Almost half of Gen Z say YouTube and social video platforms are their preferred entertainment platforms over traditional TV and paid streaming.
According to Activate Consulting’s Technology & Media Outlook 2026, presented by CEO Michael Wolf at Wednesday’s WSJ Tech Live event, 43% of Gen Zers choose YouTube and TikTok for media and news consumption.
According to the study, the popularity of “microdramas” (one of the latest trends on these platforms, consisting of one- to two-minute scripted episodes of an ongoing story) is rapidly increasing, with 28 million U.S. adults (52% between the ages of 18 and 34) reportedly watching this new form of content.
Additional findings include a prediction that global internet and media revenue will increase by $388 billion by 2029, while the average daily time spent streaming video is expected to increase to 4 hours and 8 minutes, while time spent watching traditional television will decrease to just 1 hour and 17 minutes.
As a result, Activate estimates that streaming revenue (from ads and subscriptions) will grow 18% to 19% annually, while traditional TV revenue will decline 4% to 6% annually.
According to a report by a consulting firm, people now spend “32 hours and 17 minutes a day” online multitasking throughout their daily lives, and consumers spend more than 13 hours a day on media by leveraging various social media platforms such as Instagram, X, and TikTok. To capitalize on this trend, companies like Amazon are working to create more video content, and streaming services like Spotify are working on creating audiobooks.
