New Report Shows Changes In Television Viewership
More and more adults are less willing to pay a monthly cable or satellite bill in favor of watching programs for free online or turning the television off altogether.
Nielsen, who monitors television ratings, announced in May the estimated number of households in the United States with cable decreased 1 percent, the first drop since 1990. College towns posted some of the biggest declines, inferring college students are turning to other methods such as Hulu or Netflix for their favorite television shows.
Some worry there isn’t a big difference in watching shows on television or online. The only genre of television that continuously gets viewers tuned in during the live broadcast is sport games. College student favorites such as “Gossip Girl,” “The Office,” or “Modern Family” can easily be watched online for free at the viewer's convenience.
Television networks are responding to the trend by delaying free Web access to their biggest shows. In addition, more commercials are being added to gain more profit from advertisers.
Plenty of shows this fall premiered to great ratings. Nonetheless, it is evident that viewer’s television habits have changed leaving broadcast and cable companies scrambling to adapt.
Reach writer Mike Vulpo here
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