Futuresource has recently published the latest findings from the 6th wave of Kids Tech. Its consumer research programme specifically focused on children aged 3 through to 16 across USA, UK, Germany & China, providing ongoing monitoring of their digital media consumption and its influence on their habits and interests.
This study captures the status quo of how ‘Generation Z’ is spending its leisure time comparatively between traditional and digital pass times, taking a deeper dive into how kids behave in their digital world, with an in-depth look at media consumption, platforms and viewing patterns.
“The findings are indicating an ever increasing engagement with mobile devices, with a third of kids across the four territories now using them to consumer video every day, this rises to 40% in the US,” commented Carl Hibbert Associate Director of Media & Entertainment at Futuresource.
Hibbert adds, “This appetite for more content on a smaller screen is also having an effect on the type of content kids are watching, with ‘snacking length content’ of 1-5 minutes proving most popular with kids ages 5 and over, meaning kids are getting through a lot of content.”
The study also highlights that use of a smartphone or tablet doesn’t stop whilst watching TV, with 49% and 40% respectively using the device at the same time as watching TV. “Playing games and chatting to friends online are the most popular activities and slightly surprisingly a quarter are watching online video on sites such as YouTube. This potentially highlights a real lack of focus or engagement with content across devices,” comments Hibbert.
For kids, YouTube popularity is becoming increasingly comparable to traditional TV. 80% of kids across US, UK and Germany are now regularly using the platform with close to a third of these kids consuming more than 5 hours a week.
“Going beyond YouTube one of the key themes identified through this wave of research has been social media platforms becoming a new destination for video. 65% of kids ages 13-16 are regularly consuming video through Facebook, with over 40% typically spending over 1 hour each time they watch.
“Despite these transitioning behaviours, the popularity of traditional linear TV still remains, continuing as the most frequently accessed TV/video platform across all countries. Most notably in Germany and China where in both cases live TV is still the go to platform for three quarters of kids. But tracking over previous waves it is clearly evident there is a transition underway, notably in the continual yet gradual rise in popularity of SVoD,” says Hibbert.
