A recent Ampere Analysis survey underscores the growing dominance of media in daily life, revealing that consumers in the UK and US devote nearly 11 hours each day to it—more time than they typically spend sleeping or working. The study also highlights how varied and fragmented these habits have become.
People now draw from an expanding array of options shaped by mood, age, and immediate needs. “Today’s consumers have more varied media diets than ever before, selecting from an expanding menu of media depending on what they want in the moment,” said Ampere Research Manager Sam Nursall.
“Whether they’re looking to relax, discover something new or simply fill spare time, each medium serves a different purpose. That’s today’s attention economy. For advertisers and broadcasters, understanding those different moments is just as important as understanding the audience itself.”
Key findings include:
- The average adult in the U.S. or U.K. spends a cumulative 11 hours a day engaging with media—time that often overlaps, such as scrolling on a phone while watching TV or streaming.
- Streaming services (1 hour 57 minutes), social media (1 hour 46 minutes), and YouTube (1 hour 35 minutes) draw the highest levels of daily engagement.
- Consumers tailor their media choices to specific moods and needs: streaming is favored for relaxation and immersion, YouTube for discovery and mood-lifting, and social media for relieving boredom or providing distraction.
- Usage patterns also vary sharply by age. Gen Alpha (ages 11–15) dedicates the most time to YouTube (1 hour 45 minutes) and gaming (1 hour 56 minutes). Gen Z (16–29) leads in social media (1 hour 54 minutes) and music services (1 hour 20 minutes). Generation X and Baby Boomers, by contrast, spend relatively more time with streaming services, traditional TV channels, and live sports.
- On average, U.S. and U.K. consumers access 11.5 media platforms each week—spanning pay TV, streaming services, social media, music streaming, gaming, and broadcaster VOD.
- Streaming platforms such as Netflix or Disney+ account for 4.1 of these. Gen Alpha uses the most platforms of any group, averaging 13.6 per week.
- Mobile devices have expanded where media is consumed. More than half (55%) of music streaming users regularly listen outside the home, along with 34% of podcast listeners, 20% of social media users, and 11% of gamers.
- Mobiles have also boosted overall engagement by making simultaneous media use simpler. In the U.S. and U.K., for instance, more than a quarter (28%) of Netflix users regularly watch the service on a smartphone.
- One-third (33%) of YouTube users say they turn to the platform when they “want something on in the background.”
The Ampere Analysis “Attention Economy” survey was conducted among respondents aged 11 to 64 in the U.S. and U.K.