A new report from Gracenote, part of audience research giant Nielsen, highlights viewer frustration with finding something to watch due to the number of streaming services.
The firm measured audience attitudes and behaviours in the UK, US, Germany, France, Brazil and Mexico for its new ‘State of Play Report’.
Across the countries surveyed, 46% of streaming viewers said it’s getting harder to find the content they want to watch because there are too many services. This sentiment was highest in the UK and US where just over half (51%) agreed.
A sizeable minority (45%) of the total respondents also said the number of services and content is “overwhelming” while almost a third (32.2%) strongly or somewhat agreed that the abundance of streaming services and content is having a negative impact on their TV enjoyment.
Viewers are taking an average of 14 minutes to find something to watch, with this figure standing at 26 minutes in France – more than double the the UK figure (12 minutes) and longer than many actual shows.
While most apps prominently feature rows of recommended shows, more than a quarter (27%) say recommendations aren’t a useful resource. In the UK this view is shared by 32%, the highest in all of the markets surveyed for the report.
Difficultly in finding something to watch risks losing streamers much needed custom, with 49% of respondents say it’s “very or somewhat likely” that they’d cancel a streaming subscription because of it.
The firm says video platforms should look at breaking down content silos and easily connect viewers to what they’re looking for.
“Effective search, discovery and recommendation capabilities that enable platforms to connect viewers to the content they’ll enjoy most are more critical than ever,” said Tyler Bell, SVP of Product at Gracenote.
“Organizations that deliver these capabilities will simplify the fragmentation of content and channels which impact viewers’ entertainment experiences. In doing so, they can capitalize on opportunities to become the first and most valuable viewing sources for their users.”