A new report from Gracenote states global streaming viewers are still struggling to find what they want to watch.
According to the company’s 2025 State of Play report, streaming viewers are spending an average of 14 minutes hunting for something to watch. In Germany and the UK, the figure drops slightly to 11 and 12 minutes respectively, but in France, viewers are spending a whopping 26 minutes searching for the right film or TV series.
When viewers can’t quickly and easily find something good to watch, negative outcomes can result for platforms, said Gracenote. The report finds that 19 per cent of people will abandon a viewing session if their content search is not successful. This jumps to 29 per cent for viewers in the 18-24 age group. Going further, 49 per cent are willing to cancel a service based on difficulty finding what to watch.
Unsurprisingly, the survey found that viewers want a single guide that includes information on films and TV shows available across all streaming services and platforms.
The report also found that viewers aren’t necessarily using the streaming services’ algorithms to help them find what they want to watch. Only 28 per cent of those surveyed said they choose to watch content based on a service’s recommendation.
“Effective search, discovery and recommendation capabilities that enable platforms to connect viewers to the content they’ll enjoy most are more critical than ever,” said Tyler Bell, SVP of product at Gracenote.
“Organisations that deliver these capabilities will simplify the fragmentation of content and channels which impact viewers’ entertainment experiences. In doing so, they can capitalise on opportunities to become the first and most valuable viewing sources for their users.”
The 2025 Gracenote State of Play report is based on findings from a recent survey of 3,000 consumers in Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico, the UK and the US.
