61% of young people now watch the TV with subtitles on

Social media users have been thrust into debate after it was revealed 61 percent of young people watch TV with the subtitles on.

I can't say I'm a massive fan of subtitles - I'd prefer to whack the volume up to ear-deafening heights, my eardrums already having been battered while pounding out tunes on my way to work.

However, when you're faced with a fast-paced drama with high intensity background music, sometimes subtitles can be your best friend in making sure you stay on top of the plot.

And it would seem many other young people think so too, the results of a YouGov poll revealing just how many 16-24-year-old's decide to switch subtitles on.

Netflix

On 24 February, 2023, YouGov asked a total of 3,609 adults in the UK: "When watching TV shows or movies in your native language, do you generally prefer to have the subtitles on or off?"

Overall, 28 percent of all the adults surveyed said they turn subtitles on, 65 percent don't use subtitles, four percent 'don't know' and three percent 'don't watch TV shows/ movies'.

However, the results are very different for the 18-24 age bracket.

YouGov

Of all the adults between the ages of 18 and 24 surveyed by YouGov, a whopping 61 percent said they do use subtitles, with only 30 percent saying they leave them off.

Three percent 'don't know' about whether or not they prefer to use subtitles and six percent 'don't watch TV shows or movies'.

You may have thought those in the older generation would be more likely to turn on subtitles when watching TV shows or movies in their native language because they've been using their ears for decades and so they potentially won't be in as tip-top condition.

However, only 22 percent of over 65's and 13 percent of 50-64-year-old's choose to use subtitles, with 71 percent of 65+ and 81 percent of 50-64 actively turning them off.

PA Images/ Alamy Stock Photo

The results of the YouGov poll have sparked quite the debate online, with users flooding to a tweet of the results to weigh in on whether or not they choose to use subtitles too.

One said: "Surprised at how few OAPs watch TV with the subtitles on; personally, I (22) am unable to watch TV w/o subtitles now as I've spent that much time watching stuff with my grandmother, who needs subtitles cos she both can't afford and can't be bothered to get her hearing aids fixed."

Another added: "I don't, but I feel like I should do depending on what I'm watching. Yellowstone is hard to watch without subtitles."

@YouGov/ Twitter

A third questioned: "I wonder if this is more to do with the audio quality of more modern productions?

"Older gens watching older shows that don't have this issue? Watching shows from b4 2015 seem to be better in terms of voice whereas I actually struggle to hear speech on new Netflix shows etc?"

A final said: "Phew - I thought it was just me getting old, but perhaps it really is a combination of actors mumbling and sound editors allowing music and effects to make dialogue hard to catch."

Topics: Social Media, TV and Film, Twitter, UK News

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.