Commentary
Study Shows Binge-ing Is The New Normal
- by J. Max Robins , Featured Columnist, July 15, 2015
This is great news for producers of serial dramas and the viewers that love them. According to the TiVo survey, that's the preferred genre for us bingers. Can you say “House of Cards”? We bingers like comedies, too -- just not quite as much. The “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” which debuted shortly before the TiVo survey was taken, proved to be a favorite among bingers, who do the majority of their marathon viewing via Netflix and Amazon Prime -- as opposed to video-on-demand from cable, satellite and telco providers, downloads from the iTunes store, or DVD box sets bought at big-box stores. Moreover, bingers want the instant gratification Netflix is offering by releasing a series all at once -- a tactic slowly being adopted by the competition.
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For some bingers, delayed gratification is the only satisfying choice when a series is dealt one episode at a time. The TiVo research suggests a growing number of us -- nearly a third of those surveyed -- will wait for a series to complete its run so we can have the novel reader's satisfaction of digesting multiple chapters in a sitting. Showtime may dribble out weekly doses of “Ray Donovan” or CBS “The Good Wife,” but a significant number of us prefer to wait till season end to dive in, via our TiVo or other DVR.
Generation Binge may be a boon for quality drama, but it's a serious concern for traditional networks. The TiVo study defines a binge as watching at least three episodes of a series in a single day. Once we are in the Netflix or Amazon wheelhouse, that's the TV ecosystem we're living in, increasingly less likely to dive back into Networkland. Keeping us there are those algorithms harnessed to promoting similar fare we might want to devour after finishing season 3 of “Orange is the New Black.”
Still, traditional networks can successfully lure the binge generation. The TiVo survey shows binge-ing spikes when a USA Network runs a “Modern Family” marathon -- or when BBC America does the same with a cult hit like “Dr. Who.” Binge-ing spikes on holiday weekends, too, akin to what happens when Netflix releases a full season of one of its hits.
Binge Nation does not bode well for reality TV. We rarely watch multiple episodes of competition shows like “The Voice” or “The Bachelor.” Reality series, whether it's “Pawn Stars” or “Real Housewives,” may do well in the Nielsens and draw significant advertising revenue, but they don't make it the same way with bingers. When it comes to generation binge, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” is passé. If it rains this weekend, I think I'll get caught up with a half a dozen episodes of “Transparent” instead.
J. Max Robins has chronicled and critiqued the industry from the birth of modern cable through the advent of Snapchat. The former award-winning editor-in-chief of Broadcasting & Cable, Robins has commented on industry issues for virtually every major media outlet from CNN to the Wall Street Journal. Currently, executive director of The Center for Communication, Robins writes the weekly MediaPost column "TV Everywhere."
While Microsoft will be happy that people are Binging, I think you mean Bingeing.
I binge watch TMZ. I wish I could have binged LOST
"...do the majority of their marathon viewing via Netflix and Amazon Prime -- as opposed to video-on-demand from cable, satellite and telco providers..."
The reason for this comes down to simple UX. Netflix starts a countdown to the next episode during the credits of the episode that just concluded. For cable VOD (Comcast for me), I need to navigate through 3... or 4 or 5 menus and multiple pages of results just to get back to the list of episodes of the show. If cable VOD wants to encourage binge-watching, they need to encourage it by reducing the friction in the interface.
Great thoughts J. Max. Another concern is in advertising (which of course is not a concern to Netflix (yet) ). To the ad community, TV is first reach, then cheap frequency. All out bindge could produce more frequncy than reach if not planned for correctly. I am happy to say that cable VOD D4+ DAI (I bet not included in Tivo research) has tons of view and very little bindge (1.5 episodes per session, as captured by Canoe data), so organically holds to TV's reach promise.
"Binge Nation"? based on this kind of research? TiVo has a panel that records set usage electronically, right? How much of the average TiVo home's weekly set usage is attained by binge viewing"? Is it 5% or 10% or what? The fact that 90% of the people polled in a study say that they "binge"---per day?; per Week?;per month?; ever?----doesn't really tell us all that much and to use such a finding to contend that binge viewing is the new TV norm is a really big stretch?
Mr. Baldwin beat me to it. "Binging" would indeed be the MS version of "googling." Bingeing on TV content does need the "e"!
Max,
You and TiVo have an obligation to produce the evidence for the irresponsible and outrageous generalizations you prresent as some form of news. I shall prepare the lecture on logical fallacies shortly. In the meantime, MediaPost readers must be shown the data and the methodology for the reported findings that are obviously fallacious and impossible.
If the appropriate substantiation is not shown with reasonable promptness, I shall politely request that MediaPost remove this example of bogus blogging. If it is not corrected, I shall make my request and rationale known well beyond the MediaPost Community. The Publisher and Editor know how I can be reached.
While I am pleased that Ed Papazian commented before I read this treacle, I am afraid that he will persist in being more tolerant than I am because he has seen worse. But I must say, this piece of coal is no gem and is a MediaPost low for sure. Just because your Commentary is entitled "TVEVERYWHERE" does not give you the freedom to expose trusting readers to gross generalizations and elicit exaggerations that they would never expect from this Publication.
Provide the evidence. Rewrite the absurd piece with proper, intelligent context and valid, reliable statistical estimates of “normal” behavior. And learn how not to be a data sucker. Ignorance and stupidity are the only things your readers on “Binge-ing” on, if they read the latest edition of your “TVOURAGEOUS” screed.
In sum, profound disappointment and real disgust is only the tip of the iceberg I bring to your Titanic journalistic blunder.
Sincerely,
Nicholas
Nicholas P. Schiavone
In response to your observation Ed, the TiVo study showed that almost two-thirds of those who opted into the survey had binge-watched at least once a month or more. I'd contend that that denotes a fundamental way in which the audience consumes programming.
Max, I'm sorry but the figure you cited doesn't come even close to describing the actual vilumetrics of "binge viewing". Indeed, if it is accurate---always dubious in polls like this---it suggests a once in a while activity by some, not a nationwide adoption of this type of viewing in preference to "normal" one episode at a time consumption. If "Binge viewing was swhat you described, two thirds of the population should be doing it almost every day, not at least once a month.
Max,
Thank you for responding to Ed Papazian.
I demonstrates that you read his comments and probably read mine.
Your failure to address publicly the concerns I raised on July 15 suggest
things about you and this publication that I shall not articulate aloud.
I shall be in touch with the Editor in Chief of MediaPost Publications and the Publisher.
In my estimation, you have gone from being forgiveably unsophisticated
in matters of media and statistical research to being an irresponsible and careless journalist.
It's not just a matter of bad numbers. It's a matter of bad thinking, poor ideas and foolish, false and misleading words. It's a serious disservice to all MediaPost Publication readers.
It occurs to me that the "Columbia Journalism Review" could use this article as
an illustration of what happens when a reporter is working out of his depth.
Sincerely,
Nicholas
Nicholas P. Schiavone, LLC
Max,
You must really be important or untouchable as your e-mail address isn't even listed among the editorial contacts of MediaPost at the only link to you that you or MediaPost provides:
Contact MediaPost Editorial
Well, it figures. Wait, nothing figures with you ... at least mathematically.
Nick
Another typo---curses. I meant "volumetrics" in my last post.
Another typo---curses. I meant "It" in the second line of my second to last post. NPS
Ed,
I appreciate your good example, but J. Max Robins' piece "TVEVERYWHERE" is negligence, perhaps gross negligence, for the field of journalism.
Then again, maybe his standards would serve the National Enquirer.
"Enquiring minds want to know."
Nick