The news: Consumers are drifting away from physical media but also lack loyalty to any one streaming service.

• 70% of Gen Z digital service consumers in the US, the UK, and Australia don’t buy hard copies of TV shows and movies because they have access to streaming services, and 71% don’t purchase physical music, per IGN’s 2026 Generations In Play report.
• 59% actively subscribe to and unsubscribe from streamers to follow specific titles.

This declining interest in physical media paired with transient attitudes toward digital platforms demonstrates a media industry in flux—subscriber volatility may remain high as consumers subscribe to streamers for specific shows, not services, putting pressure on platforms to maintain a constant pipeline of must-watch content.

Zooming out: Despite Gen Z’s platform-bouncing ways, subscription fees could outweigh diverse content libraries if streaming prices continue to rise.

Cost is the most important differentiator to customers, more so than any other factor, including a broad selection of content, frequency of adding new content, and exclusivity of that content, per Simon-Kucher.

• Half of adult Gen Z and younger millennial streaming customers say they spend too much on subscriptions.
• 36% of all global streaming customers would cancel an existing subscription if they added a new one.

What this means for the streaming industry: Bundling and exclusive releases could help smooth churn, but differentiation will hinge less on libraries and more on consistent cultural relevance.

Platforms should consider adding multiple options for ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) subscriptions and explore partnerships with other platforms—such as retailers or delivery services—to pack in bundles and discount options, reduce churn cycles, and encourage loyalty.

Recommendations for marketers: Audiences are title-driven rather than platform-driven, meaning marketers should focus on content adjacency over channel strategy.

• Media planning tied to specific streamers is less effective if user churn is high. Campaigns should try to follow high-demand content—such as major season releases or live events like the FIFA World Cup—across platforms rather than rely on persistent subscriptions.
• This also raises stakes for ad frequency. To avoid ad fatigue, creative may need to differ slightly across the streaming landscape in case single users maintain subscriptions on several platforms.

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