Years ago, TV viewers watched and recorded their favorite shows on cable. Chained to our VCRs, we collected episode laden VHS tapes like squirrels collect nuts in the winter. Then DVRs came along, liberating us from reels of magnetic tape and wooing us with the allure of live TV on our own terms. Flash forward a few years. Streaming services disrupt TV as we know it. Viewers now have the option to stream entire seasons of shows from every genre, from throwbacks like The Wonder Years and Full House to Game of Thrones and Westworld, and everything in between.
Traditional networks broadcast live shows and make them available via streaming services or release the entire season, as was the case with the short-lived David Duchovny series Aquarius. “We are fully aware how audiences want to consume multiple episodes of new television series faster and at their own discretion…” NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt explained after the decision to stream all 13 episodes after the show’s two-hour network premiere.
At ThinkNow, we’ve studied this shift in media consumption for three years now. Our ThinkNow Media™ report tracks cross-platform viewing, streaming habits, gaming, and binge viewing habits across the total market. This report a decade ago would have shown little movement in consumer media consumption habits as Netflix would have just been offering their streaming services and live TV held onto its decade’s long dominance of viewers. But now, Netflix is crushing it. Its market cap has exceeded Disney’s. Amazon has become a significant driver of subscriptions for TV companies. Fortnite has become a cultural phenomenon, and AT&T and Time Warner are on the verge of a potential merger.
It is within this tumultuous media climate that we delved into media consumption habits of a representative sample of U.S. Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, and non-Hispanic whites to get more granular on who within the body of viewers are driving these changes. In this blog, we will highlight several key insights of the ThinkNow Media™ report that will help advertisers better understand the new normal for media consumption.
2. 2
ThinkNow Media™
Survey Method
Field Timing
303
Hispanics 515
Hispanics
1,311
Total
Base
Sizes
› Online via ThinkNow Research’s
Omnibus Study
Regional Coverage
› National
Screening Criteria
258
Non-Hispanic
Whites
258
African-
Americans
280
Asian-
Americans
› 18-64 years of age› April, 2018
MethodologyWhat is it?
ThinkNow Media ™ is a nationwide survey
that looks at Americans’ media habits and
attitudes. The study looks at Americans as
a whole and by key race/ethnic segments.
3. 3
Who We Are
An authority on creating
and managing research
products that help clients
gather insights about
rapidly changing consumer
segments.
Conduct online, behavioral,
in-person and telephone
research.
Research experience
specifically in the Hispanic,
African American, Asian and
Total markets.
Experience in hard-to reach
demographic sub-groups.
Only full-service market
research company that
owns & operates an in-
house Hispanic panel.
Servicing Fortune 500
clients, ad agencies, non-
profits and other market
research companies.
5. 5
Summary of key findings
• Use of Cable TV has declined significantly, with on-demand and streaming services gaining in preference
• Live TV watching has declined significantly; everyone contributing to this decline
• No one is benefiting significantly from the decline in Live TV watching – Netflix gained the most (driven by
Boomers), but it’s a nominal increase.
• More are watching Netflix than live TV, but Live TV’s ‘most often’ conversion rate is stronger (i.e., 64% of
those who watch Live TV say it is the method they use most often, compared to 43% for Netflix.)
• African Americans stand out across several metrics – among the ones using less cable TV and more
Netflix, highest interest increase in exclusively streaming; binge-watching more than others.
6. 6
Arrows indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
Type of TV Service Received at Home – 2017 vs 2018
M1. What type of TV service do you receive in your home?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
38%
28%
19%
24%
9%
29%
26%
17% 17%
10%
Digital Cable
(more channels than Cable TV)
Satellite TV Fiber Optic TV
(Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse)
Cable TV (non-digital) Broadcast (antenna) only
2017 2018
Digital cable is still the most popular type of TV service, but it’s now nearly on par with Satellite TV
after experiencing a significant decline in the past year.
Cable TV also declined significantly and is now on par with Fiber Optic TV.
7. 7
Percentage Point Change Since April ‘17
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
Type of TV Service Received at Home – by Ethnicity
M1. What type of TV service do you receive in your home?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
29%
26%
17% 17%
10%
28% 27%
14% 14% 13%
28% 28%
20%
18%
10%
31%
26%
16%
18%
7%
31%
14%
16% 17%
15%
Digital Cable
(more channels than Cable TV)
Satellite TV Fiber Optic TV
(Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse)
Cable TV (non-digital) Broadcast (antenna) only
Total Market Hispanics (A) Whites (B) African-Americans (C) Asians (D)
Digital cable and Satellite TV lead as the most popular TV services received at home.
D
D
D
C
C
These services lead across all ethnic segments, except Asians, who are as likely to receive Satellite TV as other services.
Digital Cable declined across all segments, except Asians. Cable TV declined across all.
-9 -10 -10 -10 -1 -2 +1 -2 -1 -3 -2 -2 0 -2 0 -7 -10 -6 -8 -9 +1 +3 +2 -5 +2
8. 8
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
Methods of Watching TV – 2017 vs 2018
M2. What are all the ways that you watch TV programming?
M3. How do you watch TV programming most often?
Total Market (n=1,311)
Live network TV is losing ground as the most often choice for watching TV programming.
The gap versus Netflix, which ranks second to live TV, is significantly narrower (6 points in 2018 versus 23 points in 2017.)
All Methods Most Often Method
+4
Live TV/Network TV
48%
68%
2018
2017
31%
45%
2018
2017
61%
58%
2018
2017
26%
22%
2018
2017
+3
-20 -14
9. 9
Change versus 2017
Hispanics
(A)
Whites
(B)
African-
Americans
(C)
Asian-
Americans
(D)
-14 27% 32% 32% 32%
+4 35%BCD 25% 24% 21%
+1 9% 13% 8% 8%
+1 11% 8% 15%B 19%AB
0 3% 5% 2% 6%
+1 3% 5% 5% 3%
+1 3% 3% 4% 3%
_1 1% 2% 2% 1%
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
Most Often Method of Watching TV – by Ethnicity
M3. How do you watch TV programming most often?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
2%
3%
4%
4%
10%
11%
26%
31%
DVD (rented or purchased)
Roku
Hulu
Amazon Prime
YouTube
Recorded via a DVR
Netflix
Live/when the show airs on network TV
As of April 2018, live TV continues to top the list of how TV programming is watched most often.
However, that lead is narrow as ‘on demand’ watching continues to gain ground.
Netflix ranks second to live TV and has a wide lead over other options, particularly DVR and YouTube.
Hispanic is the only segment who reports favoring Netflix over live TV – the result of a significant decline in watching live TV and a significant
increase in watching Netflix.
10. 10
Hispanics Whites African-Americans Asian-Americans
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
Most Often Method of Watching TV – 2017 vs 2018
(Percentage Point Change from 2017 to 2018)
M3. How do you watch TV programming most often?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
Changes in the decline of live TV as the ‘most often’ TV watching method is driven by African Americans and
Hispanics, followed by Whites. These segments also lead the increase in Netflix usage.
17
points
Live TV/Network TV
13
points
22
points
6
points
11
points
3
points
7
points
2
points
11. 11
Change versus 2017
Hispanics
(A)
Whites
(B)
African-
Americans
(C)
Asian-
Americans
(D)
+3 71%BCD 59% 63% 55%
-20 43% 50% 47% 49%
-5 53%B 38% 56%B 58%B
+2 32% 34% 29% 39%AC
-4 27%D 35%ACD 22% 21%
-11 22% 29%D 27%D 17%
-3 28%D 23% 29%D 17%
+4 16% 16% 14% 15%
-4 8% 7% 7% 7%
-3 8% 5% 6% 6%
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
All Methods of Watching TV Programs – by Ethnicity
M2. What are all the ways that you watch TV programming?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
Streaming services like Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime are becoming just as popular as live TV.
5%
7%
16%
24%
27%
30%
33%
45%
48%
61%
Google TV
Apple TV
Roku
Hulu
Recorded via a DVR
DVD (Rented or purchased)
Amazon Prime
YouTube
Live/when the show airs on network TV
Netflix
In 2018, significantly more Hispanics watch Netflix and fewer watch live on network TV than the previous year.
12. 12
Millennials
18-34
(X)
Gen X
35-54
(Y)
Boomers
55-64
(Z)
Live/when the show airs on network TV 35% 53%X 63%X
Netflix 75%YZ 56% 45%
YouTube 61%YZ 40%Z 23%
Amazon Prime 38%Y 36%Y 20%
Hulu 36%YZ 21%Z 11%
DVD (Rented or purchased) 32% 32% 24%
Recorded via a DVR 23% 31% 26%
Roku 16% 18% 12%
Apple TV 11%YZ 5% 4%
PlayStation Vue 6%Z 4%Z 1%
Google TV 6%Z 7%Z 1%
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
All Methods of Watching TV Programs – by Age
M2. What are all the ways that you watch TV programming?
Millennials (n=597), Gen X (n=476), Boomers (n=238)
The popularity of TV streaming service is driven by Millennials.
Significantly fewer Gen X and Boomers watch TV programs when the show airs on network TV.
13. 13
Millennials
18-34
Gen X
35-54
Boomers
55-64
Live/when the show airs on network TV -16 -22 -21
Netflix -2 +2 +13
YouTube -9 -5 -1
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
All Methods of Watching TV Programs – by Age and Ethnicity, 2017 vs. 2018
(Percentage Points Change from 2017 to 2018)
M2. What are all the ways that you watch TV programming?
Millennials (n=597), Gen X (n=476), Boomers (n=238)
While everyone seems to be contributing to the decline in use of Live TV, Boomers are driving Netflix’s
increase.
YouTube’s decline is driven by Whites and Millennials.
Hispanics Whites
African-
Americans
Asian-
Americans
Live/when the show airs on network TV -21 -19 -26 -6
Netflix +10 +9 +8 +6
YouTube -3 -9 +6 -1
14. 14
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M5. Ideally, about how many episodes of your favorite show would you prefer to see in one viewing?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
Binge viewers prefer to watch an average of 3 back-to-back programs.
3.4
3.7
3.1
4.2
3.0
Total Market Hispanics
(A)
Whites
(B)
African-Americans
(C)
Asians
(D)
Average Number of Shows Would Prefer to Watch in one Viewing
African Americans tend to watch more, with one-third reporting they watch at least 5 episodes in one sitting; Hispanics follow.
% who watch 5+
episodes in one viewing
18% 22% 14% 33%BD 12%
15. 15
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M5. Ideally, about how many episodes of your favorite show would you prefer to see in one viewing?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
Binge viewers are watching fewer episodes in one viewing, except for African Americans.
3.7 3.8
3.6
3.9
3.53.4
3.7
3.1
4.2
3.0
Total Market Hispanics
(A)
Whites
(B)
African-Americans
(C)
Asians
(D)
2017 2018
Average Number of Shows Would Prefer to Watch in one Viewing
16. 16
Percentage Point Change Since April ‘17
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
% Who Have Watched Entire Season of Favorite Show Over a Weekend or Week
M1. What type of TV service do you receive in your home?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
54%
69%
57%
78%
50%
65%66%
76%
50%
69%
Watched entire season in one weekend Watched entire season in one week
Total Market Hispanics (A) Whites (B) African-Americans (C) Asians (D)
Many report that they have binge-watched at some point.
ABD
More Asians are binge-watching now than a year ago.
-2 -3 -6 +5 +7 +1 +5 -1 0 +8
BBD
17. 17
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M8. Thinking about the near future (2-3 years from now), how do you see yourself watching TV programming?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
By 2020, 4 out of 10 consumers will be streaming most or all their TV shows online.
How Likely to Watch TV in Near Future – by Ethnicity
17%
10%
19% 21%
13%
19%
18%
20% 18%
14%
24%
28%
21%
30%
26%
27% 33% 27%
19%
35%
12% 10% 13% 12% 12%
Total Market Hispanics (A) Whites (B) African
Americans (C)
Asians (D)
Exclusively online/streaming
Mostly online/streaming
Equally
Mostly on cable/satellite
Exclusively on cable/satellite
39% 43%C 40%C 31% 47%CExclusively/Mostly Online/Streaming
African Americans, however, are adopting at a slower rate than other segments
C C
C
A AD
B
B
18. 18
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M8. Thinking about the near future (2-3 years from now), how do you see yourself watching TV programming?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
Interest in watching TV programing online or streaming has increased in the past year.
How Likely to Watch TV in Near Future – by Ethnicity
17%
10%
19% 21%
13%
19%
18%
20% 18%
14%
24%
28%
21%
30%
26%
27% 33% 27%
19%
35%
12% 10% 13% 12% 12%
Total Market Hispanics (A) Whites (B) African
Americans (C)
Asians (D)
Exclusively online/streaming
Mostly online/streaming
Equally
Mostly on cable/satellite
Exclusively on cable/satellite
39% 43%C 40%C 31% 47%CExclusively/Mostly Online/Streaming
African Americans report the highest increase, with the proportion who expects to watch exclusively online/streaming increasing to levels
on par with everyone else.
+7
+4
+10
+2
+7
+4
+7
+9
+8
+4
C C
C
A AD
B
B
Percentage
points change
versus year ago
19. 19
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M8a & M8b. What are the reasons why you see yourself watching mostly or only cable/satellite versus online streaming?
Among those who said online/streaming (n=536), Among those who said cable/satellite (n=422)
More people perceive TV watching online/streaming as the ‘future’ of television; cost seems less of
barrier to watching via this format.
TV Programs Watching Preference
Fewer report variety of programming as a reason for selecting a TV watching format, suggesting that there is consistency of offering across
formats. Spanish-language programming is not a driver to selecting cable/satellite TV.
Reasons Why Prefer Cable/SatelliteReasons Why Prefer Online/Streaming
4%
14%
24%
55%
16%
18%
38%
62%
Spanish-language programming
Sports programming not available online
More variety of programming than online
I am used to it/No need to change
6%
24%
47%
50%
62%
65%
7%
37%
39%
51%
74%
66%
I prefer it for my children
Certain shows I like are only available
online
It's the future of TV
I can watch back-to-back episodes of the
same program
Less expensive than cable/satellite
I can watch programs on my own schedule
2017
2018
20. 20
Hispanics
(A)
Whites
(B)
African-
Americans
(C)
Asian-
Americans
(D)
47% 42% 43% 44%
39% 28% 40% 34%
30% 29% 34% 35%
24% 19% 18% 18%
19% 16% 21% 17%
15% 15% 17% 19%
15% 15% 13% 14%
5% 3% 7% 5%
29% 36% 28% 31%33%
4%
15%
15%
17%
19%
30%
33%
43%
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M9. Which of the following video-game related activities have you done in the past 12 months?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
4 out of 10 Americans play a video game on a mobile device.
Video Game Related Activities Done in Past 12 Months
Gaming consoles and computers are on par with each other, and trail behind mobile devices by about 10 points.
About one in five use their game console for other forms of entertainment such as movies or TV programming.
Played a video game on a mobile device
Played a video game on a console video gaming system
Played a video game on a laptop or desktop computer
Used a gaming console to stream other forms of entertainment
Watch others play online games live
Watch recorded videos of others playing video games
Played a video game in an arcade
Attend live events to watch others play video games
None of the above
21. 21
24%
10%
17%
19%
20%
25%
41%
39%
46%
Arrows indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M9. Which of the following video-game related activities have you done in the past 12 months?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
Mobile devices continue to be the most popular way to play a video game, with a
wider lead over consoles and computers, which experienced a significant decline.
Video Game Related Activities Done in Past 12 Months
Overall, video game related activities declined significantly in the past year.
Played a video game on a mobile device
Played a video game on a console video gaming system
Played a video game on a laptop or desktop computer
Used a gaming console to stream other forms of entertainment
Watch others play online games live
Watch recorded videos of others playing video games
Played a video game in an arcade
Attend live events to watch others play video games
None of the above 33%
4%
15%
15%
17%
19%
30%
33%
43%
2017 2018
-3
-6
-11
-6
-3
-4
-2
-6
+9
Percentage Point
Difference
(2017 to 2018)
Driven by non-Hispanic
Whites and African
Americans
Driven by non-Hispanic
Whites, followed by
Hispanics and African
Americans
Driven by non-Hispanic
Whites. In contrast,
Hispanics report a
5point increase.
22. 22
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M10. How often do you use/view more than one device at a time?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
The use of multiple devices at one time continues to be very common.
Frequency of Using Multiple Devices at a Time
63% 66%D 64% 63% 55%Daily or more
9% 5%
10% 10% 6%
11%
12%
11% 9% 19%
3%
4%
2% 3%
4%
13% 13% 13% 15%
16%
16%
14%
18% 12%
18%
47% 52%
46%
51%
37%
Total Market Hispanics (A) Whites (B) African
Americans (C)
Asians (D)
Several times a day
About once a day
A few times a week
About once a week
I rarely do this
Never
D D
No change versus 2017 in the proportion who use multiple devices ‘daily or more often’.
Asians continue to be the least likely to use multiple devices at once.
ABC
A
24. 24
Letters indicate statistically significant difference (95% confidence)
M10. How often do you use/view more than one device at a time?
Total Market (n=1,311), Hispanics (n=515), Whites (n=258), African Americans (n=258), Asians (n=280)
Hispanics
(A)
Whites
(B)
African-Americans
(C)
Asian-Americans
(D)
Base size 515 258 258 280
Female 49% 50% 52% 53%
Age
Millennials 26% 51% 16% 7%
Gen X 14% 68% 12% 6%
Boomers 11% 71% 13% 5%
% Married 42% 49% 28% 52%
% with one ore more children 41% 28% 35% 32%
%Employment 59% 63% 56% 60%
% College Graduate or More 35% 44% 28% 64%
% Foreign Born 40% 6% 6% 59%
% Parent Foreign Born 76% 19% 19% 88%
Median Annual HH Income $46K $64K $38K $84K
Sample Profile