Streaming shows often rely solely on total minutes watched, but this tells only part of the story. Incorporating household ratings reveals a different picture, showing that diverse shows are popular across demographics.

Discovering the Hidden Truths of Streaming TV Success

Streaming Show Rankings: A Flawed Metric

Researchers argue that ranking streaming shows only by total minutes watched is incomplete. Older shows with more episodes have an advantage, while current, more diverse shows face a disadvantage. This feeds into the industry's legacy of inequity. 1: The focus on total minutes watched gives older shows an edge on streaming platforms. Current shows, which are more diverse, start at a disadvantage. This imbalance needs to be addressed to understand what viewers truly want. 2: By examining minute totals alongside household ratings, researchers can get a more accurate picture of streaming success. Household ratings use data from households that watched a program, providing a more comprehensive view.

The Legal Drama "Suits": A Streaming Dominator

In 2023, the legal drama "Suits" dominated the TV streaming charts. With fewer new shows produced and many facing cancellation, researchers at UCLA sought to find the future of small-screen success. 1: The television industry has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. Shows now compete not only with new offerings but also against a vast catalog of past programs. "Suits" stands out as a long-running success in a contracting industry. 2: Ana-Christina Ramón, co-founder of the Hollywood Diversity Report and director of UCLA's Entertainment and Media Research Initiative, explains the need to change the way we examine television. With streaming viewership dominating, a new approach is necessary.

A Better Metric for TV Success: Household Ratings

Rather than relying solely on total minutes watched, researchers examined household ratings as a more conventional measure of popularity. 1: Household ratings use data from households that watched a streaming program, providing a more accurate reflection of a show's popularity. In a year when half of the top streaming shows were current titles, the top 10 changed drastically when ranked by household ratings. 2: Library titles and long-running current shows dominated the top 10 when ranked by total minutes viewed, but when considering household ratings, current titles took the lead. Shows like "Cocomelon" and "Bluey" led the list, along with newer, more diverse series.

Greater Engagement through Diverse Stories, Creators, and Actors

For the first time, the report looked at genres and story themes through genre sub-categories, revealing the popularity of new, diverse shows. 1: Shows featuring stories about traditionally underrepresented people and communities, along with diverse actors and creators, had higher median ratings, especially among female audiences. This shows the power of diverse content. 2: Underrepresented stories were common in shows created by white women and people of color. Even when a small percentage of shows featured these stories, they had a significant impact on ratings.

Viewer Demographics and Lead Actors

There is a clear relationship between viewer demographics, ratings, and the race and ethnicity of lead actors. 1: Median ratings were higher for shows with lead actors of color, especially for current shows. This trend continues across different demographics, with six of the top shows for Asian, Black, and Latino audiences featuring a lead of color. 2: Even among male viewers aged 18-49, shows led by a person of color had a higher median rating. However, people of color still remain underrepresented as leads in the entertainment industry.

Women Viewers: No Longer Niche

Women and people of color are key audiences in the television industry. 1: Households of color were overrepresented as viewers for 6 of the top 10 shows based on ratings. Women, in particular, exceeded their population share as viewers for almost all the top 10 shows. 2: Men in the 18-49 demographic were less engaged as viewers. Hollywood benefits greatly when women are able to use their economic power.

A Closer Look at Television Deals

The researchers reviewed streaming television industry deals in 2024 and found that nearly two-thirds went to white individuals. 1: Black industry creatives were overrepresented in deals, while Latinos were underrepresented. All other groups also had lower representation, highlighting the need for diversity in deal-making. 2: The team called for the industry to adapt to changing viewer preferences and market dynamics by investing in new content and attracting new subscribers.

Additional Findings

Only a small percentage of lead actors for top streaming shows had a known disability. Serialized dramas performed well in terms of median household ratings. And there was a lack of diversity among show creators and leads. 1: The data shows that there is still a long way to go in terms of diversity in the entertainment industry. Even among the most-watched shows, people of color are underrepresented. 2: These additional findings highlight the need for the industry to make significant changes to ensure a more inclusive and diverse future.