The State of Video Streaming: Americans Increase Subscriptions for Holiday Binge-Watching

As the holiday season approaches, many Americans are getting ready to relax and indulge in some video streaming. With more free time on their hands, people are likely to increase their usage of streaming services over the next couple of weeks. This surge in streaming activity presents a great opportunity to delve into the latest insights on video-on-demand streaming and see how holiday binge-watching plays into the mix. Let’s take a look at what recent CivicScience data reveals:

According to new CivicScience data, the number of U.S. adults with four or more video-on-demand subscriptions has spiked by 10 points, jumping from 21% in 2021 to 31% today. In the past year alone, there has been a three-point increase. Meanwhile, 26% have two subscriptions, 24% have three, and 19% have stuck with just one subscription over the past year.

But why are more people subscribing to multiple services? The data shows that the main reason for having three or more subscriptions is that people’s favorite shows and movies are spread across various platforms. Additionally, over 40% of respondents simply enjoy watching a lot of streaming content, while cord-cutting also plays a significant role. Interestingly, 18% of subscribers are only keeping a subscription until they finish watching the current content they’re interested in.

In a related trend, CivicScience data also indicates that a growing number of individuals have ditched traditional cable or satellite TV in favor of streaming services. The percentage of people who have cut the cord on cable or satellite TV and transitioned to streaming-only services has surged from 34% in 2020 to 60% in recent years.

How about you? Have you expanded or reduced your streaming subscriptions this year?

As the holiday season approaches, you can expect a spike in binge-watching as people take advantage of their time off. CivicScience has been monitoring holiday binge-watching trends for years, and the latest data suggests a resurgence of this popular pastime. Roughly 60% of U.S. adults indicate that they are somewhat likely to binge-watch during the holiday season, marking a seven-point increase from last year and the highest level since tracking began in 2021.

Traditionally, Gen Z individuals aged 18-24, women, and Democrats are the primary holiday binge-watchers. Interestingly, Republicans are slightly more likely to partake in holiday binge-watching this year compared to last year.

Factors such as holiday-related stress and post-election tensions are also driving people to binge-watch during the holiday season. While overall holiday stress levels appear to have decreased, Gen Z individuals report higher stress levels this year. Moreover, those who feel more stressed during the holidays are more likely to binge-watch. The recent polarizing election has also influenced binge-watching behavior, with those experiencing increased stress levels post-election being more inclined to binge-watch.

When it comes to genre preferences, action/adventure, science fiction/fantasy, and mystery/suspense/crime shows have gained more popularity among binge-watchers, while entertainment, celebrity, and music-related content have seen slightly less interest.

In conclusion, the resurgence of holiday binge-watching underscores the importance of streaming platforms as outlets for relaxation and entertainment, especially during stressful times like the holidays and post-election periods. With changing genre preferences and the growing demand for multiple subscriptions, streaming services that align with these trends are poised to attract a larger audience during the holiday season and beyond.