People are as likely to share about entertainment content as about themselves or friends – via Slideshare
People are as likely to share about entertainment content as about themselves or friends – via Slideshare

Increasingly, people from all around the world are communicating with one another through social media, sharing their entertainment experiences, and affecting the viewing habits of others. Entertainment content formats and shifts across the social globe.

Not many years ago, people may have watched a program based upon advertising or the recommendation of a friend. Today, however, the entertainment options of someone in China are just as likely to be influenced by a social media friend as a personal friend or family member. As such, it’s obvious that cultural boundaries are becoming increasingly non-existent.

The 7th annual Edelman Global Entertainment Study in fact revealed that 67 percent of respondents believe that viewing content and sharing their experiences on social media has strengthened their link with other countries.

The results of the study clearly showed that the rapidly changing market continues to be driven by the passions of individuals and their innate desire to share their passions and positive experiences. As evidenced by Star Trek fans or a simple Google Trends search, people can be fanatical about their favorite sport or entertainment programming. The ubiquitous use of social networks on a global scale has made sharing one’s entertainment passions much more pervasive.

Entertainment content most shared form of content

The study also revealed that entertainment content is shared by people more than any other form of content. Furthermore, people are now as likely to share information about entertainment content as much as they share information regarding their own personal lives. In fact, 76 percent of those polled in the ten countries covered by the study said they share entertainment they like. This shows the powerful emotional connection people feel towards entertainment, as they share it as much as stories about their own personal lives. However, not just any entertainment content is shared. According to the people polled, they are five times more likely to share positive feelings about entertainment than negative feelings. It’s clear the social dimension of content gets increasingly important, in other forms of content and content marketing as well.

Here are some interesting statistics from the Edelman study that shed further light on the power of social media and the pervasiveness of sharing information and entertainment today:

  • 96 percent of those polled have used another device while viewing entertainment. Of those, 51 percent do so on a regular basis.
  • 73 percent try to interact with entertainment in new ways.
  • 70 percent look for additional entertainment-related content online.
  • 65 percent interact with others real-time when watching entertainment.
  • 63 percent interact with actors from their favorite programs via social media.
  • 22 percent choose to watch entertainment programs based on recommendations from social media friends rather than personal friends.

According to the study, entertainment content consumption is truly becoming global. Surprisingly, 40 percent of U.S., U.K., and German respondents and 60 percent of respondents from emerging markets claimed to consume entertainment content in languages other than their native language. These figures would have been unheard of ten years ago. Just look at the global popularity of “Gangnam Style” as evidence of this.

The study further discovered that entertainment consumers around the globe are increasingly open to viewing online entertainment content from different countries even more so than they were a year ago, 63 percent claiming that they have watched or are open to watching foreign content. Not surprisingly, an even greater number claimed they share the same content on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Over three quarters of international social media users said they regularly share their opinions and reactions to various entertainment programs. Anyone watching ESPN can witness this growing trend. Shows on the network regularly show Twitter responses to sports programming.

2013 Edelman global entertainment survey- entertainment goes global
2013 Edelman global entertainment survey- entertainment goes global