Gen Z viewers aren’t watching TV, but their video-watching habits are very TV-like

One way to peek at the future of TV is to look at what today’s teens and twentysomethings are — and are not — watching. And one place to survey that landscape is VidCon, the annual Comic-Con-like event for the digital video industry.

There are seemingly more options than ever for video audiences — as covered in the video below, featuring interviews with more than two dozen VidCon attendees — but Gen Z viewers’ attentions seem to have consolidated to three primary platforms: YouTube, TikTok and Twitch. By contrast, this audience isn’t really tuning into traditional TV and some aren’t even watching streaming services like Netflix.

What’s funny about these viewers not really watching traditional TV or even traditional streaming services is the way they watch platforms like YouTube, Twitch and even TikTok is often pretty similar to how previous generations watched traditional TV: something to play in the background while doing other tasks.

More in Future of TV

Future of TV Briefing: Inside Warner Bros. Discovery’s programmatic upfront pitch

This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how WBD’s programmatic advertising business has evolved with programmatic playing a bigger part in its upfront deals.

Future of TV Briefing: The upfront glossary, 2026 edition

This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at the terms on the tips of ad buyers’ and sellers’ tongues when talking about the upfront market.

graphic image of a television (TV) with bills of money flying out of it, representing CTV advertising being an effective form of advertising for brands, publishers and consumers.

Future of TV Briefing: Ad tech’s pod bidding push moves CTV toward advancing the live sports ad model in 2026

This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how ad tech companies including Comcast’s FreeWheel, Index Exchange and The Trade Desk are preparing CTV’s programmatic supply chain for upgraded auction dynamics amid an influx of live sports ad inventory.