A streaming generation? Interrogating assumptions about Gen Z audiences, content discovery, and engagement with broadcast television

<p dir="ltr">With the rise of subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), Australian broadcasters have struggled to attract twenty-something Generation Z audiences, as reflected in recent television ratings and survey research. However, little is known about the factors driving Gen Z viewing choices or the diverse ways in which Gen Z audiences encounter broadcast television across terrestrial live streams, broadcast video on-demand (BVOD), and external platforms like YouTube. Drawing on a national survey and qualitative follow-up interviews, this article investigates the social function of broadcast television for Gen Z audiences with close attention to our participants’ routines and viewing behaviours. We find that, while many Gen Z viewers (especially those still living at home) are exposed to a substantial amount of broadcast television, this content is associated with low-intensity, social or forced viewing, rather than the more focused viewing typical of SVODs. Further, our Gen Z participants are interacting with BVODs in a functional way — for content retrieval — in contrast to their exploratory and discovery-oriented uses of SVODs. This suggests that Gen Z’s decreasing engagement with broadcast television is multifaceted, with different aspects changing at different speeds and intensities.</p><p dir="ltr">Note: Article was submitted on December 16th and is currently under review at the journal Convergence. </p><p dir="ltr"><br></p>