Consumers Using Paid Streaming Services More as a Result of COVID-19; Trend May Be Here to Stay
June 09 2020 - 8:00AM
COVID-19 has brought on many changes in the way people consume
media with more than half of Americans (56%) saying they are using
paid streaming services at a higher rate today than before the
pandemic. As shelter-in-place mandates begin to lift, a new
TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) survey found that these new media
consumption behaviors will likely continue with 45% of consumers
saying they will make paid streaming services a permanent part of
life moving forward.
As consumers’ use of paid streaming services (including
platforms such as Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix and Apple TV) has
increased, so too has the amount of time they are using them.
Consumers said their usage increased from 1–2 hours per day prior
to the pandemic to an average of 3–4 as of the week of May 18th.
More than one-third of consumers surveyed spent at least five hours
daily with streamed media. This was most prominent for consumers in
the 18-29 year-old age group as 66% of these respondents indicated
an increase of daily viewing.
“The use of digital platforms has accelerated as younger
generations seek more control and flexibility over how they consume
content,” said Matt Spiegel, executive vice president and head of
the media vertical at TransUnion. “In today’s global, tech-driven
economy, this consumption is occurring across multiple channels and
devices as consumers shift away from traditional cable and
broadcast. To account for this profound shift in consumption
behaviors, advertisers need greater insight into the people behind
the devices to gain a more holistic picture of the connected
consumer.”
Consumers are not only streaming more content, but also
subscribing to more platforms since the onset of the pandemic. The
percentage of consumers subscribed to 3–5 streaming services
increased to 48%, up from 37% prior to COVID-19. Furthermore, the
cord-cutting trend continues to gain a foothold in the media
ecosystem with 53% of consumers indicating they use a subscription
streaming service in place of a traditional cable TV package. The
generational divide regarding this trend was most evident among
younger consumers as they were most likely to belong to the
cord-cutting group.
Youngest Consumers “Cutting the Cord” at
the Highest Rate
Content Streaming Services |
18–29 Age Group |
30–44 Age Group |
45–60 Age Group |
60+ Age Group |
In place of – I do not have a cable
subscription |
65 |
% |
63 |
% |
46 |
% |
34 |
% |
In addition to – I also have a cable TV
package |
35 |
% |
37 |
% |
54 |
% |
66 |
% |
The survey found that SmartTV was the most popular streaming
device overall with 37% using this platform. Age demographics
played a role in terms of streaming device preference as consumers
in the 18–29 age group also preferred mobile devices (25%) for
streaming while those in the 30–44 demographic had a preference for
OTT devices (19%). Meanwhile older age groups such as those 60+
demonstrated the highest preference toward SmartTVs (41%), with
their next choice for streaming being computers. However, streaming
as a whole may still be a fairly new concept as 19% indicated they
do not stream content at all.
“As more consumers leverage digital channels and look for
entertainment options in the comfort of their homes, it’s important
to take a pulse check as to how consumer behaviors are changing –
and have changed since the onset of the pandemic. These insights
will be instrumental to advertisers as they adapt their positioning
and targeting in the marketplace to create more relevant
experiences,” said Spiegel.
TransUnion’s suite of identity, audience and insights solutions
help marketers and media companies understand and reach the
consumers on the other side of the screen. To learn more, please
visit https://www.transunion.com/media-consumption.
About the Survey
The online survey was conducted the week of May 18, 2020 and
included responses from 2,639 U.S. consumers, ages 18 and over.
About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)
TransUnion is a global information and insights company that
makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing
a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and
safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and
consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We
call this Information for Good.®
A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five
continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic
opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for
hundreds of millions of people.
http://www.transunion.com/business
Contact |
Dave Blumberg
TransUnion |
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E-mail |
dblumberg@transunion.com |
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Telephone |
312-972-6646 |
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A PDF accompanying this announcement is available
at: https://content.transunion.com/v/dgt-jun-20-infographic-media-consumption?utm_campaign=pr-media-survey-pr&utm_content=infographic&utm_medium=press-release&utm_source=press-release&utmsource=press-release
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