Millennials ‘Drastically’ Changing How Content Is Consumed, CEA-NATPE Study Finds

Though TV sets still give “the best quality picture and viewing experience,” millennials ages 13 to 34 are “drastically” changing how content “is being discovered and consumed,” a joint CEA-NATPE study said. CEA and NATPE commissioned E-Poll Market Research to canvass millennials on their content consumption habits and found only 55 percent use TVs as their “primary viewing platform,” while mobile streaming devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones “are poised to dominate their viewing preferences," the groups said Thursday. Though many viewers of streaming programs say they're watching more TV programs overall, the study showed a decline “in the amount of time spent watching live television programs during their scheduled air time,” they said. “This is particularly true of the younger, millennial demographic which has some distinctive, common characteristics, including the regular use of multiple sources of program content.” Millennials are “comfortable using many different sources of TV program content and consequently are significantly more likely to consume full-length TV programs from a streaming source,” they said. Of those canvassed, 84 percent streamed a TV show in the past six months, compared with the 54 percent who viewed TV programming at its original air time, and 33 percent who watched content they had recorded on a DVR, they said. Other findings: (1) Millennials “value their Netflix subscriptions” more than broadcast or cable. In the study, 51 percent said they regard their Netflix subscription as “very valuable,” compared with 42 percent who said the same of broadcast channels, and 36 percent who said it of cable subscriptions. (2) Portability is king, as about half of millennials polled said they watch TV programming on a laptop, and for 19 percent it’s their preferred TV viewing screen. Another 28 percent said they routinely watch TV on a tablet, and 22 percent, on a smartphone.