Younger viewers favor interactive TV tied to social media and shopping

A growing segment of younger television viewers is driving adoption of interactive features that combine entertainment, social media, and shopping, according to new research from Horowitz Research.

The findings suggest that real-time engagement and social interaction may be critical to attracting these audiences to live television beyond sports.

The 2025 edition of “The State of Media, Entertainment & Tech: Viewing Behaviors” found that 48 percent of TV viewers engage with social media during or after a show. Among viewers ages 18 to 34, that number increases to 55 percent, compared to 39 percent of those age 50 and older. More than one-third of respondents share live reactions, such as emojis or comments, while watching content.

Virtual watch parties and online meetups are also gaining traction. About 30 percent of viewers reported participating in such gatherings, with over 40 percent of those ages 18 to 34 doing so. Engagement drops with age, with one-third of viewers aged 35 to 49 and just over 10 percent of those 50 and older joining similar experiences.

The study also points to increased consumer openness to integrated commerce.

Thirty-four percent of viewers said they had purchased merchandise, collectibles, or fashion related to a show or movie. A similar proportion — 31 percent — said they had used QR codes or shopping links provided during a program to browse or buy products. Among those aged 18 to 34, that figure rises to 45 percent.

Nearly one in three viewers said they had purchased sports merchandise during a live broadcast of a game or event.

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“For today’s younger viewers who are inherently multiplatform, enjoy participating in trends, are used to immediate gratification, and expect to have a two-way dialogue with brands, interactive ways to engage, share, and even shop while watching is not just an acceptable way to advertise, it is an expected and welcome aspect of engagement with TV content,” said Adriana Waterston, executive vice president and insights and strategy lead for Horowitz Research, a division of M/A/R/C Research.

The study surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults age 18 and older in March 2025. All respondents were decision makers regarding subscription services in their household. The results were weighted to reflect the broader U.S. population.