In its study, Ampere interviewed 4000 Internet users aged 16 to 64 in the US and 2000 in Canada as part of a global study carried out twice yearly of 46,000 adults.

Of the key findings in the study, stacking continues to grow in the US, with 52% of households now having access to three or more SVOD subscriptions, up from 45% in the third quarter of 2020. Almost three in 10 (29%) were found to have access to five or more services. In comparison, in Canada 30% of households had access to three or more services, while just 8% have access to five or more services.

Original content was revealed as the driving the trend for SVOD stacking, especially in the US where almost half (49%) say original content is the main reason they subscribe, compared to 38% in Canada. Engagement with specific services also differed between countries. It found that while uptake of Netflix is comparable in both markets, 61% of respondents in Canada report watching Netflix in the last month, compared with 43% in the US. Ampere observed that higher levels of competition among streamers in the US has meant that consumers are now spending less time watching content on each of the services they have access to.

One difference between the two countries displayed in the report was that TV formed a bigger part of social interactions in the US than in Canada. Daily use of social media broke down 71% to 69% in the US and Canada respectively, and those in the US are much more likely say social media is important to them (54% vs. 45%).

Internet users in the US are more likely to see watching TV as a communal activity, with 48% respondents saying it is important to them to watch TV with other people in their household. This has risen from 42% in the first quarter of 2020, most likely driven by increased time indoors due to the pandemic. In comparison, 38% respondents in Canada see watching TV with their household as important. This has been stable over the last 12 months.TV was also seen as an important driver of conversation in the US, with 56% respondents saying TV gives them something to talk about with others, compared to 49% in Canada.

“As we’ve seen in Europe, there are some big differences in the way people consume TV depending on where they live,” commented Annabel Yeomans, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis. “In the US, TV is a much more important part of daily life and plays a greater role in social interaction than in Canada. Competition among streaming services is also more significant in the US than in Canada. In the last six months, we have seen that this not only impacts stacking rates, but also the growing demand for quality original content as streamers battle to engage subscribers and reach new audiences.”