Streaming Hasn’t Squashed Moviegoing, PostTrak’s Motion Picture Industry Survey Says

Anthony D'Alessandro

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Comscore/Screen Engine’s audience movie-polling service PostTrak is celebrating its 1,000th pic polled this upcoming weekend with a summary of moviegoing stats compiled since its inception seven years ago. And there’s a plethora of illuminating findings, especially: Streaming isn’t crushing moviegoing, with just under 35% of all cinema attendees considering themselves frequent streamers.

In addition, over the last seven years, young 18-24 millennials, a demo that many major studios fear has been swallowed up by streaming, continue to be a major force at the movies, being the biggest demo year on year over the last seven, repping 25% of all ticket buyers.

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“Many observers have floated the idea that the 18-24 crowd isn’t flocking to the movies and running to streaming. That theory is challenged here by PostTrak’s data, which shows over the last seven years that the age group continues to be the dominant demographic of moviegoers,” says Comscore’s Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

“People who stream movies also really love to go to the movies,” says Dergarabedian, pointing to the survey’s stat showing that only 34.3% of PostTrak’s moviegoers poll take in streaming at home. In addition, 25.7% listen to music online. “Streaming and moviegoing aren’t adversarial, they are in fact additive and complimentary.”

That’s also a business truism long held by AMC Boss Adam Aron. Back at CinemaCon 2018, Aron told Deadline that consumers weren’t making Sophie’s Choices when it came to moviegoing or staying home to watch Netflix. “Netflix was in business in February (when Black Panther opened), and they’ll do good business this weekend when Avengers: Infinity War opens. The American consumer and the global consumer can handle all this content. We can survive healthy side-by-side with all these other means of getting content,” said Aron at the time.

A recent NRG Deadline study released back at April’s CinemaCon showed that many believe streaming to be a value next to the average movie ticket price, but 61% still prefer to see their movies in a theater.

In addition during a two-month period over the last seven years, on average, a majority of moviegoers will see 2-4 movies with close to 25% of all moviegoers seeing three titles at the theater in 60 days, just under 23% seeing two titles and just over 19% seeing four movies.

The PostTrak survey found that many who go to the movies go in packs whether with one friend (19.2%) or two-to-four friends (19.3%). And going to a movie on a date isn’t passé, but very much the norm at 18.3%. “Some things never change,” exclaims Dergarabedian on that latter stat.

Other takeaways: The most prevalent genre polled by PostTrak was drama, numbering 252 titles. PostTrak audiences liked adventure pics the most (82 index). Those movies released in November generally received a better reaction from moviegoers (79 index, 58% definite recommend) than those released in January, which received the lowest reception by moviegoers.

In total, PostTrak has surveyed 1.25 million consumers over the last seven years, who shelled out $73 billion at the domestic box office.

Those wondering how pics play in blue and red states: It turns out that Democrats and moviegoers who consider themselves to be politically liberal, respectively at 12.4% and 10.1%, frequent the movies more than Republicans (5.5%) and politically conservative people (5%). That said, Christian moviegoers repped 13% of all PostTrak crowds, with 9.4% saying they also attend church weekly.

Over the last seven years, with regard to the diversity of moviegoers, Caucasians repped 54%, Hispanics 19% , African Americans 16%, Asians 7% and other 5%. Hispanic moviegoers watch more PG-rated pics (21%) than PG-13 (18%) or R (18%). African American attendees saw slightly more R (17%) than PG-13 (16%) or PG (14%). For Asian moviegoers, they frequented PG and PG-13 pics (7%) a bit more than R (6%).

“With the call for diversity in front of and behind the camera, we’re apt to see an expansion on movies in the next seven years that appeal to diverse audiences which will expand these demos,” said Dergarabedian.

“Some of the interesting insights we are able to glean from this study is that the theatrical experience continues to be a communal experience. There are so many ways to consume content, but none like the movie theatre,” beams Comscore SVP, Business Relations Steve Buck.

Here is the complete PostTrak Motion Picture Study marking its 1,000th title polled:

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