Streaming abundance leaves viewers searching but not finding

A new survey from Nielsen's Gracenote suggests that the promise of endless on-demand entertainment has created a new problem: difficulty finding something to watch. The report, based on responses from 3,000 adult streaming users across six countries, indicates that viewers are not necessarily lacking for content but are struggling to navigate the abundance.

Over half of respondents said the sheer volume of content and services makes it harder to pick something. Nearly one in five reported that they often or always give up and do something else because they cannot find anything to watch. More than a quarter said they frequently fail to watch a specific program because they cannot locate it on a streaming platform.

The time spent searching is also increasing. Forty-seven percent of participants said they spend more time looking for content than they did a year ago, with the average search lasting 12 minutes. The challenge extends to live sports, where nearly 52 percent of users said they frequently do not know which service is carrying a particular event. The report notes that sports behind subscription paywalls are often hidden from traditional search tools.

In a sign of growing frustration, nearly 35 percent of respondents said they now spend more time on free ad-supported services like Tubi or The Roku Channel because subscription-based platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have become overwhelming. The survey also found that 72.3 percent of users want a single consolidated guide for all their streaming services, and 31 percent said they have not found a good source of recommendations tailored to their tastes.