Parks Associates, a major market research and consulting organization, revealed significant results about streaming material in their latest study, “The Viewer Journey: Navigating Streaming Options,” at today’s NAB show.

The study found that video consumption has increased significantly among U.S. internet households, with an average of 43.5 hours per week spent across various watching devices, up from 37.2 hours in 2020.

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This recent study demonstrates the growing popularity of Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) services, with half of video-viewing households using these platforms on a weekly basis. The research also finds that paid streaming services are still the most popular type of content on televisions, mobile devices, laptops, and tablets. Notably, 61% of families watch paid streaming video on their televisions for an average of 7.5 hours each week.

According to Sarah Lee, a Research Analyst at Parks Associates, television remains the major medium for viewing, but the growing trend of consuming video content on mobile phones and tablets may change that. “While TVs dominate with over 21 hours of viewing per week, smartphones are catching up, excluding social video sources, with households spending 6.5 hours per week watching videos on these devices,” Lee goes on to say.

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The study also highlights a shift in consumer behavior, with many homes using a combination of planned and on-demand viewing. “The flexibility and convenience offered by on-demand services appeal greatly to viewers, yet there’s a significant portion that values a blend of serendipitous viewing and deliberate content choices,” Lee said.

“The Viewer Journey” presents findings from significant consumer studies conducted with 8,000 to 10,000 internet homes in the United States, focused on how these households access and prioritize various types of video content.

As the landscape of digital entertainment evolves, Parks Associates’ findings from “The Viewer Journey: Navigating Streaming Options” indicate a dynamic shift in how media is consumed in the United States. With a rising number of streaming alternatives and platforms, the report emphasizes the industry’s need to constantly adapt and innovate, ensuring that content delivery keeps up with evolving customer preferences and technical improvements.

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