As a result of watching the same stories getting played out over and over again on both the small and big screen, young people are getting bored.
Some 74% of Generation Z (aged 18-26) and millennials (aged 27-42) said they prefer to watch original streaming content, not franchises or remakes of old movies or television shows, according to US streaming platform Tubi’s new report, “The Stream 2024”.
“Viewers are increasingly seeking fresh and innovative ideas that push the boundaries of what’s possible instead of rehashed versions of existing stories,” the study notes.
These younger audience members want to see more content from “independent and small-time creators” and not necessarily big Hollywood machines (71%). “Most (64%) enjoy watching content from smaller creators because they feel they’re supporting the creators directly,” the report adds.
Furthermore, nearly three quarters of them want to see characters like them (73%), that reflect their identity, while featuring “different identities and backgrounds” (74%).
Another key characteristic of these two generations is the fear of missing out: close to half of Gen Z and millennials (48%) admit to feeling social pressure to keep up with the latest hits, in order to take part in discussions with friends about current TV shows, even if they aren’t their preferred content.
Keeping up with the latest trends is part of these viewers’ daily lives, with 45% of Gen Z-ers choosing what to watch next based on popular content in their social-media news feeds, according to the study.
But while younger viewers may be more inclined to watch what’s new, that doesn’t stop them from sometimes turning to content that’s more than 10 years old. What do they find appealing in these older programmes? For one, the style and quality of older content, which 67% of viewers appreciate.
More than half (64%) of Gen Z-ers and millennials call it like it is, saying “nostalgia” drives them to watch such content, while others label it “tradition” (49%).
“The main reason I rewatch a lot of my childhood shows is because it makes me feel like a kid again, having a day off, no school, and sitting on the floor watching my favourite cartoon,” one streamer confided in Tubi. “It feels good to ‘relive’ some of those moments.”
Other findings from the Tubi survey include that US viewers consider streaming an opportunity to spend quality time with friends or family – or to carve out some precious “me time”.