channel 4’s AVOD service All4 standing at 24%, Sky Go at 14% and ITV Hub at just 3%.

Younger viewers’ affiliation to Netflix was also underlined, with 54% of the TV, film and games fans claiming that the service makes the best TV shows. HBO came in at second place with 21% of votes, with both Amazon Prime Video and the BBC rivalling for the top spots.

Forthcoming shows that respondents said they are most excited about include Disney+ duo The Mandalorian (season two) and The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, as well as the second run of Amazon Prime’s The Boys and the next instalments of the BBC’s The Great British Bake Off and Netflix’s RuPaul’s Drag Race.