To remain relevant, the entertainment industry must abandon clichés about the “rich and famous,” offer audiences refuge in reliable fantasy worlds, and finally learn to portray friendships and online interactions as they truly appear in real life.
These are key findings from the annual “Teens and Screens” report by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The study challenges common industry perceptions about what truly engages teenagers (young people aged 10-24).
NEWSROOM IN has examined the report and presents its key findings and content consumption trends among youth:
Escaping Reality Through Fantasy and Hope
A significant shift in preferences is the sharp 56% year-over-year surge in the popularity of the fantasy genre. Young people are seeking content that distracts them from real-world problems, finding fantasy worlds to be their most tranquil haven.
For the third consecutive year, the most desired narrative remains “hopeful, inspiring content where people overcome challenges,” while stories about the rich and famous are the least wanted.
The trend is clear: In an unstable world, young people seek not realism, but refuge and stories that offer hope.
Friendship, Not Sex, Takes Center Stage
For the second year running, teenagers are requesting fewer romantic and sexual storylines, preferring more realistic relationships instead.
- The desire to see more platonic friendships and casual relationships has surged, rising from 51.5% last year to 63.5% this year.
- A significant 62.4% of participants believe that sex and sexual content are unnecessary for plot development in most films and TV series (up from 47.5% in 2023).
- 46% of respondents (a notable increase from 39% in 2023) are interested in seeing more characters who do not experience sexual and/or romantic attraction (asexual and aromantic individuals).
Cinema Is Not Dead
Despite the dominance of streaming services, reports of “the death of cinema” have been greatly exaggerated. When asked how they would spend their free time if money and time were not constraints, going to the cinema ranked first. This preference even surpassed popular activities like attending music concerts and sports events.
Social Media: The Most Authentic Medium
Nearly a third of teenagers (31.1%) identified social media, rather than traditional media, as the space with the most authentic content. This year, YouTube (38.8%) was named the most authentic platform, surpassing last year’s leader, TikTok.
Participants describe authentic content as “reflecting reality, honest, raw, and realistic.”
Social Media in Film
Most teenagers (45.1%) find social media scenes in films and TV series awkward (“cringe”). However, 59.9% acknowledge that fictional portrayals of social media influence how people use these platforms in real life.
Teenagers were 7.5 times more likely to agree than disagree that content creators need to consult with them to accurately and realistically portray social media use.
Gaming Industry: A Key Element for Generation Gamers
For the first time, the report dedicates attention to the gaming industry. Only 12% of surveyed teenagers reported not playing video games at all. This confirms that gaming is an integral and crucial component of media consumption for the vast majority of today’s youth.
