Content most enjoyed on HBO Max, 2022

The most enjoyed content on AT&T Inc.'s HBO Max has bounced around since the expansion and rebranding of the service from HBO NOW to HBO Max in 2020. According to data from Kagan's U.S. online consumer survey, conducted in September each year from 2018 to 2022, the recent movies category (released within the past two years) was chosen as being most enjoyed by 17% of users in 2020. That number then jumped to 31% in 2021, only to fall to 24% in 2022. Meanwhile, original TV programs rose back up as the most selected content type in 2022 at 31% from a low of 24% in 2021. Other originals (movies, documentaries, comedy specials, etc.) and prior seasons of network TV have steadily increased over the past few years while the current season of network TV option has decreased. The shift in content most enjoyed on the service over the past few years is most likely due to theatrical releases being simultaneously released on the service during the COVID-19 pandemic and release schedules for original series like "House of the Dragon."

* Kagan's U.S. Consumer Insights survey showed that viewership of many of the content types surveyed were up in 2021 only to fall in 2022 among HBO Max users surveyed.
* Although original TV programs were the most enjoyed content across user groups, free access users were the most likely to select this content at 34%.
* Frequent HBO Max users were more likely to most enjoy original TV programs compared to infrequent users.

In terms of viewership of these content types, recent movies (released within the past two years) were viewed by the largest share of users at 59%, down from 66% in 2021. Several other content types, including other originals, older movies and prior seasons of network TV all had a bump in viewership in 2021, only to fall in 2022. Viewership of original TV programs has been down over the past few years, from 67% in 2020 to 57% in 2021 and 55% in 2022.

Original TV programs were the most popular among HBO Max users regardless of length of subscription or access method, with the largest share among free access users (receive as part of another subscription) at 34%. Other originals were more popular among recent (within the past year) and long-term (over a year) subs at 19% and 20%, respectively, compared to 14% of free access and 9% of shared log-in users. Long-term subs and free access users were more likely to select recent movies, both at 27%, compared to other users. Shared log-in users were the most likely to select prior seasons of network TV at 17% and older movies at 11%.

Frequent HBO Max streamers (at least once per week) were more likely to indicate that original TV programs were the content they most enjoy on the service at 34% compared to infrequent streamers (less than once per week) at 23%. Instead, infrequent streamers were more likely to indicate they most enjoy other originals at 21% and recent movies at 29%, compared to frequent users at 15% and 22%, respectively.

Original TV programs were the most enjoyed content by the largest share of HBO Max users surveyed across generations, except for boomers/seniors who were more likely to select recent movies at 34% over original TV programs at 31%. Recent movies were more popular among older users, especially Generation X at 31% and boomers/seniors at 34%. Generation Z were more likely to indicate that they most enjoy older movies at 15% and prior seasons of network TV series at 17%, compared to older respondents.

Data presented in this article is from Kagan's U.S. Consumer Insights surveys conducted in September 2018-2022. The online surveys included 2,536 (2018), 2,531 (2019), 2,502 (2020), 2,529 (2021) and 2,528 (2022) U.S. internet adults matched by age and gender to the U.S. Census. The survey results have a margin of error of +/-1.9 ppts at the 95% confidence level. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. Gen Z adults are individuals ages 18-24. Millennials are ages 25-41; Gen Xers are 42-56 years old; and baby boomers/seniors are 57 and older.

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Consumer Insights is a regular feature from Kagan, a media research group within S&P Global Market Intelligence's TMT offering, providing exclusive research and commentary.

^{This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.}