Family viewing of TV and films could be at an end as youngsters prefer watching YouTube and social media

Snuggling up on the sofa to watch a primetime drama or classic film with the family has been a cherished British tradition for decades.

But such pleasant evenings are becoming a thing of the past as young people increasingly watch videos on their phones with their parents instead of television.

According to researchers, the number of 16 to 34-year-olds watching TV programs in the company of people over 55 has fallen by 30 percent over the past ten years.

It is because young people use social media services such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram to watch large amounts of video content.

Media experts Enders Analysis also revealed that in five years there has been a 25 percent drop in the number of programs popular with ‘both demographics’.

Their report said that despite ‘the explosion in volume and access to content’, viewing of real TV programs was ‘restricted to around fewer programmes’, adding: ‘At the same time, younger viewers are watching a greater proportion of video alone, which results in a growing schism between what young and older viewers watch.”

The report added that the content available to the average person increased twelvefold between 2014 and 2023. For 16 to 34 year olds, traditional linear TV is the most likely category to watch with company – but also the fastest. reject.

The report states: ‘Over the past decade, the number of long-form content viewed by 16-34 year-olds with someone aged 55-plus has fallen by around 30 per cent – ​​which in real terms might only be a loss of five minutes per year. day equates to one less TV episode shared intergenerationally per person, per week.

“The choice of these two demographics is somewhat arbitrary, but highlights how video becoming more of a solo activity can impact the shared experiences of people from different demographics.”