Survey: 32% of US adults prefer highlights over full episodes
October 13, 2026



As streaming services compete for attention with social feeds one clip at a time, research reveals that a third of Americans (32 per cent) say they would rather watch highlights from a show than every full episode, rising to 43 per cent among Gen Z.

The survey of 2,500 US adults raises a question about how they watch: are audience attention spans shrinking, or are they simply looking for different ways to watch? Four in ten Americans say they would use streaming services more often if they offered short clips from their shows, rising to more than half (53 per cent) of Gen Z.


That appetite is already reflected in reported viewing habits: 37 per cent of Americans say they use their streaming service more often now that it includes vertical video clips, rising to 47 per cent among Millennials.

But a taste for shorter viewing doesn’t necessarily mean less appetite for a good story. More than half (51 per cent) say clips help them discover shows worth paying to watch. For some, the highlights are the attraction, but for others, those few minutes are what persuade them to settle in for the whole series.

How people access that entertainment matters too. Alongside the appetite for shorter viewing, 61 per cent of Americans say they would be more likely to keep a subscription if they could get it for less through a bundle, giving streaming services and mobile providers two opportunities to explore: more ways to watch and more affordable ways to subscribe.

Short videos without the social feed?

For families, the appeal of bite-sized entertainment comes with another question: can children enjoy short videos while spending less time on social media?

More than four in ten Americans (44 per cent) see value in short videos from a brand they trust, while 37 per cent say curated clips would help keep their kids off social media. That figure rises to 47 per cent among Millennials.

The findings come as international restrictions on children’s social media access put alternatives to social platforms under scrutiny. Australia has banned under-16s from social media since December 2025, and the UK government has announced plans to follow suit in 2027.

The US findings suggest an audience for an alternative: curated clips from familiar streaming platforms, giving families another way to enjoy short videos. That appeal could also contribute to what people feel they get for their money. Four in ten Americans (40 per cent) say original or exclusive short videos could help justify the price of a streaming subscription.

A shorter watch, not necessarily a shorter attention span

An appetite for highlights does not mean audiences have stopped caring about full-length stories. In the same survey, 65 per cent of Americans say new episodes of shows they follow are important in their decision to keep paying for a streaming service.

The findings suggest there is room for both: something entertaining to watch in a spare moment and a series worth settling in for.

Bango, who sponsored the research, said: “It’s tempting to read these findings as evidence that nobody has the patience for a full episode any more. But people still value the shows they follow. The opportunity is to give them different ways to enjoy that entertainment, depending on the time and attention they want to give it as well as new ways to discover new shows without having to fully commit. For families, there’s another question: can children enjoy short videos without being drawn into a social media feed? Curated, age-appropriate clips from familiar shows could offer another option, particularly as restrictions on children’s social media access take effect. Streaming services have stories and characters people already love. Shorter formats could help audiences enjoy more of those catalogues, while getting a subscription through a phone, broadband or banking bundle could make it more affordable to keep. Together, streaming services with bundlers like telcos and banks can give people more ways to enjoy their favourite entertainment at a price that works for them.”

Connecting discovery with subscription value

For telcos, short-form entertainment could strengthen the appeal of the streaming services offered through their bundles, giving customers more ways to enjoy the subscriptions they already pay for.

Younger consumers are already using bundles to manage costs: 21 per cent of Gen Z say they have moved from paying for a service separately to getting it through a bundle to save money in the past year.

Consumers also see value in bundling streaming with other services: 23 per cent say a music subscription would make a streaming service more valuable to them, followed by food delivery benefits (20 per cent) and shopping memberships offering free shipping or discounts (19 per cent).

Bringing discovery, viewing and affordable access together offers streaming providers and telcos a way to respond to different viewing preferences while helping customers get more from the services they choose.