55% 95% of Gen Z viewers use streaming services ZA of UK Gen Alphas watch traditional broadcast TV Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A
Instead, Gen Z increasingly gravitates towards short- form and social video platforms. Services such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat now attract larger Gen Z audiences than traditional linear television. Although detailed measurement data is still emerging, the next generation – Gen Alpha, generally defined as those born after 2013 – appears likely to accelerate many of the trends already appearing in Gen Z’s viewing habits. Children’s viewing behaviour has already shifted significantly toward digital platforms. Among UK children aged 4-15, the proportion watching traditional broadcast TV dropped from 81% to 55% over five years. This younger generation is growing up in an environment dominated by streaming apps and algorithm-driven feeds. Video is increasingly platform-neutral: YouTube, gaming environments, streaming apps and social platforms are often perceived as part of the same ecosystem. Acknowledging the change The last ten years have seen TV evolve from a scheduled medium into a personalised and on-demand service. Streaming is now the dominant viewing format, where younger audiences increasingly favour digital platforms over traditional television. Yet it’s clear that, instead of replacing broadcast entirely, streaming has expanded the television landscape into a multi-platform environment where different generations engage with video in gapingly different ways. For the media-tech industry and broadcasters alike, success in the next decade depends on adapting to these divergent viewing habits and being able to deliver content wherever audiences choose to watch it.
» Content consumption now takes many forms, from doomscrolling on TikTok or Instagram to a non- committal dip in and out «
Powered by FlippingBook