“Goodbye​ ​broadcast,​ ​hello​ ​streaming”​ ​is​ ​the​ ​overwhelming​ ​response​ ​from​ ​a​ ​study​ ​about​ ​content​ ​and​ ​viewing​ ​habits produced​ ​by​ ​Qualtrics,​ ​a​n ​experience​ ​and​ ​insights​ ​company.​ ​Although​ ​the​ ​shift​ ​from broadcast​ ​television​ ​to​ ​on-demand​ ​streaming​ ​has​ ​been​ ​a​ ​talking​ ​point​ ​of​ ​media​ ​watchers​ ​for years,​ ​Qualtrics’​ ​study​ ​has​ ​produced​ ​some​ ​surprising​ ​data​ ​points.

Netflix​ ​is​ ​the​ ​Champ  

Although​ ​Amazon​ ​Prime​ ​and​ ​Hulu​ ​put​ ​up​ ​a decent​ ​challenge,​ ​nobody​ ​has​ ​a​ ​greater​ ​hold​ ​on viewing​ ​audiences​ ​than​ ​streaming​ ​stalwart Netflix.​ ​Even​ ​live​ ​TV​ ​now​ ​lags​ ​behind.​ ​The​ ​data is​ ​clear,​ ​however,​ ​that​ ​most​ ​viewers​ ​do​ ​not​ ​limit themselves​ ​to​ ​a​ ​single​ ​option.

Q.  In which of the following ways do you prefer to watch shows?
1. Netflix ​   ​  ​   ​ 30%
2. Live TV ​   ​  ​   ​ 23%
3. Recorded ​   ​  ​   ​ 16%
4. Amazon Prime ​   ​  ​   ​ 15%
5. Hulu ​   ​  ​   ​ 11%
6. Apps provided by station ​   ​   ​ 4%

Settle​ ​in,​ ​this​ ​could​ ​be​ ​a​ ​long​ ​evening  

When​ ​it​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​TV,​ ​most​ ​people​ ​would​ ​prefer​ ​to​ ​binge​ ​on​ ​multiple​ ​episodes​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time​ ​than spread​ ​out​ ​in​ ​weekly​ ​installments.​ ​Around​ ​two-thirds​ ​of​ ​respondents​ ​had​ ​no​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​delaying their​ ​gratification​ ​and​ ​would​ ​prefer​ ​to​ ​just​ ​keep​ ​going,​ ​thank​ ​you​ ​very​ ​much.

Q. ​ Which do you most prefer when watching a show?
1. Binge watching ​   ​  ​   ​ 66%
2. Via weekly episode release ​   ​   ​ 34%

Netflix​ ​and​ ​Chill?​ ​Not​ ​really​ ​a​ ​thing  

There​ ​are​ ​a​ ​few​ ​key​ ​things​ ​that​ ​would​ ​make​ ​viewers​ ​hit​ ​the​ ​pause​ ​button,​ ​but​ ​sex​ ​is​ ​not​ ​one​ ​of the​ ​top​ ​results.​ ​Only​ ​13 per cent ​of​ ​respondents​ ​would​ ​pause​ ​a​ ​show​ ​to​ ​get​ ​frisky,​ ​but​ ​bathroom​ ​breaks (22 per cent)​ ​and​ ​food​ ​(19 per cent)​ ​rank​ ​higher.​ ​Even phone​ ​calls​ ​and​ ​a​ ​reluctant​ ​need​ ​for​ ​sleep are​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​get​ ​that​ ​pause.​ ​Two​ ​things that​ ​were​ ​less​ ​popular​ ​responses​ ​than​ ​sex? Texting​ ​(5 per cent)​ ​and​ ​family​ ​time​ ​(12 per cent).

Q. ​ Which of the following would make you pause a show while binge watching?
1. Bathroom ​break ​   ​  ​   ​ 22%
2. Food ​   ​  ​   ​ 19%
3. Phone call ​   ​  ​   ​ 15%
4. Sleep ​   ​  ​   ​ 14%
5. Sex ​   ​  ​   ​ 13%
6. Family time ​   ​  ​   ​ 12%
7. Text ​   ​  ​   ​ 5%

Bingeing​ ​happens​ ​late​ ​at​ ​night  

It’s​ ​worth​ ​mentioning​ ​that​ ​sleep​ ​is​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​enemy​ ​of​ ​binge​ ​watching.​ ​You​ ​are​ ​most​ ​likely​ ​to find​ ​a​ ​binger​ ​in​ ​comfy​ ​sweat​ ​clothes,​ ​past​ ​1​am,​ ​with​ ​water,​ ​chips​ ​and​ ​pizza.​

Q. ​If​ you binge watch a show in a weekend, ​which of ​the following ​do ​you ​do ​to ​prepare? ​Check all that apply.
1. Put on sweats/comfy ​clothes ​   ​  ​   ​ 24%
2. Finish ​chores ​   ​  ​   ​ 15%
3. Order take out ​   ​  ​   ​ 15%
4. Purchase treats ​   ​  ​   ​ 14%
5. Cook ​food ​   ​  ​   ​ 14%
6. Turn ​out the ​lights ​   ​  ​   ​ 13%
7. Cancel ​plans ​   ​  ​   ​ 3%
8. Turn ​off ​cell ​phones to avoid interruption ​   ​  ​   ​ 2%

Q. ​ Which ​of the ​ following ​have ​you ​done ​because ​you ​couldn’t ​stop ​watching ​a show? ​Check all that apply.
1. Watched past 1am ​   ​  ​   ​ 24%
2. Watched during dinner ​   ​  ​   ​ 19%
3. Stayed up all night ​   ​  ​   ​ 15%
4. Missed planned workout ​   ​  ​   ​ 8%
5. Bailed on social ​plans ​   ​  ​   ​ 8%
6. Didn’t ​brush teeth or other ​personal​ hygiene ​   ​  ​   ​ 7%
7. Watched ​while ​using the bathroom ​   ​  ​   ​ 6%
8. Didn’t eat ​   ​  ​   ​ 5%
9. Watched at work ​   ​  ​   ​ 4%
10.Missed a class ​   ​  ​   ​ 2%
11.Called in sick to work ​   ​  ​   ​ 1%
12.Watched while driving ​   ​  ​   ​ 1%

The​ ​life​ ​of​ ​the​ ​typical​ ​binge​ ​watcher  

The​ ​typical​ ​binge​ ​watcher​ ​is​ ​an​ ​unusual​ ​creature.​ ​Almost​ ​two-thirds​ ​are​ ​happy​ ​and​ ​optimistic about​ ​their​ ​lives,​ ​and​ ​60 per cent per cent ​are​ ​satisfied​ ​with​ ​their​ ​work-life​ ​balance.​ ​However,​ ​they​ ​must​ ​have learned​ ​that​ ​money​ ​isn’t​ ​everything,​ ​because​ ​50 per cent ​of​ ​the​ ​binge​ ​watchers​ ​make​ ​less​ ​than​ ​$40k per​ ​year.
● 50 per cent​ of binge ​watchers ​make ​less ​than ​$40K ​per ​year
● More ​than ​65 per centsay ​they are ​satisfied ​with ​their ​life, ​happy and optimistic
● 60 per cent ​say ​they are ​satisfied ​with their ​work-life ​balance
● Over ​60 per cent ​are ​not ​religious

There’s​ ​always​ ​something​ ​good​ ​on​ ​Netflix  

Among​ ​Netflix’s​ ​original​ ​series,​ ​Stranger​ ​Things ​is​ ​the​ ​most​ ​popular​ ​with​ ​22 per cent of​ ​viewers​ ​having​ ​watched​ ​the​ ​show.​ ​Orange​ ​is​ ​the​ ​New​ ​Black ​is​ ​a​ ​close​ ​second​.

Q. ​Which of these ​Netflix​ shows have you watched?
1. Stranger ​Things ​   ​  ​   ​ 22%
2. Orange Is The New Black ​   ​  ​   ​ 20%
3. Other ​   ​  ​   ​ 15%
4. House of Cards ​   ​  ​   ​ 14%
5. 13 ​Reasons ​   ​  ​   ​ 12%
6. How to Make a Murderer ​   ​  ​   ​ 10%
7. The ​Crown ​   ​  ​   ​ 4%
8. The ​Keepers ​   ​  ​   ​ 3%

A​ ​big​ ​chunk​ ​of​ ​people​ ​watched​ ​all​ ​of​ ​Stranger​ ​Things season​ ​one​ ​in​ ​under​ ​three​ ​days​ ​(42 per cent).​ ​The​ ​total​ ​percentage​ ​of​ ​people​ ​who​ ​watched​ ​the​ ​series in​ ​less​ ​than​ ​a​ ​week​ ​was​ ​a​ ​robust​ ​73 per cent.​ ​Only​ ​10 per cent​ ​of​ ​viewers​ ​took​ ​three​ ​weeks​ ​or​ ​more​ ​to complete​ ​the​ ​first​ ​season.

Q. ​ How ​many ​days ​did it take you ​to finish ​the​ whole ​first season of Stranger ​Things?
1. 1-3 ​days ​   ​  ​   ​ 43%
2. 4-7 ​days ​   ​  ​   ​ 32%
3. 2 ​weeks ​   ​  ​   ​ 9%
4. 1 ​day ​   ​  ​   ​ 8%
5. 3 ​weeks ​   ​  ​   ​ 3%
6. 1 ​month ​   ​  ​   ​ 3%
7. More ​than ​1​ month ​   ​  ​   ​ 3%

Methodology  

Qualtrics​ ​surveyed​ ​over​ ​500​ ​adults​ ​who​ ​regularly​ ​watch​ ​TV​ ​to​ ​determine​ ​their​ ​streaming​ ​habits, viewing​ ​preferences,​ ​and​ ​platform​ ​preferences.​ ​The​ ​study​ ​was​ ​conducted​ ​in​ ​September​ ​2017.

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