Older Millennials Stream More TV Than Teens
APRIL 16, 2012
Adult millennials more likely to watch TV on a laptop or on a smartphone than their school-age counterparts
Millennial consumers over 18 stream more TV shows over the internet than younger members of their generation, research indicates.
Among high school and college students ages 18 to 30, 70% reported watching streamed TV in a typical week, while 66% watched programs on a regular TV set, according to a January poll by Ypulse. Among those ages 13 to 18, only 49% reported streaming television either to a computer or TV set on a weekly basis, while 76% said they watched TV on a regular set.
Older millennials were also more likely to stream TV on a smartphone or tablet, at 24%, vs. 16% of those between ages 13 and 18 who did so.
Why the disparity? Ypulse says people over 18 tend to own laptops and smartphones in greater numbers than their younger counterparts, which means they can catch their favorite shows flopped on a couch or curled up in bed, rather than being tied to the TV set or even a desktop PC. It's also easier to hook a laptop into a TV for streaming than it is a desktop. Plus, collegians and their contemporaries tend to be busier with school and work, so they snack on TV when they have a free block of time. High school students, with their curfews and parental supervision, are more likely to be able to tune in when a show is actually broadcast on TV.
eMarketer also estimates greater percentages of older millennials are watching online video than teenagers.
By the end of 2012, for example, 15.3% of all online video viewers in the US will be between ages 18 to 24, while 12- to 17-year-olds will account for only 12.3% of the total.
Miguel H. Gonzalez is MHz
