WILDBRAIN SPARK AND NSCREENMEDIA UNVEIL REPORT ON FAMILY CO-VIEWING AND KIDS’ INFLUENCE ON THE VIDEO STREAMING HOME

“Making Screen Time Family Time” highlights the growth of family co-viewing and the importance of AVOD on connected TVs

WildBrain Spark, the premium kids’ and family AVOD network and studio, and nScreenMedia, an independent digital TV analyst company that offers research, commentary and analysis on the world of OTT delivery, have unveiled a report on family co-viewing trends and kids’ influence on video streaming in the home. Commissioned by WildBrain Spark, “Making Screen Time Family Time” covers timely and topical trends across co-viewing, device usage, attitudes to video sources and ad-supported content.

The headline data reveals that family co-viewing is a trend here to stay. Three-quarters (75%) of the 3,000 parents surveyed* say they watch video content with their children several times a week or more, and the activity cuts across gender, children’s ages, household income levels, and marital status. Co-viewing is a valuable shared activity, and something parents and children make time for throughout their busy day. Supporting data from WildBrain Spark points to longer viewing sessions on YouTube and the YouTube Kids app coming via connected TVs, compared to mobile, tablet and computers.

The data also showed the increasing popularity of ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) and the importance of connected TVs for delivering it. Over 90% of parents stated that AVOD is an important source of entertainment for their children, and 62% stated that connected TVs were the preferred device for co-viewing.

Jon Gisby, EVP and Managing Director at WildBrain Spark, said: “These independent findings support our own data that AVOD platforms, in particular YouTube and YouTube Kids, are increasingly the go-to destination for families looking for premium long-form children’s content. Furthermore, the increasing penetration of connected TVs in the home, coupled with new family habits during the pandemic, is accelerating this trend. Parents and kids are going ‘back to the future’ by watching premium long-form kids’ shows that are streamed to their connected TVs from ad-funded platforms.”

“Making Screen Time Family Time” can be viewed in full here:

Making Screen Time Family Time: How kids today influence co-viewing and purchase intent in the household

*nScreenMedia independently surveyed 2,500 parents in the U.S. during the last week of October 2020 regarding the viewing behavior of their children and families, followed by an additional 500 one week later. To qualify for the survey, participants had to be weekly streamers and have at least one child below 12 years old. The study was fielded by Lucid.

KEY FINDINGS FROM “MAKING SCREEN TIME FAMILY TIME”

FAMILY CO-VIEWING

Three-quarters (75%) of the parents in the survey group said they watch TV with their children several times a week or more. Two-thirds (66%) expect time spent with their kids watching TV/movies to stay the same or increase once the pandemic is over. In addition, the child is often in charge of the co-viewing session with half of the parents saying their child mostly chooses what they are going to watch together.

The most popular device for co-viewing is the television and 62% of parents said the smart TV is the most popular platform for co-viewing, with 48% using a connected TV device.

STREAMING VIDEO SOURCES

Two free children’s streaming services dominate the category: YouTube Kids and PBS Kids. Half (50%) of the parents surveyed reported that their children are the exclusive users of these services. These platforms are almost twice as popular as any other child’s service about which the survey asked.

YouTube is a critical resource for parents and their children with 95% of participants saying at least one person in the family uses it, and 70% say their kids are among the users. Additionally, 94% of parents say they monitor kids’ YouTube use, with 61% stating they monitor use all the time.

AD SUPPORTED SERVICES

In the survey, 90% of parents said free ad-supported services are an important video source for their children. Parents that allow their children to watch ad-supported content were asked how the kids react when the ads come on. Half say their children have the same level of attention or higher as with the show they are watching. Only 13% say their children did not pay any attention.

About WildBrain Spark

WildBrain Spark is an award-winning digital media company and one of the world’s most popular premium kids’ and family networks on AVOD. We offer a highly curated, brand-safe environment, where kids and families can enjoy broadcast-quality content, including Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Peanuts, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Degrassi, Fireman Sam, Spookiz, Polly Pocket and more.

With more than 200-million subscribers on YouTube and YouTube Kids, we have over 220,000 videos under management, across more than 800 kids’ channels. Our network generates approximately 4 billion views per month and reaches 1-in-3 kids globally on YouTube every 90 days. WildBrain Spark provides a full service for IP owners looking to connect with global audiences through our expertise in the creation of original content, YouTube channel management and consumer-products synergies. Our advertising sales team provides brands and agencies access to our reserved network and bespoke ad solutions. Based in London, New York and Los Angeles, WildBrain Spark is part of WildBrain Ltd., a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment. Visit us at wildbrain-spark.com.

About nScreenMedia

nScreenMedia is a free resource to the Digital Media Industry. It provides daily opinions, analysis, and data on the events and market movements shaping the transition of the television industry to multiscreen, over-the-top delivery.

Source: Wildbrain Spark