Why We’re Fast-Forwarding Through Shows: Growing Demand for Instant Gratification in Entertainment

In today’s digital age, entertainment has evolved far beyond traditional TV. With the rise of online streaming services (OTT) like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, viewers are spoiled for choice but often short on time. This shift has revolutionized how we consume content, with many opting for speed-watching on OTT platforms or catching quick summaries on YouTube. It’s not just a trend; it’s becoming a cultural phenomenon.

Digital Switching

The term digital switching refers to the practice of fast-forwarding through videos or skipping between multiple short-form content pieces. This behavior, common on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, is often used to reduce boredom. However, experts argue that digital switching may worsen feelings of dissatisfaction. By rapidly skipping through content, viewers don’t have enough time to immerse themselves or fully understand the material fully. Thethoroughlylt? A viewing experience that may feel shallow or meaningless. Ironically, the attempt to avoid boredom might amplify it, as the lack of engagement deepens the sense of dissatisfaction.

Younger Viewers Have a Higher Demand for Skip Features

A defining characteristic of traditional TV programming is that shows air in real-time, with the running time and actual time progressing simultaneously. This means viewers have little control over the pacing of content. However, today’s audience craves a different way of watching. The skip feature—allowing viewers to skip ahead by 10 seconds with a simple double-click—is now a standard feature on all major OTT platforms. Viewers often skip scenes that don’t seem essential to the plot, and many will fast-forward by several minutes using the scroll feature. This trend is especially prominent among younger viewers (Gen Z and Millennials), who increasingly seek control over content consumption.

The Popularity of Summary Videos

On platforms like YouTube, it’s common to find videos that condense 16-episode or 20-episode TV dramas into just two hours. While some critics argue that this approach misses the essence of the original content, the view counts speak for themselves. Similarly, Netflix has seen an increase in the popularity of full-content summaries, including spoilers, which allow viewers to catch up on entire seasons in a fraction of the time. This trend aligns with the younger generations’ viewing habits, who opt out of traditional broadcast schedules. By focusing on the most thrilling moments and skipping slower-paced segments, these condensed versions allow viewers to enjoy the excitement without the long commitment.

Watching While Chatting in Group Chats

OTT content often becomes available after traditional TV broadcasts, but many younger viewers, eager to enjoy content as soon as possible, prioritize live broadcasts. While doing so, they often turn to their smartphones to join group chats to discuss episodes with friends in real-time. This trend isn’t just limited to younger audiences—many middle-aged and older viewers also participate in these live discussions. Today, interacting with others via comments and live chats while watching a show has become a regular part of the viewing experience, with apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger facilitating these communal activities.

Accustomed to Fast-Forward Viewing

Nearly all major OTT platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+, now allow faster content viewing. Viewers often select 1.25x or 1.5x playback speeds to save time. If dialogue becomes too quick to follow, they turn on subtitles for better comprehension. However, this fast-forward viewing has sparked criticism. Critics argue that it makes it harder to fully appreciate the storyline and nuances of movies and TV shows, primarily when important emotional moments or character development are glossed over.

Viewer Autonomy is Key

The rise in skipping and speed-watching habits is primarily driven by a growing demand for viewer autonomy. Unlike traditional TV, which follows a strict programming schedule, streaming platforms allow users to choose when, where, and what to watch. This flexibility has made on-demand viewing increasingly popular. People now prefer avoiding regular broadcast times, opting to watch Video-on-demand (VOD) content at their convenience. Binge-watching on weekends, skipping or speeding through less engaging parts, and watching only what they want have all become the new norm. At the core of this viewing behavior is one word: autonomy.

Emphasis on Rational Consumption

Millennial and Gen Z generations place a higher value on rational consumption than older generations. In a world overflowing with OTT platforms and content, they often use YouTube to experience new media before diving into longer formats. As digital natives, they quickly adapt to new content and are known for setting trends. Given these traits, they prefer short-form content or summaries, enabling them to keep up with the latest trends more efficiently and cost-effectively.

This Phenomenon Isn’t Limited to Just Videos

This trend toward quick consumption is not confined to video content. Platforms like Google News, Twitter, and even news outlets like The New York Times are offering summary bot services that condense articles into brief, easy-to-digest summaries. Using artificial intelligence, these services compress articles into key points, allowing users to grasp the core information quickly. Some platforms have even introduced voice news features, where these summaries are read aloud, providing a spoken version of the main points for easy comprehension on the go.

What Are the Drawbacks of Summary Services?

Despite the convenience of summary services, there are concerns about the potential downsides of consuming information in such a compressed format. A significant issue is that the original intent or nuance may be lost or distorted by condensing content—a video or an article. Additionally, these services often filter content based on user preferences, which can lead to the creation of filter bubbles. This occurs when users are only exposed to information that aligns with their existing views, potentially trapping them in an echo chamber of similar perspectives.

This Viewing Revolution Is Here to Stay

The rise of skipping, speed-watching, and digital switching reflects a modern dilemma: too much content and too little time. As smartphones continue to shape our media landscape, traditional TV schedules are becoming a thing of the past. Experts predict that our appetite for quick, easily digestible content isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Welcome to the future of viewing—fast, flexible, and entirely on your terms.