Kids watch animation, user-generated videos.

The most common types of content that children are watching are Australian children’s animation according to a recent survey, closely followed by user-generated videos and international children’s animation.

A Media Consumption Survey, released by the Department of Communications, was completed by 4002 Australians between September – October 2022.

These are the key findings:

Children’s content:

Increasing online and streaming content consumption by children.

Children’s content has a heavy focus on online and streaming content types. Over half of parents indicated that their child had watched screen content on free video streaming services (53%) or online subscription services (53%). In 2022, ‘other websites or apps (e.g. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram)’ have significantly increased as platforms children used to watch screen content (19% in 2022), increasing from 13% in 2021.

Children are using non traditional platforms to consume content, such as free video streaming services and online subscription services, more so than commercial or publicly owned TV.

In the past 7 days, which of the following did your child watch at home or elsewhere on any device?

User generated content and animation are the most common types of content consumed by children.

The most common types of content that parents report their child watches are Australian children’s animation (34%), user
generated videos (33%) and international children’s animation (33%).

There is relatively high consumption of user generated video content by children.

Which types of content does your child watch most?

Australian content is desired for children.

A majority of parents (56%) said that the most important type of content to be available to children is Australian children’s educational programs, as well as Australian children’s animation (44%). Parents place high importance on the availability of Australian children’s programming.

Which types of content are most important to be made available to children?

Children have high advertising exposure.

Almost half of parents (47%) said their child saw advertisements on free video streaming services in the 7 days prior to
completing the survey. The most cited reasons for parents disagreeing that advertisements their child saw were appropriate were: pressure to buy goods or services (56%); and frequency and / or repetition (53%).

Advertising is being seen by children across many platforms, especially free video streaming services.

Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland said, “The trends found in the Television Consumer Survey and Media Content Consumption Survey results are important and relevant to media policy and the progression of the Australian Government’s program of media reform.

“Evidence to inform the Government’s understanding of the media landscape is essential as we develop and implement an ambitious long-term agenda for media reform.

“Results of the Television Consumer Survey show the continued importance of making free-to-air services available and accessible to Australians. These results will assist the Government in considering how to implement our commitment to legislate a prominence framework for connected TV devices.”