Movies, TV series are nation’s favorite pastimes: Survey

ISTANBUL

A recent study conducted by a research and consultancy firm has unveiled insights into Türkiye’s entertainment landscape which found watching movies or TV series as the most popular leisure activity among Turks.

According to the findings, spending time with friends followed closely as the most popular activity, while social media engagement is a significant source of fun for young people.

The research, conducted by Xsights on behalf of Marketing Türkiye magazine and surveyed 500 individuals aged 18 and above, mapped out Türkiye’s entertainment preferences across various domains including home, outdoor and cultural activities.

Around 42 percent of respondents defined entertainment as "having a pleasant and enjoyable time," with 9.5 percent associating it with "feelings of enthusiasm and happiness" and 9.1 percent as "dancing and listening to music."

Gender-wise, men tended to associate entertainment with enthusiasm and happiness, while women leaned towards activities like dancing, listening to music and spending time with family.

Watching movies or TV series emerged as the top entertainment activity for respondents, with 20 percent naming it their “favorite pastime,” followed by listening to music with 9.6 percent and attending festivals with 7.4 percent.

While 51.2 percent said that their favorite entertainment activity is watching TV series and movies on streaming platforms, shopping (19.7 percent), doing sports (19.5 percent) and reading books (19.5 percent) are also among their favorite activities.

Notably, going to the theater has a significant place among the favorite activities of the 35-44 age group, while the 18-24 and 25-34 age groups tend to watch talk shows.

When it comes to solo activities, watching movies or TV series remains top choice for 63.4 percent of respondents, followed by reading books and listening to music.

Nearly half of the participants (48.5 percent) enjoy both solitary and social entertainment experiences.

Friends are the preferred companions for entertainment, cited by 42.3 percent of respondents, followed by family members and romantic partners. The preference for socializing with friends is particularly pronounced among younger age groups.

Despite the popularity of entertainment pursuits, the study reveals a trend towards decreasing budgets and time allocations for leisure activities among respondents.