Over half of British Gen Z start watching TV on streaming platforms such as Netflix or Amazon Prime over browsing regular broadcast channels, according to new research from Boston Consulting Group.
When they can’t decide what to watch, 40% of Brits default to Netflix, close to three times more than Amazon Prime Video, the next most popular platform.
Among Gen Z viewers, four out of the five most frequently used platforms for video consumption are global streaming services. YouTube leads with 83% usage, followed by Netflix at 74%, Amazon Prime Video at 56%, and TikTok at 54%. In comparison, British streaming platforms including BBC iPlayer (49%), ITVX (31%), and Channel 4 (29%) have lower usage rates within this demographic.
Most European consumers subscribe to four or five streaming platforms, with global companies occupying at least three spots in each market. National broadcasters compete for the remaining one or two options, especially during peak viewing times. Global players have an advantage due to their content variety and resources.
YouTube and social video now account for about 20% of total video viewing time, rising to over 40% among Gen-Z.
In the surveyed Western Europe markets, about 73% of households pay for streaming, compared with 80% in the United States.
Although public opinion of broadcasters remains favourable, attitudes towards license fees differ – registering as net negative in Germany, but displaying a more balanced perspective in the UK and Switzerland. In an evolving digital landscape, traditional license fee funding models are facing increasing scrutiny, leading to concerns regarding the long-term viability of public broadcasters without structural reforms.
Notably, younger audiences, despite reduced consumption of public broadcasting content, generally express greater support for license fees, perhaps due to their familiarity with paying for digital services.
Younger viewers are for example more willing to pay for sport: across the 10 most viewed sports in the UK – including football, tennis, and motorsports – Gen Z and Millennials are 15% more willing to pay to watch than Gen X and Boomers.
