So, is Gen Z growing up without a monoculture? It’s no secret that pop culture is more fragmented than ever, and some have said that young consumers today don’t know a world where “everyone” experiences and talks about the same media. (You know, the good old days when there were four channels and average TV shows pulled in over 30M viewers?) YouTube put that theory to the test in their new study “In Search of Mainstream,” defining mainstream as culture “seen everywhere, actively engaged with, and understood across audiences.” Among 14-44-year-olds who call themselves “active online,” young people are reportedly less aware of movies and TV shows and know more about content creators. In other words, yes, there is less of a monoculture. But the content that they see on social media is what makes something more mainstream: 65% agree “something feels more real or legitimate when they see it show up on YouTube.” (Mashable)
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