A new report indicates that U.S. millennials ages 18 to 24 watch more television series on Netflix than they do on broadcast TV. The top four series viewed by that age group were streamed via Netflix, while older viewers still prefer to watch more broadcast TV shows.
The data was compiled by Symphony Advanced Media, a company that measures audience figures. The company pays viewers to download listening apps to various devices on which the shows can be viewed, such as smartphones, computers and tablets.
The apps use the device microphones to determine what show is being watched based on the sound emanating from the background. In addition to primetime broadcast series, the apps also measure data from Amazon, Hulu and Crackle. Overall audience viewing data is weighed according to age group, because younger viewers are more likely to download the listening apps.
The four most watched series in the 18 to 24 age group were Making a Murderer, Master of None, F is for Family and Marvel's Jessica Jones, all Netflix shows, with two Fox animated series, Bob's Burgers and Family Guy, placing in the number 5 and 6 slots. Murderer was also tops with the 24 to 35 age group, and came in third with those aged 35 to 54. It was the only show to place in the top 10 with that older segment, however, with all the remaining shows coming from the big four broadcast networks — Fox, ABC, CBS and NBC.
Millennials also prefer to watch broadcast shows on demand as opposed to when they originally air. Some popular shows with the age group are the aforementioned Family Guy, along with Quantico, Heroes Reborn, Jane the Virgin and New Girl, with more than twice as many millennials viewing those shows within the 35 days after their original airing than during their first broadcast.
One reason Netflix does so well is the sheer number of subscribers, along with non-subscribers using others accounts.
"Adults 18-24 are leading the charge for accessing TV through non-paid methods, like sharing passwords, which you can do on Netflix," said Laura Grover, senior VP of Client Solutions at Symphony. "Netflix also has the [largest] subscriber base out of all the [digital] services. They have the largest audience available to them, and that is coming through the numbers."
A third of viewers in the age group are cord cutters without a cable subscription, and many more say they plan to cancel their current pay TV package at some point.
