Every day is a battle for your attention - we’re all in the neck of the upcoming assignment/group project wars, and with exam season looming in the distance, sitting down with your phone to scroll aimlessly feels like a lifeline some of these days. In the 20th century, watching TV became the most popular pastime - but in the 21st century, social media has won the war for the public’s attention, and it doesn’t look like it’ll be dethroned any time soon.
As social media becomes even more ubiquitous in our everyday lives, traditional films and shows seem to have become even less relevant to Gen Z audiences than ever. This recent report by Deloitte indicates just so - Gen Z spends an average of 1.4 hours on social media, compared to any other form of media consumption - for reference, Gen Z spends 1.3 hours on average streaming shows and films. And 56% of Gen Z says that social media is more relevant to them than films or shows.
Scrolling habit with social media (Unsplash, 2025)
Creators in the production industries have since raised concerns about the possibility of the slow ‘death’ of cinema - how do you win the attention of a generation raised on reels? The streaming industry has just begun to reach maturity, and if things continue on the current trajectory, watching movies and films may be set to become an uncommon pastime, like reading. The industries surrounding the film & streaming industry have also begun to see difficulties crop up - the once-immense chokehold of traditional Hollywood ‘celebrity culture’ has been toppled by the likes of social media stars (not to mention the power of the ‘parasocial relationship’ - already 50% of Gen Z has indicated that they feel more attachment to social media stars than to film actors). Combine this with projections that the streaming industry is purported to slow in growth to under 2% by 2030, and it looks like the industry is in for a rocky few years ahead with tough competition to beat in the war for Gen Z’s attention.
But I digress. This isn’t the death of film. Social media has already proven that it has the transformative power to change the way we interact with each other, the way we form community, the way we monetize ourselves - so why can’t it change the way we watch films and shows?
Consolidation has become a central theme amongst streaming companies - bundle offers abound, and it looks like live sports programming is set to play a huge role with streaming services going forward, with streaming giants competing for live programming rights. So why not lean into the consolidation of social media and TV? Nearly 50% of Gen Z equates watching social media to watching TV. Maybe this isn’t the death of film – it’s just a challenge to the way we currently make & distribute films.
When it comes to blending the elements of modern and traditional entertainment, the possibilities for are ripe for the taking, and creators on social media are already ahead of the curve. Just look at the viral “Epic: The Musical”; a modernized adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey, a concept musical conducted and produced almost entirely through TikTok & YouTube. Just through TikTok, director Jorge Rivera-Herrans was able to gather dozens of auditioners, and thousands more fans to go with it. He was able to create, develop, and advertise his project all in one go – that’s the power that social media has.
(A cover picture including the character concept animations for Epic: The Musical that were created by entirely by TikTok animators)
As he continues to develop his catalogue of songs (and is working on plans to make an animated film once the soundtrack is complete), his amassed community of actors, animators, and fans have contributed to Epic’s massive success online. The tale of Epic: The Musical is only one example of how social media has showcased its power to change the way we ‘do things’. The age-old, traditional theatrical world brought forth to a new age, an increasingly digitalized & more accessible age, where social media’s endless opportunities for creation and community never cease to amaze.
References
AlphaSense. Streaming Platforms: Key Trends and Outlook. Retrieved December 6, 2025, from
Deloitte. Changing TV watching mindset. Retrieved December 6, 2025, from https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/changing-tv-watching-mindset.html
Deloitte. Digital media trends: Consumption habits survey. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from
Mondaq. Streaming Wars 2026: The Rise of the Frenemy. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from
Stafford, A. (2024, December 21). ‘We’re figuring out cool ways of storytelling’: how TikTok is changing the way we watch musicals. The Guardian.
The Associated Press. (2025). Watching Netflix on Google TV just got even easier. Yahoo Tech.
The New York Public Library. The History of the Television Set. Apartment Therapy.
Unsplash. [Person holding white Samsung Android smartphone]. [Photograph]. Retrieved December 6, 2025, from
YouTube Blog. [YouTube Blog post on Epic: The Musical]. Retrieved December 6, 2025, from https://blog.youtube/creator-and-artist-stories/epic/
