Reports: Entertainment and Fandom

With the attention economy saturated, there is next to no incremental entertainment time up for grabs. This comes precisely at a time when more games depend on growing time spent. As games are only the fifth most consumed entertainment activity among PC and console gamers, the path for games to meaningfully grow time spent is to absorb consumers’ time spent on other entertainment formats.

The Q1 2024 US launch of the Apple Vision Pro virtual reality (VR) / augmented reality (AR) device has reignited interest in the metaverse, a bus that has so far stubbornly refused to arrive. Apple’s intent is to deliver at-home immersive VR and AR experiences for affluent but mainstream consumers.

The temporary digital consumption boom of the pandemic gave way to an inflationary landscape fuelled by global supply chain issues and geopolitical crises. While inflation levelled out in 2023, the residual effects of post-pandemic economics continued to reverberate throughout media and tech.

This slide deck presents a snapshot of Pluto TV users across video, games, and music. It includes age breakdowns, time spent on video, money spent on video, video, games, music, multimedia subscription penetration, and likeliness to savvy switch. Key data and insights included in this report: Penetration of Pluto TV users in US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, and Brazil Analysis of Pluto TV users’ weekly to daily conversions Video behaviours of Pluto TV users, including video subscriptions and watching live sports Age comparison of US and UK Pluto TV weekly users Gender comparison of UK and Brazil Pluto daily users All survey data is based on MIDiA Research Q4 2024 consumer survey, fielded in US, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, South Korea, and Brazil.

This slide deck presents a snapshot of Paramount+ users across video, games, and music. It includes age breakdowns, time spent on video, money spent on video, video, games, music, multimedia subscription penetration, and likeliness to savvy switch. Key data and insights included in this report: Penetration of Paramount+ users in US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, and Brazil Analysis of Paramount+ users’ weekly to daily conversions Paramount+ users entertainment subscriptions compared to video subscribers Age comparison of English-speaking markets Paramount+ weekly users Video behaviours of English-speaking markets Paramount+ weekly users All survey data is based on MIDiA Research Q4 2024 consumer survey, fielded in US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, and Brazil.

Key data and insights included in this report: Audiobook user snapshot, behaviours and demographics compared to the average consumer Change in time spent and listenership of audiobooks compared to other audio streams Audio behaviours, including multitasking, background and focused listening, time of day and location of listening Year-on-year analysis of key audiobook platforms, including Audible and Spotify Comparison of music streaming services' audiobook monthly consumption All survey data is based on MIDiA Research Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 2023 consumer surveys, fielded in the US, UK, Australia, Canada.

Games subscriptions are playing an increasingly important role in the distribution section of the games industry’s value chain. A growing number of developers, therefore, must think through whether to partner with subscription services and, if so, which ones.

All forms of entertainment compete not only for the same time, but increasingly for the same digital real estate. As audio streaming platforms move towards all-in-one access to multiple formats, both platforms and content providers must understand the threats of substitution and cannibalisation from within.

Business strategy has long been demarcated across sustaining and disruptive innovation. In the digital realm the latter has had the upper hand, but as digital enters a slower growth phase, sustaining innovation is back in favour. Yet this is also a period of dramatic value chain shifts and is thus exactly the period when companies should instead be pursuing disruptive, future-focused strategy.

Key data and insights included in this report: Consumer awareness, listenership, and fandom rates of music stars including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Drake, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, and Bad Bunny Analysis of these artists’ super fans by proportion of total fans, age and propensity to buy merchandise Awareness of and fandom towards virtual artists K/DA and Lil Miquela Q3 2023 Comparison of music artist sentiment and awareness internet personas and film franchises All survey data is based on MIDiA Research Q3 2023 Brand Tracker fielded in the US and UK.

In an increasingly saturated entertainment landscape, understanding the fandom overlaps between previously distinct media formats is more important than ever. This is especially important for video as TV and film still retain their role as the central hub of mainstream entertainment.

Bundling can ease pressures caused by the cost-of-living crisis by delivering consumer choice and stable recurring revenues for TV-streaming services. This is not a return to the pay TV model of old, but a simplification of a fragmented entertainment landscape to support streaming TV’s route to profitability.

MIDiA analysts dive into our 2024 predictions, and why we believe the algorithm isn't listening. Watch the webinareither on YouTube or LinkedIn ....

This report presents key metrics and consumer insights regarding mobile gamers, console gamers, and computer gamers. It is targeted to help investors, distributors, developers, and publishers understand the nuances and commonalities between these three segments.

2023 was another year of change and disruption. 2024 will be even more defined by change than the years that preceded it. But much of this change will be defined by reaction more than action. The unintended consequences of years of innovation have resulted in environments where many consumers are getting further away from their wants and needs, not closer.

As 2023 draws to a close, and the United Nations Climate Change Conference takes place for the 28th year, it is an important time for the music industry to reflect on our impact on the environment and how we can do better. This could take a variety of forms.

Despite recent sports rights hikes (driven by tech major interventions, such as Amazon’s NFL Thursday Night Football 2021 rights agreement), sports as a broadcast asset is under increased scrutiny. An ageing audience, combined with its decreasing relative importance in home entertainment, means that live sports must work harder to justify its hefty price tag in the TV streaming era.

Video IP holders could extract more value from superfans by deploying monetisation strategies used by social video platforms and virtual gaming universes. The music industry has already shown how, through interactive fan worlds. These video game experiences allow IP holders to centralise fan engagement to capitalise on digital monetisation techniques, such as in-app purchasing and incentive-driven advertising.

This report presents MIDiA consumer data for key music behaviours of German consumers All data is for Germany except when ‘all country average’ is referred to. This is the weighted average of all countries surveyed Data covered includes streaming and social app usage, and key audio formats (radio, streaming, podcasts).

Despite extensive efforts by radio broadcasters to redress the digital shift with offerings like podcasts and streaming apps, radio’s audience continues to fall. The fundamental question is: how does radio attract younger audiences that have never been radio natives? Ultimately, radio must act, and fast.