Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data, and analytics, releases their latest Diverse Intelligence Series report to kick-off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The report titled, Reaching Asian American Audiences: Understanding Asian Influence and Media Consumption, highlights that Asian Americans are spending nearly equal time watching content on their TVs and smartphones.
While streaming is undoubtedly the leading platform to connect with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) audiences, the use of devices widely varies. The report shows that AANHPI audiences are spending nearly the same amount of time tuning into content on the TV screen and smartphone screen — approximately 17 hours per week on each screen. Viewership of TV-connected devices outpaces traditional live TV by more than an hour and a half a week.
Additionally, Asian Americans are continuing to grow as a key audience for advertisers investing in ad-supported streaming platforms. In 2023, Asian Americans spent 31% of their viewing time on ad-supported video on-demand (AVOD) streaming platforms, compared to the 27% of the total population. Combined with the fact that Asian American viewers spend nearly 10% more time streaming content in general when compared to the total population, indicating that brands should take a cross-media approach to engaging this group.
“As the media landscape continues to evolve, so will Asian media viewership—especially when you consider the diversity of the AANHPI diaspora community,” says Patricia Ratulangi, Vice President of Global Communications for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Nielsen. “In a time of splintering media attention, divided voices and an ever-growing number of platforms to choose from, reaching the Asian American community requires a deeper understanding of our diverse experiences and perspectives.”
The rise of Asian representation on screen, reaching 10.9% in 2023, may be a contributing factor to this viewing trend. And while this certainly influences the growing number of Asian American people watching ad-supported streaming, Asian-inclusive content is also impacting the total minutes streamed by all U.S. audiences – with series like Beef racking up over 5.8 billion minutes watched in 2023.
“Representation continues to be a key component in building audience trust,” says Jeremy Tran, Executive Director and COO of Gold House. “We’re proud to partner with Nielsen to help advance the measurement and understanding of critical narratives that impact Asian American audience trust in TV, Film, and News media. Through our continued collaboration, we aim to empower diverse voices and stories that resonate authentically with our communities.”
Diving deeper, the report highlights the increasing importance of non-subscription news media as a valuable connection point for reaching AANHPI audiences, who make up the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the United States. As we head into a new election year, the power of news media will greatly influence Asian American viewers, with 78% of the audience consuming news at least once a day and showing a 34% higher likelihood to trust in the accuracy of news programs.
While Asian Americans may show greater trust in news media compared to the total population, various news narratives are influencing different age groups within the segment. The Gold House perceptions survey conducted with Nielsen, highlights that 72% of Asian Americans aged 65+ are more inclined to engage with stories that report on geopolitical tensions and anti-Asian hate, whereas narratives surrounding affirmative action and immigration resonate more with Asian American millennial and Gen Z audiences. These insights emphasize the importance of tailoring news content to address the diverse concerns of Asian American audiences, particularly with young voters (avg. age of 35.7) in the 2024 Elections.
Other key highlights in the 2024 report include:
- Streaming continues to gain share with 45.4% of Asian Americans’ TV usage at the start of this year (versus 43% in January 2023)
- Asian Americans are 27% more likely to buy games/toys (including video games), 10% more likely to buy books, and 6% more likely to buy music/videos in the past 3-12 months than the total population
- Asian American consumers are 69% more likely to buy a new smartphone than the total population.
- On smartphones, Asians outpace other viewers for using streaming platform apps—especially ad-supported ones. In an average month, YouTube’s mobile app reaches 85% of Asian American adults.
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