For the first time ever, streaming services likeNetflixhave become more popular than both network and cable television in the United States. In the past decade, streaming services have become almost ubiquitous in popular culture. Thebest TV shows on Netflix, for example, command a huge amount of attention, and new releases on other platforms likePrime VideoorPeacockoften seem more popular than their network TV counterparts. Now, a new report confirms that streaming doesn’t just seem like the most popular way to watch TV, it actually is dominating the television landscape.
Nielsen Media Research, a company that has measured TV viewership for over eight decades, confirmed thatstreaming services garnered a higher percentage of viewership on television screens than both cable and network outlets combined for the first time ever in May(viaDeadline). The study did not include computers or mobile devices, but streaming accounted for 44.8% of viewership, while broadcast TV had just 20.1% and cable had just 24.1%. The report also noted that streaming via YouTube reached a new high of 12.5% of TV viewership, even surpassing subscription services like Netflix (7.5%) and Disney+ (5%).
What Streaming’s Rise In Popularity Means For It, Network, & Cable TV
Streaming’s Popularity Has Been Steadily Growing For Years & Shows No Signs Of Stopping
The rise in popularity of streaming is nothing new, but Nielsen’s report confirms it has reached new heights. There are a wide variety of factors at play, fromthe recent rise in original programming made for streaming to the huge catalogs of older movies and shows that streaming services provide, which made streaming the dominant format for TV. Those factors also aren’t going away, so streaming’s rise in popularity and market share probably isn’t slowing down any time soon. At some point, broadcast and network TV may have to change to maintain a solid share of the TV market.
There is a caveat to streaming’s domination of television viewership, however. Nielsen noted that streaming will likely only be at the top of charts for a limited time, especially as the NFL season begins again in September.
“While the milestone of streaming exceeding traditional TV viewership is almost certainly not permanent, it presumably will be in the near future. This trend could continue into the summer months, but the balance will likely shift back – at least temporarily – as football kicks off and a new broadcast season returns.”
Broadcast and cable television have always dominated coverage of live sports, and especially the NFL. Streaming services have begun to encroach on the market through things like Paramount+’s live sports package and dedicated services like NFL+ or MLB Network, but those have so far been a niche experiment. However,Nielsen is also right: as those packages and services continue to gain popularity, broadcast and cable TV will begin to lose their last advantage over streaming models. It seems to be a matter of time until streaming is permanently at the top of the TV charts.
Our Take On The Popularity Of Streaming Services
Hopefully Streaming’s Rise In Popularity Still Leaves Room For Broadcast & Network TV
I have some mixed opinions on the rise of popularity of streaming services. I do all of my TV watching through streaming, so I don’t have any major problems with the model, butI can also recognize that there are some in-built faults that could get worse as streaming gets more dominant. I’ve never been a fan of Netflix’s binge release format, for example, and that will only get more common as TV providers try to cater to changing demands. The long waits between seasons are also a problem inherent to streaming, whereas network TV shows usually have a very quick turnaround.
I think it’s probably inevitable that streaming will dominate the TV landscape soon, but I don’t think we need to throw the proverbial baby of network and broadcast TV out with the bathwater.
Network and broadcast TV have also been responsible for some great TV shows in the past and present, and I hope they retain a big enough market share to continue producing shows.I think it’s probably inevitable that streaming will dominate the TV landscape soon, but I don’t think we need to throw the proverbial baby of network and broadcast TV out with the bathwater. They have their benefits, and while they may not command the same attention or viewership as streaming services likeNetflix, I would like to see them stay around.
