Binge Viewers Are Happier, Would Pay More for Access: Survey

A survey by marketing and brand consultancy Miner & Co. challenges the common wisdom on binge viewing. While binging became a favorite pastime thanks to Netflix and other subscription video-on-demand services making full runs of TV shows available for consecutive viewing, the activity seems to have benefits for traditional pay TV services and advertisers.

According the survey, 61 percent of binge viewers say that the ability to binge watch has made TV more enjoyable. Also, roughly 40 percent are willing to pay more for access to full seasons of favorite shows. Frequent bingers are twice as likely to let commercials play during a show, and are four times as likely as infrequent bingers to upgrade their pay TV service.

The survey finds that binge viewers watch more TV because of the ability to consecutively watch favorite shows (43 percent), consider binge viewing normal (71 percent), and see themselves as in-the-know (77 percent). Regrettably, frequent binge viewers are twice as likely as infrequent binge viewers to have skipped a shower because of binging.

Miner & Co. conducted the survey in March 2014, questioning 800 U.S. TV viewers between the ages of 18 and 54, who watch 6 or more hours of TV per week and have watched at least three episodes of a single program in one sitting. 

Binge Watching Usually Limited to 2 or 3 Streamed Episodes

Not many viewers sit down for massive 10 episode all-day viewing sessions, finds a Conviva report.

09 Jul 2015