At the 2020 Golden Globes, Parasite director Bong Joon Ho described subtitles as a “one-inch-tall barrier.” In that case, the filmmaker was specifically talking about Anglophone audiences watching films made in languages other than English. It’s always encouraging to see film and television viewers get outside of their comfort zones, and the success of international series like Lupin and Squid Game have been grounds for encouragement.
But there’s also another approach a growing number of viewers are taking to using subtitles, and it has nothing to do with watching films or shows made in a language that they don’t speak. A survey conducted by the the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that younger viewers prefer subtitles more than their older counterparts.
As the Associated Press’s Jocelyn Noveck and Linley Sanders explained, the survey involved asking 1,182 American adults about their subtitle habits. Of the participants aged 18 to 44, 40% said that they used subtitles “always or often,” compared to 28% of respondents who are 45 or older. Meanwhile, 53% of the older group said that they use subtitles “rarely or never,” compared with 33% of the 44-and-under set.
American Audiences Are About to See AI Dubbing in Action
It might not be as ominous as it soundsThe survey’s results point to a number of reasons why people under 45 are embracing subtitles and closed captions, including watching in places with a lot of background noise and making sure that they “catch every word.” Around 30% of respondents in the 18-to-44 age group stated that they use subtitles due to multitasking. There doesn’t seem to be one single reason why younger adults are adding text to their film and television viewing — but it does feel like the potential beginning of a generational shift.
Meet your guide
More Like This
This article appeared in an InsideHook newsletter. Sign up for free to get more on travel, wellness, style, drinking, and culture.
