ONE IN THREE AMERICANS WOULD RATHER WATCH HIGHLIGHTS THAN FULL EPISODES. IS STREAMING ENTERING A NEW ERA?

Almost a third of US adults (32%) would rather watch highlights from a TV show than sit through every full episode, with the figure rising to 43% among Gen Z. The findings come as streaming services increasingly compete for audience attention with social media feeds, where short video clips dominate the viewing experience.

A survey of 2,500 US adults raises an important question: are audience attention spans shrinking, or are people simply looking for different ways to watch entertainment? Four in ten Americans say they would use streaming services more often if they offered short clips from their shows, rising to more than half (53%) of Gen Z. That demand is already reflected in viewing habits: 37% of Americans say they use their streaming service more often now that it includes vertical video clips, increasing to 47% among Millennials.

However, a preference for shorter viewing experiences does not necessarily mean audiences are losing interest in compelling stories. More than half of respondents (51%) say short clips help them discover shows worth paying to watch. For some viewers, the highlights themselves are the main attraction. For others, those few minutes provide the motivation to settle in and watch an entire series.

How audiences access entertainment also plays an important role. Alongside the growing appetite for shorter content, 61% of Americans say they would be more likely to keep a streaming subscription if they could access it at a lower price through a bundle. This presents two opportunities for streaming platforms and mobile providers: offering more flexible ways to watch and making subscriptions more affordable.

Short videos without the social feed?

For families, the popularity of bite-sized entertainment raises another question: can children enjoy short videos while spending less time on social media?

More than four in ten Americans (44%) see value in short videos provided by a brand they trust, while 37% believe curated video clips could help keep their children away from social media. That figure rises to 47% among Millennials.

The findings come as international restrictions on children's access to social media bring alternative platforms into sharper focus. Australia has banned under-16s from social media since December 2025, while the UK government has announced plans to introduce similar restrictions in 2027.

The US survey findings suggest there could be demand for an alternative: curated clips from familiar streaming services that give families another way to enjoy short-form video. Such content could also increase the perceived value of a subscription. Four in ten Americans (40%) say original or exclusive short videos could help justify the price of a streaming subscription.

A shorter watch, not necessarily a shorter attention span

A growing preference for highlights does not mean audiences have stopped valuing full-length stories. In the same survey, 65% of Americans say the availability of new episodes of shows they follow is important when deciding whether to continue paying for a streaming service.

The findings suggest there is room for both formats: short entertainment that fits into spare moments and full-length series worth setting aside time to watch.

Bango, which sponsored the research, said: "It's tempting to read these findings as evidence that nobody has the patience for a full episode any more. But people still value the shows they follow. The opportunity is to give them different ways to enjoy that entertainment, depending on the time and attention they want to give it as well as new ways to discover new shows without having to fully commit. For families, there's another question: can children enjoy short videos without being drawn into a social media feed? Curated, age-appropriate clips from familiar shows could offer another option, particularly as restrictions on children's social media access take effect. Streaming services have stories and characters people already love. Shorter formats could help audiences enjoy more of those catalogues, while getting a subscription through a phone, broadband or banking bundle could make it more affordable to keep. Together, streaming services with bundlers like telcos and banks can give people more ways to enjoy their favourite entertainment at a price that works for them."

Connecting discovery with subscription value

For telecommunications providers, short-form entertainment could strengthen the appeal of streaming services included in their subscription bundles, giving customers more ways to enjoy the content they already pay for.

Younger consumers are already using bundles to manage their spending. More than one in five Gen Z respondents (21%) say they have switched from paying for a service separately to accessing it through a bundle to save money during the past year.

Consumers also see value in combining streaming with other services. Nearly a quarter (23%) say including a music subscription would make a streaming service more valuable, followed by food delivery benefits (20%) and shopping memberships offering free shipping or discounts (19%).

Combining content discovery, flexible viewing formats and affordable subscription options could give streaming platforms and telecommunications providers an effective way to respond to different audience preferences while helping customers get more value from the services they choose.

Source: advanced-television.com