A third of Americans prefer TV highlights to full episodes, rising to 43% among Gen Z, according to a new Bango survey of 2,500 U.S. adults. The findings point to growing demand for shorter clips on streaming services as they compete with social media feeds, while also highlighting continued interest in full series and cheaper bundled subscriptions.
Four in 10 Americans (40%) say they would use streaming services more often if short clips from shows were available, a figure that climbs to 53% among Gen Z. Thirty-seven percent report using their streaming service more frequently now that it includes vertical video clips, rising to 47% among Millennials. More than half (51%) say such clips help them discover shows worth paying to watch.
The preference for shorter formats does not erase demand for complete stories. Sixty-five percent of respondents say new episodes of shows they follow remain important to their decision to keep a streaming subscription. Forty percent say original or exclusive short videos could help justify a subscription’s price.
Alongside shorter viewing options, 61% of Americans say they would be more likely to retain a subscription if they could get it for less through a bundle. Younger consumers are already shifting toward this model: 21% of Gen Z say they moved from paying for a service separately to receiving it through a bundle in the past year to save money. Consumers also see added value in combining streaming with other services, including music subscriptions (23%), food delivery benefits (20%), and shopping memberships with free shipping or discounts (19%).
For families, short clips raise questions about alternatives to social media. Forty-four percent of Americans see value in short videos from a trusted brand, and 37% say curated clips would help keep children off social platforms, rising to 47% among Millennials. The findings arrive as some countries restrict minors’ social media access. Australia has banned under-16s from social media since December 2025, and the UK government has announced plans to follow in 2027.
Bango CEO Paul Larbey said the results should not be read simply as evidence of shrinking attention spans. “People still value the shows they follow,” he said. “The opportunity is to give them different ways to enjoy that entertainment, depending on the time and attention they want to give it as well as new ways to discover new shows without having to fully commit.”
He added that curated, age-appropriate clips from familiar shows could offer families another option as social media restrictions expand, and that shorter formats plus bundled access through phone, broadband, or banking providers could help audiences enjoy more of streaming catalogs at a workable price.
For telecommunications companies, short-form content could strengthen the appeal of streaming services already included in bundles by giving customers more ways to use what they pay for. The survey suggests streaming providers and bundlers can respond to varied viewing preferences by connecting discovery, shorter formats, and more affordable access.