I binge-watch TV. Actually, aside from the rare addictive sitcom, binge-watching is the only way I watch full TV episodes. After weeks without picking up the remote I find myself on the couch for five hours watching Rules of Engagement on-demand. My Facebook feed is often full of binge-watching confessions from my Millennial counterparts so this seems to be common behavior. But are my TV consumption habits really on par with those of other Millennials?
YuMe Inc., a provider of digital video brand 
advertising solutions, along with Instant.ly, a consumer insights platform provided by uSamp, recently reported on survey results of consumer TV viewing habits and preferences. The study explores TV consumption trends such as engaging with short-form content (short clips or excerpts from full TV episodes available through streaming); watching live TV versus on-demand, either prerecorded or streaming; as well as binge-watching.
The study showed that 67 percent of consumers agree with critics who claim we are in the “second golden age of television.” In addition, the majority of American Millennial and GenX TV viewers think that HBO “produces the best content” (55 percent), while Baby Boomer viewers think that CBS provides the best content (59 percent).
Other highlights from the survey of over 1,000 consumers include:
- The top three reasons consumers agree we’re in second golden age of TV are:
- the large amount of high-quality TV,
- the variety of TV content and
- the ability to binge-watch.
- Twenty-four percent consider watching three shows in a row binge-watching; another 24 percent say it’s four shows; and 21 percent think it needs to be five to qualify as binge-watching.
- Only 13 percent said they have never binge-watched TV. Thirty-six percent of those who have never binge-watched, the highest percent, are 65 years old and older;
- Sixty-eight percent of those who watch short content do so “to catch up on TV and watch highlights;” 51 percent “to watch content related to a TV show (behind the scenes, actor interviews, etc.)” and 24 percent to “see user-posted content about favorite shows.”
When it comes to multitasking across devices while watching TV:
- Thirty-six percent said they interact with a second screen “somewhat often” while watching TV; 27 percent said they don’t do so very often, while 20 percent say “never” to such a distraction.
- Of those who do multitask while watching TV, 54 percent say it’s on a laptop and 41 percent each said a smartphone or tablet.
The study also explores whether consumers are currently paying for cable or satellite TV service as well as what would incentivize them to cancel those subscription services if they were offered online.
- Eighty-eight percent are paying for a cable or satellite TV service.
- Thirty-two percent would consider canceling their service if online/streaming providers offered better sports coverage. Twenty-two percent said better live coverage of a world event like the Olympics or World Cup might sway them; 11 percent chose better election coverage; but 55 percent said none of these incentives would make them cancel cable.