Influencers Overtake Film and TV for Gen Z's Attention

The Digital Generation’s Shift

As the battle for viewers’ eyeballs intensifies, a new study suggests that young audiences are decisively shifting their attention from traditional film and TV to social media influencers. With a generation less enthralled by big-budget spectacles, social media personalities are stealing the show.

A Personal Connection

Deloitte’s digital media trends survey reveals that over half of Gen Z and a remarkable 43% of millennials advocate for social media, finding it more pertinent than traditional TV and film. A significant number say they establish personal connections with influencers, surpassing ties to screen actors. This intimacy is underscored by the discovery of ‘parasocial relationships,’ where viewers form one-sided emotional connections with creators, fueling engagement.

Time Well Spent?

Gen Z reportedly spends an astonishing 54% more time on social platforms than the everyday consumer, roughly 50 extra minutes each day. This engenders a corresponding decline in passive TV and movie consumption by 26%.

The Influence of Screens

As stated in NME, smartphones have ascended to the throne as the favored viewing medium, overtaking televisions for new video content. Leading platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube have tackled television’s dominion, marking significant leaps in daily content consumption from 2.12 hours in 2022 to 2.48 hours in 2024 for TikTok alone.

The Generational Divide

For Gen Z, screen time devoted to traditional TV accounts for 32%, a stark contrast to their elders, where it reigns at 59%. This reinforces the shift in preferences across age groups, highlighting the evolving screen habits that fortify influencers’ prominence.

The New Entertainment Kings

This paradigm shift portends the rise of a new age in entertainment. As mainstream media grapples with retention, the allure of authentic, personal content propels influencers to the apex of cultural relevance, captivating Gen Z’s fleeting attention with genuine relatability.

Will traditional entertainment adapt, or are influencers here to stay as the reigning kings of our screens? Join the dialogue, and witness this transformative era unfold.