What you will find in the article:
- Consumers in the UK and US spend nearly 11 hours daily on media.
- Mobile devices are reshaping viewing habits and preferences.
- Streaming services have the highest daily engagement at 1 hour 57 minutes.
- Media habits vary significantly by age group, especially among younger generations.
- Users average 11.5 different media platforms each week.
Consumers in the UK and United States now spend almost 11 hours a day engaging with media, according to new research from Ampere Analysis, which says audiences are increasingly choosing different platforms depending on their mood and purpose rather than relying on a single source of entertainment.
The study found that streaming services attract the highest levels of daily engagement at one hour and 57 minutes, followed by social media at one hour and 46 minutes and YouTube at one hour and 35 minutes. The total includes simultaneous activities, such as using a smartphone while watching television.
Rather than competing directly, different media fulfil different needs. Streaming services are most closely associated with relaxation and immersive viewing, YouTube is used for discovery and mood enhancement, while social media is primarily used to relieve boredom or provide distraction.
Media habits also vary significantly by age. Generation Alpha spends the most time on YouTube and gaming, while Generation Z devotes more time to social media and music streaming. Older audiences continue to spend proportionally more time with streaming services, traditional television channels and live sport.
Ampere also found consumers now use an average of 11.5 different media platforms each week, rising to 13.6 platforms among Generation Alpha. Mobile devices continue to reshape viewing habits, with 28% of Netflix users regularly watching on smartphones and a third of YouTube users saying they use the platform as background viewing.
Sam Nursall, Research Manager at Ampere Analysis, said today’s audiences are selecting from “an expanding menu of media” depending on what they want in the moment, adding that understanding the context in which people consume content is becoming as important as understanding the audience itself.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com