X 79% of Gen X viewers now use streaming services X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X projected to reach $33 billion in 2025 and nearly $47 billion by 2028. This data highlights the scale of the shift, but it also shows that linear TV hasn’t just disappeared. Broadcast still plays a major role in high-impact live programming, particularly when it comes to sports and news. Figures from as recent as last December demonstrated that broadcast still represents 21.4% of total TV viewing, with cable accounting for 20.2%. A generational divide While it’s plain that overall viewing habits have shifted dramatically, the most significant differences become more apparent when you start to segment audiences by generation. The statistics reveal stark contrasts between Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z – as well as the emerging Generation Alpha cohort. Gen X, defined as those born between 1965 and 1980, represents a transitional audience. They grew up in the era of broadcast dominance but have adopted streaming services at scale. Around 79% of Gen X viewers now use streaming services, yet they still maintain comparatively high levels of linear television consumption compared with younger demographics. This hybrid behaviour makes Gen X particularly key for broadcasters and advertising bodies. They are happy moving between live television and on-demand services, and they tend to engage with a wider range of content formats, including traditional TV programming, subscription streaming and ad-supported platforms. Interestingly, social and online video are starting to erode linear viewing, even with this cohort. Forecasts indicate X X X X X X X
that, by 2026, the number of Gen X users on major social platforms will exceed the number of linear TV viewers. Millennials, born between roughly 1981 and 1996, occupy a middle ground between traditional TV and fully digital viewing. Around 92% of Millennials use streaming platforms, and they watch an average of 5.7 hours of streaming content per day. Despite this heavy streaming consumption, Millennials still watch around 1.5 hours of linear TV daily, indicating that scheduled programming and live events remain part of their viewing routine. For advertisers and media companies, that makes Millennials particularly valuable as they can still be reached through both linear and digital distribution channels. They represent one of the few demographics where broadcast advertising, streaming ads and social video can all play meaningful roles in the media mix. Another notable trend within this group is the rising popularity of ad-supported streaming models. Roughly 61% of Millennials prefer ad-supported services, reflecting growing consumer tolerance for advertising in exchange for low subscription costs. If Millennials represent the transitional generation, Gen Z is the first segment to grow up entirely in the age of streaming. Approximately 95% of Gen Z viewers use streaming services, and they consume an average of 6.5 hours of streaming video per day – the highest of any generation. However, their relationship with traditional television is minimal. Gen Z viewers spend less than one hour per day watching linear TV. The shift is particularly visible in younger demographics. In the UK, the proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds who watch broadcast television weekly fell from 76% in 2018 to just 48% in 2023. 92% Y of Millennials use streaming platforms Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
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