Australians still obsessed with TV and online streaming

Film and TV buffs with a love of entertainment will have the chance to score the short-term job of a lifetime. Here’s how.

Many Australians are still living the stream, with the average person having watched 67 TV series and movies this year alone.

And with more platforms available in the palm of our hands, we’ve also become swamped with choice and endless scrolling and streaming.

The research, conducted by Prime Video, highlights how subscription services have exacerbated our obsession with TV and online streaming over the past two years.

“It’s opened customers up to more content than ever and it’s fast-tracked,” says Hushidar Kharas, head of Prime Video Australia and New Zealand.

TV presenter Osher Günsberg remembers growing up with one screen in the home.

“Customers are now able to watch a show or movie wherever they want, on a device of their choosing. They can start a movie and finish it on their phone on the train tomorrow morning.”

TV presenter Osher Günsberg remembers growing up with just one screen in the house.

“In many homes now, there are probably two screens for every person,” he says.

“I’d argue that more TV is being watched than ever before, and I see it in the numbers for the shows I work on. We’re able to consume content from all over the world, which opens us up to discovering entirely new genres we may not have known about.”

Indeed, the streaming industry has a lot to offer, and subscriptions can quickly add up. But the problem with streaming, though, is choice – too much of it. So how do we decide?

THE WAY WE WATCH

The research found more than three in five rely on word-of-mouth or expert recommendations to pick movies and TV shows and 83 per cent say they enjoy the content recommended by friends, family and colleagues.

In addition, 46 per cent like a sophisticated AI (through an algorithm) to recommend them content.

“It went from, ‘did you see this last night?’ to, ‘have you watched this series yet?’,” technology commentator Geoff Quattromani says. “We watch shows based on recommendations or an algorithm, rather than ads.”

Technology journalist and contributor Geoff Quattromani.

Human behaviour specialist Mark Carter says streaming platforms “build strategies, scheduling programs designed for choice and bringing you back for more”.

“The ease of use, viewing through mobile devices, which have become a semi-permanent attachment to peoples limbs, has the ability to influence behaviours,” he says.

Whether you’ve watched or added a show to your favourites list, algorithms are working hard on the home page, where categorised recommendations will appear.

“Unlike social media platforms, they’re less intrusive with the way the algorithms are continually learning from us and will come to understand your unhealthy obsession with true crime without any judgment,” says Justin Hill, host of podcast The Streaming Service.

Netflix’s newest feature, Double Thumbs, enables members to rate shows which contribute to how likely those titles, or similar ones, are to show up in their rows.

“The key is helping people find the right show or film for them,” a Netflix spokesperson says. “We tailor to your tastes by providing suggestions based on what you’ve watched before,

and what others with similar preferences have seen.”

Entertainment guru and TV presenter Justin Hill.

JOB OF A LIFETIME

Film and TV buffs with a love of entertainment will have the chance to score the short-term job of a lifetime which includes a $40,000 salary and red carpet access.

One content junkie will join the Prime Video team in a three-month contract, with the ability to stream shows before they hit the platform and recommend the best to Australian viewers.

Günsberg is helping to recruit for the dream role.

“This person will be entertainment-obsessed, can quote every line in a classic rom-com and pick the plot from the start or knows when every new show is dropping,” he says. “Sometimes you want a recommendation because you trust your buddies’ opinions and choosing what to watch can be hard.”

You can apply to be the Prime Video Buff at amazon.com.au/primevideobuff. The winner will be announced on December 5.

YOUR CHOICE

Entertainment guru and TV presenter Justin Hill’s top tips on changing the way you pick content.

Ask your friends

The difference with shows on streaming platforms is they become popular because we’re talking about them. Blockbuster shows such as Squid Game have absolutely come out of nowhere because some daring person said ‘I’ll give this a crack’ and then started telling their mates.

Listen to a podcast

My podcast about what to stream on your favourite platforms is the perfect place to find honest reviews of TV shows and movies. You’ll find people who are passionate about a genre, an actor or a series, and really deep dive into the parts they couldn’t include in the Netflix Jeffrey Dahmer series, or why fans are up in arms about Liam Hemsworth replacing Henry Cavill in The Witcher.

Use the platforms

Our streaming platforms are built (and constantly being rebuilt) to best serve us. If you’re an incessant scroller like me, my big tip is to use the ‘my watch list’ feature. As soon as you see a show you think you might like to watch at a later date, save it to your list – then when you’re desperate for something decent to watch, you’ve got them there with the click of the remote.

Originally published as Australians still obsessed with TV and online streaming