Media consumption is growing, but digitization brings new challenges, says YouGov Survey
According to new research from YouGov, media consumption in Vietnam skyrocketed as people watched, listened and surfed online more by 2021. The first-ever ‘Vietnam Media Landscape’ report, based on interviews with 2,369 people across the country, also showed that this growth in consumption will continue to rise in 2022, with streaming and on-demand services shaking up the traditional media environment.
More than two-thirds of people have used digital platforms such as social networks (69%) or websites and apps (66%). Meanwhile, about half more streamed music (49%) and read more newspapers or magazines in print or online (47%). Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime (41%) have also become more popular in the past 12 months. However, traditional media channels such as live TV (36%) saw slower growth in 2021.
Vietnam Media Scenery 2022 @ YouGov
These trends are expected to continue into 2022, with digitization driving the growth of media consumption across platforms and channels. Catch-up TV and video-on-demand are among the biggest winners, up 10% from 2021.
However, there are significant differences between age groups when it comes to digital media consumption. Those born after 1997 — known as “Gen Z” — are fueling growth in music streaming, with about half planning to stream more songs by 2022. That’s about double the number for “Boomers,” or those born before 1965. Meanwhile, people born between 1981 and 1996 – otherwise known as ‘Millennials’ – are behind the growth in video streaming.
The rise of digital media is also boosting the readership of print and online newspapers and magazines. Except for ‘Boomers’, all age groups predict an increase in news media consumption in 2022. This ranges from a 39% increase for Gen Z to a 45% increase for Gen X and a 49% increase for Millennials.
However, in an increasingly crowded media market, with a growing number of sites vying for consumers, traditional publishers face new challenges to attract and retain audiences for the long term.
Commenting on the Vietnam Media Landscape report, Thue Quist Thomasen, CEO of YouGov Vietnam said:
“Vietnam’s media landscape has become stronger and more diverse over the past 12 months. Our data shows that consumers are watching, listening and browsing more than ever. And digitization is driving this growth across a range of channels and platforms. However, different demographics consume different media – from podcasts to music and from news to video-on-demand.
Thue Quist Thomasen, CEO at YouGov Vietnam
“But more choice means more competition. Thanks to digitization, traditional media channels are now being used against new platforms for audience attention and market share. So, publishers need to innovate to engage and engage people. That means understanding consumers’ preferences, attitudes and behaviors to reach them with relevant content.”
