Comedies, News Most Watched, as Viewing Rises During COVID-19, Surveys Show

Some 80% of U.S. consumers are watching more TV and online video since the start of COVID-19 social distancing, said a Comcast survey. Thirty-two percent watch “a couple hours more per week,” 22% one-two hours per day more, and a quarter are watching two hours-plus more daily. Among the most viewed are news (49%), comedies (48%) and dramas (41%). On types of advertisements they are open to seeing now, consumers said those from food and beverage (51%), financial (28%) and technology (24%) companies. More than half said brands should incorporate messaging on COVID-19 into their ads “if it is tasteful.” Also Tuesday, Parks Associates said that 6 million more U.S. broadband households subscribed to an over-the-top video service since Q1 2019. Three-quarters of households now subscribe. The most popular shows during the period were Netflix’s Ozark, Money Heist and Tiger King; Parasite was the most popular movie. Parks cited Reelgood data indicating a shift to comedies among its 4.8 million OTT users.