LONDON—Viewers who remember a time before YouTube existed are the biggest consumers of the platform’s movies and TV shows, according to a new report from Ampere Analysis.
The world’s most-used video platform began adding free theatrical releases to its menu in 2018 and added TV shows in 2022. This traditional programming has become more popular with middle-aged viewers, 35-64, according to the U.K. researcher, with nearly one in five (18%) users saying they watch full-length movies and TV shows on the platform. The findings reveal that older audiences are transforming global viewing habits, with 35-to-64-year-olds driving a surge in long-form, multigenerational viewing that is reshaping how audiences engage with film and television content online, Ampere said.
Approximately 85% of internet users now watch YouTube each month, according to Ampere Analysis’ latest global consumer tracker of 56,000 adults.
The researcher noted that households with children are another key driver of this viewing, suggesting that both parents and grandparents are increasingly tuning into YouTube for family viewing. Ampere calls these viewers of film and TV shows on YouTube “content super-consumers,” who engage with more genres than the general online population.
The share of internet users watching films and TV shows on YouTube varies widely in the 29 markets in Ampere’s survey. It’s 32% in India, 20% in Saudi Arabia, 15% in the U.S., 12% in the U.K. and falls to its lowest in Sweden at 7%.
A range of factors influences YouTube viewing uptake in each market. “In general, countries with fewer on-demand services and a weaker presence of broadcaster catch-up platforms see higher viewing of films and series on YouTube,” Ampere said.
Brazil and Mexico stand out in this regard, offering attractive distribution opportunities for content owners. These markets not only have large audiences for films and series on YouTube, but also report high levels of YouTube viewing on smart TVs, indicating a broad audience engaging with the platform to watch broadcast-style content in premium viewing environments.
“YouTube’s vast audience makes it an attractive partner for content owners seeking to monetise their catalogues and reach beyond their regular audience,” said Ed Ludlow, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis. “But that same scale means viewing behaviors vary widely across demographic groups — it’s crucial that content owners understand who they’re really engaging when distributing content on the platform."
