Nearly half of global streaming users find the experience overwhelming, citing content overload and poor discovery tools.
- On average, streamers spend 14 minutes just looking for something to watch.
- Research says 49% of users willing to cancel service if searching for content is too difficult.
Gracenote, a Nielsen company, has highlighted growing frustration among global streaming audiences. Its 2025 State of Play report reveals viewers are struggling with poor content discovery and navigation.
Based on a survey of 3,000 consumers across the UK, US, Germany, France, Brazil, and Mexico, the report reveals that 45% of users feel overwhelmed by the streaming experience, with 33% citing content and service fragmentation as a major issue – rising to 40% among 25–34-year-olds.
According to the report, the average global viewer spends 14 minutes searching for something to watch, with French users spending the most at 26 minutes. In the US, this figure has increased from 10.5 minutes in 2023 to 12 minutes.
This prolonged search time negatively impacts user satisfaction and engagement. The research has found that if viewers can’t find content quickly, 19% abandon their viewing session (this figure jumps to 29% among 18–24-year-olds). Additionally, 49% are willing to cancel a service due to difficulty in finding desirable content.
Two-thirds of respondents want a unified guide that aggregates content across platforms and clearly shows where to find specific shows or movies. Many users currently turn to the internet for help before using in-app search features.
Gracenote emphasizes that platforms must improve search, discovery, and recommendation systems to reduce fragmentation and retain users. As Tyler Bell, SVP of Product at Gracenote, notes, services that streamline content navigation can become users’ preferred viewing destinations.
The situation in the UK
Some of the UK’s biggest TV platforms do now provide a one-stop shop allowing you to search for content across channels and streaming services. Sky was the first to seriously develop a fully integrated search on Sky Q, which then was developed further on newer Sky Glass and Sky Stream devices.
Ultimately, many of these services are built around a traditional TV, either in-built or via an additional receiver. This excludes the growing number of users who choose to stream on other screens.
By: Marc Thornham