This Week in TV News: ‘The Office’ and Streaming Subscriptions

This week, we’re talking about why “The Office” is still incredibly popular even though it’s off the air, and we’re reading about how TV preferences could be linked to political leanings.

Why “The Office” still works. “The Office” has been off the air since 2013, but it’s still one of the most-watched shows on Netflix. Why? “Office” creator Mike Schur explains: “I think Steve Carell is a genius, and the fact that he never won an Emmy for that performance should be a source of national shame forever,” adding, “I think the cast was incredible. I think the idea behind it was amazing.” (Adweek)

Adults over 50 feel overlooked by brands. The VAB released a report on adults 50 and over, finding that most of the age groups feels ignored by brands, and nearly half would avoid a brand that ignores their cohort. There are 114 million adults 50 and older in the U.S., and they spend more than 7 hours per day viewing video. (VAB)

You are what you watch. A study found a correlation between political leanings and TV preferences. The report, from The Norman Lear Center at USC Annenberg and the futurePerfect Lab, used statistical clustering analysis to identify those who lean liberal or conservative, and those who swing. The research found the swing group consumed the most TV and like shows like “The Voice” and “Dancing with the Stars.” The shows that “unite” audiences included “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “Bones” and “Criminal Minds.” (Deadline)

Streaming subs are sometimes driven by just one show. A study from PwC found 36% of viewers have subscribed to a streaming service just to access one show. Among 18 to 29-year-olds, 46% said they had subscribed for one title. (MediaPost)