Digital trends across the Middle East and Africa (MENA) region continue to evolve rapidly, influencing how people consume content. While traditional media, including radio, television, and cinema, were popular go-to avenues around 15 years ago, the arrival of over-the-top (OTT) platforms and similar channels has gained noteworthy momentum in the past decade.
We wanted to know if avidly visiting the cinema still holds a special place in the hearts of cinephiles and enthusiasts alike across the MENA region in the age of innovation or whether live streaming platforms are slowly replacing this once-unmovable source of entertainment.
Can both entertainment ecosystems coexist, or do we have a clear winner? Let’s find out.
Who participated in our survey?
We collected 60+ responses from a diverse mix of people from different age groups and genders in the region.
- 72% of participants were between 26-45 years old, a group familiar with both cinema and streaming.
- 15% were 18-25, showing the influence of Gen Z on entertainment choices.
- Only 7% were 46-55, highlighting how younger generations drive this debate.
The gender balance was near equal: 47% female, 46% male, and 7% preferred not to disclose.
Cinema visits vs livestreaming frequency
The cinema experience is arguably unmatched, and that could be a strong reason why 45% of respondents watch at least 2-3 movies each month in a cinema hall. Furthermore, an impressive 17% of participants hit the cinema halls once a week or more.
The rest? While 23% of respondents said they limit their visits to once a month, 15% of people admitted that they go to the cinema less than once a month.
This indicates that cinema remains a vital component of culture in the MENA region. That said, livestreaming has quickly carved out its place, too. Here’s what we found out.
A staggering 57% of people said that they stream movies daily, and another 33% of them stream a few times a week. Participants who stream once a month, a few times a month, or once a week make up the remaining 10%.
These numbers make one thing clear: streaming has become an integral part of the majority of people’s lives, possible due to the convenience, availability, and on-demand entertainment experience it offers.
Takeaway: Cinema is an occasion; streaming is a routine.
New-release preferences
So far, we found out that since streaming is more accessible and convenient, it has an upper hand in terms of how often our survey participants watch movies. However, while talking about their preference for watching a new movie or an exclusive release specifically, a resounding 62% of participants picked cinema. Only 28% chose streaming as their preferred medium to watch new movies, and the other 10% opted to not specify.
This clearly indicates that while streaming platforms have an edge when it comes to day-to-day viewing, cinemas continue to remain the go-to choice to watch new releases.
Why cinema?
Our survey uncovered a few interesting themes when we asked the participants to explain their preferences.
- Cinema’s immersive experience is one of the biggest factors why people picked it over streaming.
- Several participants pointed out the social aspect of going to the cinema. It isn’t always about watching a movie, but a collective experience enjoyed best with friends and family.
Why streaming?
Participants who picked streaming indicated that their preference was driven by the convenience, comfort, and accessibility streaming offers.
Factors that could increase cinema visits
Around 73% of the total survey participants indicated that an exclusive early release of a movie is a strong motivation for them to visit the cinema. A further 70% indicated that if cinemas could offer more comfortable seating arrangements, it would significantly enhance their drive to go to the theatres.
Other motivational reasons users would visit the cinema more often includes:
- Loyalty programs and rewards: 58.33%
- Lower ticket prices: 58.33%
- Better food and beverage options: 51.67%
Last visit to a cinema
When asked about their last visit to the cinema, the answers largely correlated with answers given for the frequency of cinema visits.
Here’s what our participants revealed.
Nearly 55% of them said that they have visited the cinema as recently as within the last week, indicating that cinema’s popularity isn’t fading.
Further, 37% indicated that they have been to the cinema in the past month.
The rest? 7% visited the cinema over a month ago, and the others were there on the same day of the survey.
Last streaming session
We asked our participants the last time they consumed content on a streaming platform, and here is what they had to say.
- With 58% of participants admitting to watching some form of content on a streaming platform in the past three days, it is safe to assume that streaming has become a key part of their routine.
- Another 35% of participants reported streaming content on the day of the survey, and 7% had used a streaming platform in the past week.
Comparing satisfaction: cinema vs. livestreaming
When looking at user satisfaction levels, cinema and streaming experiences show strikingly similar results.
- Cinema: 67% of participants said they were “very satisfied” with their most recent trip to the cinema.
- Streaming: 67% also reported being “very satisfied” with their latest streaming session, with an additional 28% saying they were “satisfied.”
This parallel highlights that both forms of entertainment are delivering equally strong experiences for audiences. Whether people choose to go out for a movie or stay in with a streaming platform, the outcome is broadly the same, a high level of enjoyment and satisfaction.
Will streaming replace cinema?
There is a lot of buzz around the possibility of streaming platforms completely replacing cinema worldwide. But, is there any truth in this, or just a prediction due to the rising popularity of streaming platforms?
While 52% of our survey respondents are of the opinion that streaming will completely replace cinemas in the future, 30% of them do not agree with them, and the remaining 18% are still not sure.
Although the adoption of streaming platforms has increased rapidly in recent years, cinemas will stay relevant despite no longer being the main way people consume movies.
Future outlook: will streaming replace cinema?
We asked participants to share their thoughts on the future of streaming and cinema and we noticed clear patterns.
- Streaming clearly has the upper hand due to convenience, cost, and controllable features, including “pause and rewind”.
- That said, cinemas will remain popular since the magic and aura of the big screen is irreplaceable, creating a surreal viewing experience.
- Additionally, since going to the cinema has always enjoyed the status of a social outing, many people treat it as an important shared experience with friends and family.
All in all, the opinions were split.
- Some believe that streaming platforms will continue to roll out features to ensure that streaming evolves into exceptional viewing experiences that could fully replace cinema.
- That said, a significant number of respondents believe that the big-screen experience is irreplaceable and will always hold cultural and social importance.
- The rest? They expect both to coexist, catering to different audience preferences. While streaming will be a go-to for daily content consumption, cinemas will remain popular for exclusive releases.
One of the respondents summarises this perfectly:
“Streaming is lower cost, but cinema is more magical.”
Final thoughts
The survey revealed some obvious trends and unique insights into the audience’s perception of streaming platforms and cinema. The takeaway? The two standout points were: streaming is convenient and cheap, but cinemas are more immersive and a great shared and social experience.
Both avenues offer irreplaceable benefits, and that’s why we believe that both ecosystems will coexist, offering users a mixed bag of entertainment options as per their mood and preferences.
UserQ uncovers insights and consumer nuances that empower media companies, brands and decision makers tackle the evolving entertainment landscape without major obstacles.
While the platform of content consumption was the main focus of this survey, we also conduct similar surveys covering an array of topics to ensure brands can make data-driven decisions with confidence.
Get in touch with our team at UserQ to uncover in-depth insights and actionable data.
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