Linear TV viewing falls below 50% among US audiences for the first time

[Shawn Knight]

Why it matters: Traditional television viewing fell below 50 percent in the US for the first time last month as streaming continues to reshape how we consume content. According to Nielsen's latest monthly report, cable television accounted for 29.6 percent of overall TV usage in July. Broadcast (over-the-air) viewership checked in at 20.0 percent, for a combined linear viewership of 49.6 percent.

Streaming, meanwhile, accounted for 38.7 percent of US viewership in July. The remaining 11.6 percent, which falls under the "Other" category and includes other device use like DVD playback and audio playback, brings the total of non-linear television viewing to 50.3 percent, putting it above traditional viewing for the first time.

Among streaming platforms, YouTube led all others with 9.2 percent of the pie. Netflix accounted for 8.5 percent of the streaming share, thanks in part to strong acquired content viewing. Suits (Netflix, Peacock) accounted for close to 18 billion viewing minutes in July 2023. A year earlier, Stranger Things also tallied nearly 18 billion viewing minutes.

According to Nielsen, YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video all achieved record high shares in July.

With broadcast and cable losing market share, it is no surprise that we are seeing streaming becoming more expensive. Most major streaming platforms have increased subscription prices in recent months, and some have rolled out multiple hikes.

Earlier this week, the Financial Times reported that the monthly cost of subscribing to the top US streaming services will be $14 more this fall compared to a year ago. At that time, it will cost around $87 per month for a bundle of the top streaming services versus $73 last year.

Traditional television's saving grace could be sports content. According to Nielsen, sports on broadcast generated nearly 25 billion viewing minutes last month (and that is in July, a slow month for sports). Come September, we can expect broadcast sports viewing to more than triple as college football and the NFL kick off their 2023-2024 campaigns.

Image credit: Dave Weatherall

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https://www.techspot.com/news/99796-linear-tv-viewing-falls-below-50-among-us.html

 

[i like foxes]

I play games instead of watching TV . Very rarely when they broadcast films like Marvel Avengers

 

[Lionvibez]

No doubt I cut the cord in 2018 and never going back.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I have 0 interest in what is on TV. It's mostly mass produced trash, full of inaccuracies and terrible writing. More recently, politics and preaching have found their way into TV programs. Not to mention the CONSTANT. ADVERTISEMENTS.

All the good small creators joined the internet eons ago. There are youtubers putting out multi hour documentaries that rival old time history channel legends in quality, comedians that have hour long skits for free, and streaming platforms have occasional gems like The Grand Tour, Clarksons Farm, or Arcane. I'd much rather listen to the joe rogan experience or any number of podcasts out there for current events then the dying legacy media.

Oh yeah, and internet streaming is SO much more stable. The push to digital TV did it in for me eons ago, digital signals just dont work well for broadcast. The signal keeps dropping, the image freezes, then resumes. Analog TV never had this issue.

 

[wiyosaya]

I have 0 interest in what is on TV. It's mostly mass produced trash, full of inaccuracies and terrible writing. More recently, politics and preaching have found their way into TV programs. Not to mention the CONSTANT. ADVERTISEMENTS.

My wife and I record OTA TV and just jump over the commercials. Problem solved.

All the good small creators joined the internet eons ago. There are youtubers putting out multi hour documentaries that rival old time history channel legends in quality, comedians that have hour long skits for free, and streaming platforms have occasional gems like The Grand Tour, Clarksons Farm, or Arcane. I'd much rather listen to the joe rogan experience or any number of podcasts out there for current events then the dying legacy media.

Arcane is Netflix - I did not think you subscribed (well, maybe you don't and get it using other means). I agree. Arcane was really good; I wish they would do another season of it. IMO there are gems out there on "broadcast TV," too, but its a PITA to find them and you get the stink all over you from wading through the trash.

Oh yeah, and internet streaming is SO much more stable. The push to digital TV did it in for me eons ago, digital signals just dont work well for broadcast. The signal keeps dropping, the image freezes, then resumes. Analog TV never had this issue.

The problems with ATSC 1.0 are holdovers from analog TV days only they are more problematic for DTV. Remember when your picture used to ghost on an analog TV as an airplane flew over your house? Its the exact same problem with ATSC 1.0 called "multipath interference". There's a new DTV standard out called ATSC 3.0 which does not suffer from that problem and has been received on usb tuners while inside a car that was inside a tunnel. The only PITA about it is that it requires new equipment - though most new TVs have the requisite tuner built-in. And, assuming there's content, ATSC supports 4K and beyond.

Also, some of the issues of DTV dropout can be caused by LTE interference from cell towers. These are supposed to solve that problem https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-Improves-Antenna-Signals/dp/B01JGSC5AO/

 

[Vanderlinde]

I have 0 interest in what is on TV. It's mostly mass produced trash, full of inaccuracies and terrible writing. More recently, politics and preaching have found their way into TV programs. Not to mention the CONSTANT. ADVERTISEMENTS.

Many times I travel through youtube, and stumble upon 70's 80's Tv and the quality of such TV back in the days. Compare that now to today, and you can understand why TV is getting obsolete at this point with no contribution to really make TV shows or programs that actually benefit people who watch it.

I feel like I'm born in a later time then I should.

 

[yRaz]

Last time I watched TV I was in a hospital and there was literally nothing else to do. I'm also sure the drugs they gave me made it more interesting but I really can't think of the last time I paid for "Linear TV"

I think incut the cord all the way back in 2012

 

[toooooot]

Last time I watched TV I was in a hospital and there was literally nothing else to do. I'm also sure the drugs they gave me made it more interesting but I really can't think of the last time I paid for "Linear TV"

I think incut the cord all the way back in 2012

My greatest fear in life is to end up in a hospital without a phone and charger

 

[Uncle Al]

I regularly use my standard over the air TV signal for watching local news & programming. I have a feeling this may start making a come back as those streaming providers keep going up on price and/or forcing programing cost like unwanted "extra" channels down our throats .....

 

[wiyosaya]

I regularly use my standard over the air TV signal for watching local news & programming. I have a feeling this may start making a come back as those streaming providers keep going up on price and/or forcing programing cost like unwanted "extra" channels down our throats .....

I agree. And I think once ATSC 3.0 catches on, it will make a strong resurgence.

 

[GhostLegion]

I agree. And I think once ATSC 3.0 catches on, it will make a strong resurgence.

I just found out that ATSC 3.0 enables encryption of OTA broadcasts, so I'm personally cooling on it.

 

[wiyosaya]

I just found out that ATSC 3.0 enables encryption of OTA broadcasts, so I'm personally cooling on it.

To each their own.

IMO, no TV Station in their right mind will use encryption unless its an OTA pay-per-view or other sort of subscription channel.

Another thing that ATSC 3.0 brings to the mix is that it is an IP based protocol. Thus, with encryption, it potentially enables getting your internet on an OTA TV channel.

 

[GhostLegion]

To each their own.

IMO, no TV Station in their right mind will use encryption unless its an OTA pay-per-view or other sort of subscription channel.

Another thing that ATSC 3.0 brings to the mix is that it is an IP based protocol. Thus, with encryption, it potentially enables getting your internet on an OTA TV channel.

Except some stations are already enabling it...