NEW YORK—Despite all the hype around AI and long-standing efforts to improve content discovery, a new Gracenote study indicates that the problem of finding something to watch on streaming services is not only a major annoyance. It is actually getting worse.
The new Gracenote study “2025 State of Play” surveying consumers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Brazil and Mexico, finds that nearly 33% of streaming users feel content and service fragmentation negatively impacts their TV experience. Among the 25-34 age group, that concentration rises to 40%. Despite general love for streaming among consumers in different countries and age groups, 45% say the streaming experience is overwhelming.
One key issue is content discovery. The longer it takes for viewers to find something to watch, the less enjoyable the experience becomes. On average, consumers globally spend 14 minutes searching for what to watch. In the U.S., the amount of time is 12 minutes, up from 10.5 minutes in mid-2023. French viewers spend a whopping 26 minutes searching for content, an amount of time equal to the length of an entire program episode, the researcher Gracenote, a unit of Nielsen reported.
This is bad news for streaming platforms. The report finds that 19% of people will abandon a viewing session if their content search is not successful. This jumps to 29% for viewers in the 18-24 age group. Going further, 49% are willing to cancel a service based on difficulty finding what to watch.
Key features viewers want to improve their experiences include a single guide presenting content information across all services and for platforms to tell them where to find specific programs wherever they are available. About two thirds (66%) of survey respondents specified interest in these capabilities.
"Effective search, discovery and recommendation capabilities that enable platforms to connect viewers to the content they'll enjoy most are more critical than ever," said Tyler Bell, senior vice president of product at Gracenote." Organizations that deliver these capabilities will simplify the fragmentation of content and channels which impact viewers' entertainment experiences. In doing so, they can capitalize on opportunities to become the first and most valuable viewing sources for their users."
The 2025 Gracenote State of Play report is based on findings from a recent survey of 3,000 consumers in Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico, the U.K. and the U.S. To download the free report, click here.
