Asian Viewers Look to Streamers for Targeted Content: Horowitz Research

Horowitz's Focus Asian Volume 2: Viewing Behaviors
Horowitz's Focus Asian Volume 2: Viewing Behaviors (Image credit: Horowitz Research)

As Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month comes to a close, a new Horowitz Research study shows that streaming services are in position to take advantage of the growing appeal of content targeted to Asian TV viewers.  

Nearly six out of every 10 hours of viewing time among Asian Tv content viewers are spent watching streaming services, according to Horowitz’s Focus Asian Volume 2: Viewing Behaviors study. Overall, 69% of Asian viewers subscribe to at least one SVOD, with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus among the most popular services Asian viewers are also subscribing to Asian-targeted SVOD services such as Zee5, Voot, Rakuten Viki and OnDemandKorea.

Also, seven in 10 Asian TV content viewers are watching free streaming services, and 45% of viewers are viewing free, ad-supported streaming TV services (FAST) such as Tubi, Pluto TV and Samsung TV Plus, according to the survey. 

The report, conducted in April among 500 Asian TV content viewers, also stated that Asian-language content is very important to the Asian TV content viewers, with six in 10 watching Asian-language content at least occasionally, In addition, two in three Asian-language dominant/bilingual consumers reported that Asian-language content is important to them. 

“Clearly, there’s been an explosion of interest in Asian content – driven not only by Asian audiences but audiences in general,” Horowitz Research Insights & Strategy Lead and executive VP Adriana Waterston said. “As media companies continue to lean into the Asian content opportunity, we anticipate that this will lead to even more varied and diverse stories that represent the entirety of Asian experiences, cultures and communities globally and in the U.S.” 

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.