Sweden sees new streaming records
September 1, 2020
Streaming in Sweden rose to new record levels in the second quarter. Daily reach, i.e. the number of people that view streamed content an average day, has never been higher, reports Mediavision.
During the quarter, close to 70 per cent of all 15-74-year-olds consumed streamed video content daily. Viewing has increased especially among the elderly population, resulting in a less age-segregated online viewing audience. Mediavision concludes that Sweden has entered a completely digital TV-market.
In the second quarter of 2020, Mediavision measures a daily reach for online video of 66 per cent in the age group of 15-74. This figure represents a historic record level and an increase of over 10 per cent compared to the same period last year. More than 600 000 new viewers have been added in one year.
Mediavision sees various reasons for the increase, many related to the pandemic which had great impact on all Swedes during this spring. The increase in reach is highest among people 65-74 years old, likely a consequence of the imposed restrictions that had particular impact on the elderly population during this period. As a consequence, the online audience has broadened significantly.
Another factor is the increased consumption of news – also related to the pandemic. SVT Play and TV4 Play have benefitted especially from this, both with significant growth. Other actors have also experienced solid growth, excluding services focused on sports as most events this spring were cancelled or postponed. Fiction is still by far the most popular genre and represents half of all online viewing. This genre has grown by 10 per cent compared to the same period in 2019.
Mediavision says the fact that close to 70 per cent of the Swedish population now views online video daily is a clear sign that they have entered a new era. The market has reached maturity and virtually all people in the ages of 15-74 are now part of the online audience. Essentially, this means that the digitalisation process has taken yet another huge leap forward.
“The pandemic has accelerated the speed of the transition”, says Natalia Borelius, senior analyst at Mediavision. “This will be an exciting autumn, with several major new launches such as Disney+ in September. There is reason to believe that streaming will reach new heights in the second half of 2020.”