Why Are So Many Americans Watching TV with Subtitles?

Subtitles were an accessibility feature viewers usually didn’t pay attention to unless they were hearing-impaired. These days, though, subtitles are a popular option when watching TV. Preply’s survey of 1,265 Americans found that half of them watch TV with subtitles on for reasons beyond hearing loss or watching foreign films in another language.

A Generational Trend

89% of the people surveyed by Preply have used subtitles at some point. Differences emerge when it comes to how often people use subtitles. Gen Z uses them the most. 70% say they have subtitles on 70% of the time, and Millennials are just above the average amount at 53%. Gen X and Baby Boomers are the least likely to use subtitles. The team graphed data on how often each generation uses subtitles.

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Sound Mixing Issues Get the Blame

The most common reason respondents said they use subtitles is muddled audio. 78% of people who use subtitles say that loud background music drowns out dialogue. 55% of people believed that dialogue is harder to hear now than it used to be. 61% of people say accents make a film more difficult to understand, so they turn on subtitles. Some people use subtitles to keep the TV volume down or to stay focused while they’re dealing with children, pets, or work.

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Sound-mixing complaints tie into another emerging opinion about modern television. 44% of viewers think that shows and films are shot in darker tones than in the past. They don’t like the aesthetic, and they think it’s harder to see. Another 35% of people think actors speak faster now than they used to, which also contributes to the use of subtitles.

The Most Subtitled Shows and Stars

A fun section of the study delves into the shows and stars that get the subtitle treatment the most. The most subtitled shows were Peaky Blinders, Derry Girls, and Game of Thrones. Tom Hardy, Sofia Vergara, and Arnold Schwarzenegger were cited as the most difficult-to-understand celebrities. Over half of viewers say they turn on subtitles to follow dialogue with accents they find hard to understand.

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Subtitles While in Public

A big difference in TV viewing now is that many people watch on their devices while out in public. 74% of Gen Z does this, citing that they watch on public transit, at work, and even while walking and driving. Divided attention is probably part of what’s increasing the appeal of subtitles for this group. For those watching online clips on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, 41% turn on subtitles.

Foreign Films and Language Learning

62% of respondents said they use subtitles more for streaming services than regular TV channels. They said that Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Hulu have the best subtitle features. For foreign-language shows, like the popular Korean series Squid Game, 74% preferred watching in Korean with subtitles over the English dub. 26% of respondents say they use subtitles to help them learn a new language.