New figures tracking exactly how people are watching content show the growing importance for ease-of-access is paving the way for record viewing figures for YouTube programming.
A report published by UK-based newspaper The Guardian, suggests that it’s not just relative newcomers to the TV streaming services market (i.e. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video) that are changing the landscape of how consumers watch and engage with content.
It’s reported that YouTube TV viewing is growing 45% year on year in Europe, and this viewing is far from limited to smartphone watching, with watching via smart TVs enjoying significant growth, according to the newspaper.
YouTube’s chief product officer, Neal Mohan, has announced that Europeans are collectively watching 180m hours of YouTube content per day – a figure he says “is growing 45% year on year” according to their stats.
The YouTube app is now staple of most smart TVs and phones, and the website launched its own music streaming service, Youtube Music, back in May with hopes of growing its reach even further by taking on the likes of Spotify.
Mohan added that he doesn’t see TV broadcasters as a rival to YouTube’s offering, but an extra platform they can take advantage of: “We’ve been working with broadcasters throughout Europe, but particularly in the UK, for years and years, and the really sophisticated ones understand that it’s a way to reach an audience above and beyond just television.”
At CEDIA 2018, keynote John Penney of 20th Century Fox highlighted how “digital disruptors” such as Amazon, Facebook and Netflix are able to enjoy success delivering social media or professionally-created online content by harnessing AI, machine learning and data to tailor content and keep viewers watching, whilst reaping the advertising benefits. “Data is the new energy source of content monetisation,” he concluded ahead of the San Diego show opening up its doors.