Huge Generational Divide in Media Consumption Uncovered in Research by getWizer featuring in new Variety VIP+ Report

Traditional media, still popular with older demographics, is failing to attract a younger audience and will need to transition to more modern platforms if it is to survive. Streaming and gaming services becoming more popular.

Consumer insights platform getWizer has partnered with Variety Intelligence Platform (Variety VIP+) to produce “The Demographic Divide” report, highlighting differences in media consumption between the various generations.

The results sound a stark warning for traditional television companies, which overall ranked the lowest in terms of entertainment value.

However, television is still an excellent way to reach those 45 and older, particularly the over 60s. Interestingly, even among these age groups, Facebook is the single­ most popular individual entertainment platform.

With the decline of the appeal of traditional television, the research showed streaming services are becoming increasingly popular with Netflix the leading choice across all ages. Traditional radio is also in decline. Americans under 60 prefer to stream their music services, with this peaking at three-in-four of 15-­29s.

Gaming is becoming more mainstream and threatening to leapfrog other media, with over a third of 15­-29s considering video games to be the future of entertainment. The appeal of gaming is also broadening. There is a high proportion playing mobile games across all age categories, with even one-in-five of those aged 60+ doing so.

“Once again we are able to provide high-quality, ground-breaking research thanks to getWizer that re-enforces Variety VIP+ as a thought leader in the world of media and entertainment,” says Gavin Bridge, Senior Media Analyst at Variety VIP+. “The results underline that younger, digital-native age groups have little respect for traditional media, which will need to transition if it is to remain relevant in future years. The focus of the Demographic Divide report is to arm brands and agencies with a deep understanding of not only where the current media landscape stands but where it is headed. I’m looking forward to working with getWizer in the future to see how the Demographic Divide evolves as new behaviors become ubiquitous.”

This is the second year getWizer has partnered with Variety VIP+ to track media consumption and entertainment trends.

“There is a massive shift taking place in entertainment and media consumption patterns, forcing brands to radically reassess how they connect with consumers,” says Alexandra Frankel Schorr, Director of Customer Success at getWizer. “We are delighted to work with Variety VIP+ to track these changes and provide brands with the knowledge of which mediums are on the decline and what younger generations are using. This research will greatly aid them in optimizing the platforms they use to communicate with and advertise to their various target audiences.”