West LA Times

The latest Teens and Screens Report from the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA reveals significant shifts in media preferences among adolescents. The report indicates a growing preference for fantasy content, with 36.2% of adolescents favoring this genre, marking a 56% increase from the previous year.

Yalda T. Uhls, founder and executive director of the center, explained the trend: “Having been exposed to huge stressors during formative years like COVID-19 and 24-hour news cycles detailing incidents of mass shootings, divisive politics and war, young people are overwhelmingly experiencing crisis fatigue.” She added that young people seek relief through hopeful fantasy stories.

The report also highlights a continued trend towards "nomance," with 63.5% of adolescents preferring stories focused on friendships and platonic relationships. Alisha J. Hines, director of research at the center, noted that “our findings really seemed to solidify a trend we found emerging in our data last year — that young people are tired of seeing the same dated and unrelatable romantic tropes on screen.”

Despite speculation about declining interest in movies, they remain a top entertainment choice for adolescents. When asked what they would do if time and money were no constraint, watching a movie in a theater was preferred over other activities like sports.

Social media remains an important part of adolescent life but is viewed critically when portrayed on screen. Atlas Burrus, the center’s research manager, stated: “In our modern world of digital scams, artificial intelligence and altered images, young people are more cautious than ever.”

Gaming has emerged as a popular activity among adolescents. Only 12% reported not playing video games. Bubba Harris from the Youth Media Representation program emphasized the importance of representation: “My generation wants to engage with entertainment that reflects our lived experiences.”

The survey included responses from 1,644 young individuals aged 10–24 and reflected demographic diversity similar to the U.S. census.