In a new report from Nielsen, it appears that older viewers are taking to streaming services in surprising numbers. While others in the younger and middle ages have kept their streaming habits at a relatively steady rate, the fastest growing demographic in the past year has been those in the upper age range. Looks like technology really can bridge generations.
Streaming services are enjoying a widely predicted growth in their viewership numbersduring the pandemic. But in a rather unexpected twist, viewers age 55 and up now comprise over 25% of the country’s average streaming time in any given week. In the past year, their viewing percentage has gone from 19% all the way to 26%. Given how more people are staying home nowadays, as well as the relative convenience of streaming services, it seems this growth was all but inevitable.
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Peter Katsingris, Nielsen’s Senior Vice President of Audience Insights, wasn’t entirely surprised at the increase, as according to him, “there’sa lot of services out thereand more services coming that are providing content that is driving consumers of all ages to this behavior, which we think is something that will stick around going forward." He isn’t wrong. With streaming services popping up all over as well as establishedservices adding classic showsand films to their library, it’s not much of a stretch for people of a certain age to begin gravitating towards the most convenient ways to enjoy their favorite programs.
While the weekly percentages haven’t changed much among other age groups, the actual numbers themselves have risen considerably. In the same time frame between quarter 2 of 2019 and 2020, the average amount of minutes streamed anywhere in the country has gone up from 81.7 billion to a whopping 142.5 billion. Once again, in any other year and in less terrible times, those stats might not have gone up as they have now. But it’s still a noteworthy achievement.
It’s hard not to see how streaming services have begun to cater tovirtually every demographic. For some, it may take hold in sort of a slippery slope manner. Perhaps a free trial here and there to whet the appetite. Then before you know it, you’ve watched the entirety ofMAS*Hand are annoying your significant other with Hawkeye quotes while they’re trying to enjoyColumbofor the fourth time.
Of course, some may claim that streaming services are quicklydeveloping their own pitfalls, with so many different apps saturating the market that it’s becoming too expensive to be worth switching from cable. There could be some merit to that argument, as each new service comes with its own subscription cost. But the numbers don’t lie, and right now, it certainly seems to be the most convenient choice for many people.
