Watching TV no longer describes a single activity or format. It now includes shows, movies, creator videos, short clips, and podcasts consumed across platforms. Audiences move across these formats without changing their mindset. They care less about distribution channels and more about relevance, convenience, and connection. For media companies, this is a strategic shift. Success depends on designing premium offerings that meet audience expectations for relevance, convenience, and connection across formats, not just within them. 

HUB Entertainment Research’s new report finds that viewers no longer treat social video as separate from television. They integrate it directly into their TV experience, with social and creator video increasingly becoming part of the living room screen. Among viewers ages 13 to 24, 54% say watching short clips on TV feels just as fun as watching longer shows or movies. Among those aged 25 to 34, that number rises to 63%. Even 39% of viewers aged 35 and older agree. In practice, the distinction between television and social video holds less meaning for many audiences. 

HUB’s findings align with DCN’s research, Decoding Video Content Engagement: Gen Z & Gen Y in Focus. Short form and social video are no longer peripheral channels. They function as core components of the media ecosystem and drive engagement, discovery, and loyalty. A video strategy that overlooks these platforms ignores how audiences actually consume content. 

Viewers treat YouTube as television 

YouTube plays a major role in how audiences watch video on television screens. Viewers increasingly treat YouTube as television rather than a separate category. When content appears on the TV screen, it feels intentional and immersive. It gains focus and legitimacy. It no longer feels disposable, even when the content runs only a few minutes. 

According to HUB, self-reported time spent watching social and creator videos remain steady since 2022. During the same period, time spent watching TV shows and movies declines by roughly two hours per week. This pattern shows how attention fragments across formats and moments. Social video fills time that once defaulted to linear viewing because it fits more easily into daily routines. 

Younger viewers feel conflicted but committed 

More than half of younger viewers say they spend too much time watching social video. At the same time, they describe it as easy, fun, and culturally relevant. That contradiction defines how many young audiences relate to media today. They recognize habit driven behavior but continue to value what social video delivers. Personality, authenticity, and immediacy keep social content appealing. These traits matter more than polish or production scale. 

Viewers who are 35 and older spend fewer hours watching social videos than younger groups. However, their usage grows faster than any other age segment. Social video no longer belongs only to youth culture. It increasingly attracts mainstream audiences, especially when viewed on television screens. For media companies, this broadens the opportunity to reach older viewers through creator driven formats. 

Creators shape discovery across platforms 

HUB finds that official trailers on social platforms influence nearly half of viewers when choosing new shows or movies. Short clips, recaps, and behind the scenes videos also play an important role in discovery. 

Discovery no longer starts with network promos or streaming homepages. It begins in feeds where audiences already spend time. Creators and algorithms play a central role in shaping audience attention. Viewers increasingly rely on feeds rather than schedules or homepages. They rarely start with the question of where to watch. Algorithms surface clips based on past behavior, social signals, and cultural momentum. What appears next often determines what they watch at all. 

Creators act as filters in this environment. Their reactions, edits, and commentary help audiences decide what content deserves time. A clip from a trusted creator often carries more weight than a traditional promotion.  

Social and creator video no longer sit outside the TV ecosystem. They influence how audiences spend time, discover content, and define value. Ignoring them means misunderstanding modern viewing behavior.  

Media companies are responding by partnering with creators, licensing social formats, and experimenting with distribution. These strategies reflect audience reality, not trend chasing. Winning attention means meeting audiences on the screens and platforms where they spend their time.