The Generation Z spends more time watching non-premium video and playing videogames than watching television. Unlike their parents – for whom “must see TV” was not just a past-time but a cultural touchstone – TV is just one of a constellation of on-screen activities for those under 25, Hub Entertainment Research revealed in its latest report.
According to the study, those over 35 estimate they spend more than double the time on TV shows that Gen Z does. That is becuase Gen Z respondents spend more time on both gaming (22%) and non-premium videos on platforms like YouTube (21%) than they do watching TV shows (17%).
In fact, Gen Z does not watch cable. Gen Z consumers spend about a fifth of their screen time watching through apps on a smart TV (the same as their older counterparts), but only 8% of their time goes to watching shows through a cable box (compared with 31% among older viewers). Moreover, they spend more time watching on their smartphones than on any other screen.
YouTube has flourished as viewers spend more time on non-premium video, but for Gen Z, TikTok has become a go-to destination in a very short amount of time. Among Gen Z consumers who use both platforms, 54% say they spend more time on TikTok (and 40% spend “a lot more time”) and 73% say that if they could only use one, they would keep TikTok. At the same time, more than half of Gen Z viewers say they watch less “regular” TV because of the time they spend watching non-premium video.
“Gen Z is just as passionate about entertainment as their Gen X parents and Boomer grandparents. But they are content omnivores, and TV is just one of a constellation of things competing for their attention. Most importantly: so far, there is no reason to think they will outgrow their attachment to short form video or gaming as they get older,” commented Jon Giegengack, Principal and Hub Founder at Hub Entertainment Research.
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