Consumers Moving Away From Traditional Media

Social platforms are increasingly rivaling traditional TV and movies for consumer attention, and they appear to be winning, according to Deloitte's 2025 Digital Media Trends study.

The report highlights that "social video platforms provide an apparently limitless array of free content, tailored algorithmically for maximum engagement and advertising potential." It adds that "these platforms leverage cutting-edge ad technology and AI to connect advertisers with worldwide audiences, now capturing more than half of US advertising expenditures."

The study further explains that video entertainment is being transformed by "social platforms, content creators, user-generated content (UGC), and sophisticated algorithms for content recommendations and advertising."

This shift is likely affecting publishers as well. The report observes that "younger consumers are dividing their attention more equally across SVOD (subscription video on demand) services, social platforms, gaming, and even audio entertainment such as music and podcasts."

According to the survey, 23% of Gen Z respondents plan to cancel their cable or TV subscriptions, compared to 18% of millennials and just 8% of boomers.

The report notes that media companies and advertisers are vying for a fixed average of six hours of daily consumption time per individual, a figure that remains stagnant.

Meanwhile, subscription fatigue is setting in among viewers. Only 49% of those surveyed currently have a cable or satellite TV subscription, down from 63% three years prior.

Furthermore, 63% of Gen Z respondents indicated that ads or product reviews on social platforms sway their purchasing choices, in contrast to 49% of millennials.

Deloitte conducted this survey of 3,595 US consumers in October 2024.