(Credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock)
Gen Z Consumers Average Nearly Seven Hours of Daily Media Consumption
NEW YORK — As mainstream media takes a deep dive into figuring out why so many young people are tuning out traditional content, a new survey is here to give them a tiny clue. Instead of watching the nightly news and network television, the poll finds younger Americans are literally spending the bulk of their days totally immersed in every new avenue of digital media — and they’re spending a lot of money to do it!
Specifically, Generation Z is leading the charge in both consumption and spending. The comprehensive research conducted by Talker Research among 2,000 Americans shows that the average American now dedicates 42 hours per week to media consumption — equivalent to 91 full days annually.
Gen Z respondents reported consuming approximately 6.6 hours of media and content daily, significantly above the national average of six hours. This youngest generation also dominated the extreme consumption category, being the most likely age group to report watching 15 or more hours of content per day.
The financial implications of this media appetite are substantial. Americans spend an average of $66.60 monthly on various media subscriptions, including streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+), audio apps (Spotify, Apple Music, Audible), and social media platforms (including Twitch subscriptions and YouTube Premium) — amounting to roughly $800 annually.
Gen Z leads in spending with a monthly average of $97.70, followed closely by millennials at $91.70. In stark contrast, baby boomers spend just $35.60 monthly, while Silent Generation Americans maintain the lowest spending at under $25.
Breaking down the spending patterns reveals significant generational disparities across different media categories. Millennials top streaming service expenditure at $40 monthly, with Gen Z close behind at $39.20, and Gen X following at $32.30. Baby boomers spend considerably less at $20.70, while Silent Generation members average only $16.60 per month.
Social media services and subscriptions show similar generational divides, with Gen Z spending $29.10 monthly and millennials investing $25. The pattern continues in audio subscriptions, where Gen Z ($29.40) and millennials ($26.70) significantly outspend their older counterparts, with baby boomers ($7.40) and Silent Generation members ($3.90) spending minimal amounts.
However, this increased media consumption comes with concerning side-effects. The study found that 42% of respondents believe they consume “too much” media, with Gen Z expressing the highest level of concern — 66% agreed they over-consume. Additionally, 36% of participants report that their mood is “often” negatively affected by social media content.
The research also revealed a growing sensitivity to pricing, with 33% of respondents indicating they would cancel their favorite streaming service if faced with a 10% price increase in the coming year. On average, Americans feel guilty about their media consumption habits 3.1 times monthly, suggesting a complex relationship with digital media that balances entertainment value against personal well-being.
“The first step is to figure out what’s causing the excessive content consumption in the first place,” says Natasha Thapar-Olmos, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University, in a statement. “Without understanding the cause, efforts to intervene will be less effective. Try keeping a log of when the behavior tends to happen and any patterns in what might precede it.”
“Once you have some good ideas about the cause, you can start thinking about making changes in those areas,” Thapar-Olmos continues. “For example, if you find yourself doom-scrolling at the end of weekdays after work but not so much on the weekends, prepare an alternate activity for the weeknights. Have it set up and ready to go before you leave for work, like a puzzle, a magazine, or a book.”
“One way guilt can be helpful is to let us know when we’ve done something that violates some internal standard or value. So, if you are feeling guilty about wasting time online, acknowledge it and use it to refocus your values and intentions. Then, move on. If your guilt is getting in the way of making productive changes, then it might not be serving you anymore.”
Survey methodology
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 representative Americans was conducted by market research Talker Research between July 24 and August 1, 2024, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
