Research by Ampere Analysis has found that 38% of YouTube’s global monthly active users (MAUs) now watch traditional TV and film content on the platform.
The research suggests that YouTube has come a long way since its early days of short, low-quality, user-generated pranks, memes, and vlogs. Music, comedy and how-to videos are the most popular content types on YouTube, but documentaries and TV shows/films are also in the top five.
.jpg)
Nearly a quarter (24%) of monthly active users watched documentaries, making it the fourth most popular content type. TV shows/films were fifth, watched by 23% of YouTube’s MAUs.
Documentary, TV, and film viewing on YouTube skews slightly towards 35-44s, and to family households, though it is popular across all demographics.
The content types on YouTube are particularly popular in Asia Pacific, where 45% of monthly active users have watched them, and Latin America, where 40% have. This compares to more muted viewership in Western Europe at 28%. North American viewership is in line with the global average at 37%
Smart TVs are a popular device for long-form viewing: 34% of those who watched both documentaries and TV shows/films on YouTube in the past month used a smart TV for at least some of their viewing, versus 22% of YouTube MAUs in general (smartphones and computers/laptops remain the most popular devices overall for YouTube content among this cohort, at 77% and 37%, respectively).
YouTube has the largest active user base of all online video platforms globally, with 84% of internet users watching it monthly, 73% weekly, and 59% daily.
Daniel Monaghan, Senior Research Manager at Ampere Analysis, said: “We now see more full-length TV shows and movies uploaded from the leading studios, producers, and broadcasters. On one hand, this risks cannibalising some owned-and-operated
audiences. On the other hand, the sheer scale and reach of YouTube mean the benefits of extending the addressable audience cannot be ignored, while also opening up new revenue streams via ad-share agreements with the platform.”
Macquarie to sell Arqiva stake for £16.5m
Macquarie Asset Management has agreed to the sale of its 26.5% stake in broadcast infrastructure firm Arqiva for £16.5m.
Banijay UK beefs up in-house post operations
Banijay UK will increase its in-house post-production capabilities by launching new facilities in London, doubling capacity in Glasgow, and investing in Manchester.
Spain’s LaLiga agrees €5.25bn football rights with Telefónica and DAZN
Spanish football league LaLiga has agreed a new set of domestic media contracts for more than €5.25bn, with Telefónica and DAZN retaining rights from 2027 to 2032.
BBC remains popular but “must take a firmer grip” in crises, says Ofcom
Despite funding pressures and a rapidly changing media landscape, the BBC remains popular with audiences, with 83% of UK adults using its services weekly, according to media regulator Ofcom.
TikTok and YouTube trigger influencer boom among older audiences
Older internet users are fuelling the growth of influencer videos, according to new research from Ampere Analysis, which shows that half of 55- to 64-year-olds now watch influencer content every week.
