How COVID-19 has changed entertainment

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Industry

How COVID-19 Has Changed Entertainment Consumption

Among the lasting impacts of the pandemic? American viewing habits

By Diep Tran

COVID-19 HAS CHANGED

many things—including American viewing habits, according to a new study from United Talent Agency. “Forever Changed: COVID-19’s Lasting Impact on the Entertainment Industry” found that audiences consumed more entertainment in a wider variety of ways than they did pre-pandemic. The pandemic has also increased the prevalence of fandom culture, and audiences are now more inclined to pay for exclusive content from celebrities and influencers they follow.

The study surveyed 1,000 American adults aged 18–54. Of the people surveyed, 84% said they increased their consumption of entertainment during the pandemic. Seven in 10 people explored new storytelling genres, formats, and platforms, indicating that audiences have experimented with where they get their entertainment. According to the study, 56% subscribed to a new video streaming platform during the pandemic, with Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime all seeing an increase in subscribers.

Consumers are also exploring a wider variety of storytelling, with a 40–51% increase in people listening to podcasts and audiobooks, watching live sports and online videos, and playing video games. One in four people began consuming an entertainment format that they didn’t before the pandemic.

The study also found that 67% of audiences plan to keep up those new consumption habits after the pandemic; 71% intend to continue to use multiple video streaming platforms.

There is also a demand for more diverse and socially relevant stories. One in three consumers sought out international content and stories with diverse voices. Though two in five consumers said they looked for stories that offered them a mental escape from the world, one in four are seeking educational content, and one in three are more interested in seeing content that addresses social and cultural issues.

COVID-19 has also led to a growth in fandom culture: One in three people took up a hobby inspired by a piece of content that they watched—such as the rise in chess playing after the release of “The Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix.

This trend also bodes well for influencers, with one in five people saying they would join a website centered around a celebrity, influencer, or entertainment property. One in five people want exclusive content around the celebrity or influencer they are following, and are willing to pay for it. That means there are more than 30 million people that content creators can engage with as fans—showing that platforms like Patreon, OnlyFans, Cameo, and social media will be important avenues of monetization for content creators going forward.

The UTA study concludes that the chances of creators finding an audience for their content is greater than ever: “Going forward, creators, producers, and distribution platforms have the benefit of a larger pool of consumers interested in engaging with their content than they had previously, as well as an audience willing to spend more time doing so,” the study reads. “In other words, the entertainment pie has expanded during the pandemic, and opportunities to find and attract audiences have never been more ripe.”