NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.—As streamers and content distributors work to attract new subs in an increasingly competitive media landscape, a new study from Horowitz Research highlights the importance of in-language and international content in attracting rapidly growing Asian American audiences.
The new study, FOCUS Asian Volume I: Subscriptions 2024, reports that Asian Americans say that in-language and international content is an important consideration when making subscription decisions.
It also found that more than half (54%) of Asian audiences watch at least some Asian-language content at least occasionally, and over 4 in 10 say content from their country of origin or heritage (45%) and/or international content (44%) is valuable for them.
For nearly 2 in 3 (64%) Asian-language dominant and bilingual Asian TV content viewers, content in an Asian language or geared toward Asian audiences is critical to have when considering which services to subscribe to for entertainment content.
These new data from Horowitz underscore the opportunity for streaming platforms to expand their offerings of original Asian-themed content. Like other consumer groups, Asian households continue to cut the cord to traditional cable/satellite services (MVPDs) while streaming adoption and usage continues to grow.
In line with the total market, 2 in 3 (67%) Asian households subscribe to at least one SVOD, with an additional 10% who have access without a fully paid subscription (e.g., password sharing or bundling). While Netflix and Amazon Prime Video top the list of most-used subscription streaming services among Asian viewers, Asian-targeted SVOD services like Rakuten VIKI, OnDemandKorea, and ZEE5 that offer in-language content also play a role in viewership for Asian audiences, especially among less acculturated viewers.
Notably, usage of free, ad-supported TV (FAST) services has seen a 50% increase among Asian audiences, from just 23% reported in the 2019 study to 73% today (higher than 67% of the total market).
Among Asian-language dominant viewers specifically, over 8 in 10 (85%) use FAST channels. The top free streaming services among Asian viewers are YouTube and Tubi; Asian audiences are also more likely to use Samsung TV Plus and XUMO than consumers overall, the study found.
“Asian audiences have long been avid streamers and, in fact, were early adopters, finding ways to stream in-language and international content many years before streaming became commonplace since it was harder to access this content through traditional means,” notes Adriana Waterston, executive vice president and Insights & Strategy Lead for Horowitz Research, a division of M/A/R/C Research. “FAST is, therefore, a natural fit for Asian viewers, expanding opportunities for advertisers looking to reach these desirable audiences through these ad-supported streaming platforms.”
The importance and value of content for diverse audiences will be a key focus of the upcoming Cultural Insights Forum, Horowitz’s renowned conference which is coming back in fall 2024 after a 6-year hiatus. The Forum, focused on how brands and media companies can drive ROI by reaching and serving America’s diverse, multicultural, and intersectional audiences, will be hosted on November 14, 2024, at Telemundo Center in Miami. Register here: https://culturalinsightsforum.com
