On-demand streaming services provide instant access, day or night.

Scheduled TV to 24/7 Streaming 

Thanks to easy access to VOD services like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video, which offer an endless variety of shows, binge-watching practices are becoming more common amongst younger children. In the past,  satellite children’s channels, like CBBC or CBeebies, had fixed schedules that limited screen time to certain hours. TV networks would only run until the evening, allowing kids to switch off and continue their nightly routines before bed. Now, with access to streaming services, these limits have been removed, turning media consumption into a ‘digital pacifier’ that many parents rely on for their convenience.

The Impact on Development and Behaviour

Unrestricted access to screens and shows raises concerns about children’s development. Studies, such as Alimoradi et al 2022, have found that “Binge-watching may be associated with multiple mental health problems, especially anxiety and stress” (p.21) . The new fast-paced and overstimulating style of media and streaming content can also have an impact on children; making them less patient and unwilling to try traditional activities, fuelling their need for instant satisfaction and stimulation.

Parents now act as active ‘gatekeepers’ of screen time

The Challenge of Setting Limits 

Satellite television services gave children access to more diverse content, unlike streaming platforms which use personalised algorithms to recommend specific content to keep young audience’s engaged. While algorithms may offer an aid when picking what to watch, this convenience comes with a price. Highly tailored and easily accessible content provides no diversity for the viewer, which may lead to children developing viewing habits that rely on stimulation. This poses a challenge for parents to set limits on the media their children consume.  

Overall, streaming platforms encourage binge-watching habits to be formed at an early age. This impacts children’s social skills, attention spans and routines. While these platforms offer flexibility in viewing, the constant access children have to this content requires parents to carefully balance routines and encourage healthy development.

By K.S 33741956

Bibliography

Alimoradi, Z., Jafari, E., Potenza, M. N., Lin, C-Y., Wu, C-Y., & Pakpour, A. H. (2022). Binge-Watching and Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9707.

Mareike Jenner (2018), ‘Introduction: Netflix and the Renvention of Television’, ‘Introduction: Binge Watching Netflix’, Netflix and the Reinvention of Television, pp. 1-31, 109-118.

Matrix, S. (2014). The Netflix Effect: Teens, Binge Watching, and On-Demand Digital Media Consumption. Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures, 6(1), 122–138.

Villani, S. (2001). Impact of Media on Children and Adolescents: A 10-Year Review of Research. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 40(4), 392–401.