New Rochelle, NY, May 30, 2023—Six in 10 (61%) Asian TV content viewers watch Asian-language content at least occasionally, and 2 in 3 (65%) Asian-language dominant/bilingual consumers say that Asian-language content is important to them, according to the new FOCUS Asian Volume 1: Subscriptions report by Horowitz Research.
Similarly, 6 in 10 Asian viewers watch international content. As Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month comes to a close, these data underscore an opportunity for media companies to continue to invest in Asian-themed content that is resonant to and inclusive of all Asian cultures.
Viewing Behavior
Asian Americans have always been on the leading edge of streaming adoption. Tracking data from Horowitz’s FOCUS Asian Volume 2: Viewing Behaviors study reveals that 61% of Asian TV content viewers were streamers in 2013, compared to 45% of total market and 30% of White, non-Hispanic consumers. Today, 8 in 10 (81%) Asian viewers are streamers, and streaming makes up almost 6 out of every 10 hours of viewing time among Asians.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions to SVOD services have remained steady among Asian TV content viewers. Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) Asian viewers subscribe to at least one SVOD, in line with consumers overall, while an additional 14% have access via password sharing or bundling of services.
When it comes to deciding whether to subscribe to streaming services, access to original and international content is key among Asian viewers. While Asian audiences subscribe to the top SVODs, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, Asian-targeted and Asian-language SVODs like Rakuten VIKI, OnDemandKorea, and ZEE5 are also important.
Free Streaming Services
Usage of free streaming services has tripled among Asian audiences within the past five years. In 2019, only 1 in 4 (23%) Asian TV content viewers said that they use free streaming services; this year, nearly 7 in 10 (68%) report using them. Free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services – like YouTube, Tubi, Pluto TV, and Samsung TV Plus – are key drivers of free streaming usage. In fact, nearly half (45%) of Asian viewers report using FAST. This underscores an opportunity to serve the Asian audience with culturally relevant content on these free, ad-supported platforms.
“Clearly, there’s been an explosion in interest in Asian content – driven not only by Asian audiences but audiences in general,” notes Adriana Waterston, Insights & Strategy Lead and Executive Vice President for the Horowitz Research division of M/A/R/C Research. “As media companies continue to lean into the Asian content opportunity, we anticipate that this will lead to even more varied stories that represent the entirety of Asian experiences, cultures, and communities globally and in the U.S.”
The full FOCUS Asian Volume 1: Subscriptions 2023 report explores the pay and free TV environment among Asian consumers in the U.S., including MVPDs, vMVPDs, SVODs, AVOD, FAST, and OTA. The study looks at Asian-language and English viewing behaviors and the demand for Asian-language, international content, and content targeted to U.S. Asian viewers. The survey was conducted in January-February 2023 among 500 Asian TV content viewers 18+. Data have been weighted to ensure results are representative of the Asian TV universe. The report is available in total market, FOCUS Latinx, FOCUS Black, and FOCUS Asian editions.
The full FOCUS Asian Volume 2: Viewing Behaviors 2023 report explores the services Asian Americans are using and how they divide up their time between screens, their sources of show discovery, the kind of content they’re consuming on different platforms, including Asian languages versus English, specific genre categories, which services they feel do the best job at delivering the content they seek, and how they feel the streaming experience could be improved. The survey was conducted in April 2023 among 500 Asian TV content viewers 18+. Data have been weighted to ensure results are representative of the Asian TV universe. The report is available in total market, FOCUS Latinx, FOCUS Black, and FOCUS Asian editions.
CONTACT
For more information about the FOCUS Asian Volume 1: Subscriptions 2023 and FOCUS Asian Volume 2: Viewing Behaviors 2023 reports, visit: https://www.horowitzresearch.com/syndicated-research/focus-asian/.
To schedule an interview with an analyst or to request specific data, please contact [email protected], 914-834-5999.
ABOUT HOROWITZ RESEARCH
Horowitz Research is a leading provider of consumer market research specializing in consumers and their relationships to media, content, and technology with a particular expertise in cultural insights among America’s Black, Latinx, Asian, LGBTQIA+, and Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. The company offers a full suite of à la carte syndicated reports as well as custom quantitative and qualitative consumer research for companies ranging from small start-ups to Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.horowitzresearch.com.
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