Even though international streaming platforms are very popular with young adults, they still consume content of Quebec origin. This is what the study concludes It’s important to support Quebec content, but I don’t watch any.
The results of this survey carried out by researchers from the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), in partnership with the Association québécoise de la production media (AQPM) and the Academy of Digital Transformation (ATN), were presented at the most recent Acfas congress, in May. The survey was conducted in April 2023 among 1,000 respondents aged 18 to 24.
“Young adults still watched Quebec content, in a fairly large majority, whether online or on television,” notes Christine Thoër, professor in the Department of Social and Public Communication at UQAM. Thus, 63% of them had seen Quebec content in the month preceding the study.
However, the experts spoke with Quebec media producers, who were surprised by these conclusions. “They told us that they did not have this feeling, that young people consume Quebec content. They no longer have the impression that they are abandoning them,” adds M.me Thoër.
In order to verify this hypothesis, the researchers then set up groups of young people last spring in order to better understand the results of their first survey. “We asked them what they thought of Quebec content. They said “yes, it’s important, we have to support them, but I don’t look at it,” she reports.
Different habits
Respondents are consuming more shows and films, all countries combined, due to the success of digital platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video or YouTube. However, when it comes to local platforms, much fewer young people watch content there.
Advertisements too frequent, program too limited and not quickly renewed, poorly adapted functionalities… “In general, everyone is still quite critical of local platforms,” believes Mme Thoër.
A TV still too boomer
Respondents still generally associate Quebec content with their parents’ generation. Thus, they believe that local films and television series target young adults less, particularly with a lack of representation of ethnocultural, sexual and socio-economic diversity. “They will say that, frequently, Quebec television is dramatic. They find that the shows their parents watch are a bit repetitive. »
Respondents also believe that the language used on screen does not reflect the language with which they express themselves in their daily lives. “For example, they responded that the way the characters speak is often awkward, that they try to imitate familiar language, but in very well-formulated sentences. Nobody talks like that,” illustrates Mme Thoër.
And as young adults are more inclined to use social networks, they believe that television producers should turn more to these tools to promote their content. The high number of paid platforms for a more limited offering also discourages many from viewing Quebec content.
To solve this problem, Mme Thoër cites the example of France, which has established a Culture Pass allowing young people to access local content at a lower cost. For its part, the new Quebec generation also wants producers and artisans to work on the tone, themes and representation of diversity. “They said “there are plenty of creators from here. We see them on the platforms we follow. But we must finance this succession and we must find it in what we are offered on these tools”. »
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.