Millennials account for almost half of ‘cordless’ population

According to  the Survey of the American Consumer, which surveys around 25,000 people annually, millennials (aged 18 to 34 ) account for 43% of the ‘cordless’ population – i.e. those who have either never had cable, satellite or fibre optic TV service or who have cut the cord. Almost one third ( 30%) of US millennials are cordless, compared with only 16% of baby boomers. 

These cordless millennials spend 65% of their viewing time streaming via a TV set or other device – this is almost twice the proportion of cordless baby boomers ( 36%), who spend the majority of their viewing time ( 56%) watching live TV. 

“One in three millennials is living without a cord – so understanding this population is a major priority for advertisers and marketers,” said Karen Ramspacher, senior vice president of consumer insights & trends at GfK MRI.

“These viewers are huge fans of quality programming and content – but they are not fond of being told where, when and how they should watch it. They view streaming services as well worth the money and producers of the best shows ‘on TV’.

"Appealing to this unusual combination of untethered living and discernment about content represents a sweet spot for marketers representing millions of brands worldwide.”