What are some of the things linear broadcasting and cable networks are doing to attract and keep viewers? How have these efforts helped them compete with SVOD services? In 3 – 5 years, what do you expect the TV industry to look like and what role will broadcast/cable/streaming play? Limit: 15 responses
Ben Labadia - Part 1
ReplyDeleteAccording to FX’s tracking of scripted series over the years, 2021 had the highest number of scripted series across all networks, not including foreign language series (Porter). However, the new Chairman of Entertainment Content at NBCUniversal, Susan Rovner, says cable TV is moving away from scripted series to attract more viewers (O’Connell).
After a pandemic and the rise in streaming services, the major cable networks have found some interesting findings. Sports dominate. Plain and simple. And if companies want to keep viewers attracted to their channels, they must have some home base for a sports event. CBS had the Superbowl in 2021, while NBC had the postponed Summer Olympics. And NBC actually found an increase in its viewership because of it, by 9%. In comparison, CBS had no growth, and other networks, like Fox News, had a drop by 34% (Schneider).
Another thing that grabs the viewers’ attention is reality and unscripted TV. According to Van Toffler, CEO of Gunpowder & Sky, unscripted content is “buzzy, sticky, binge-able, cheaper, and quicker to make than scripted” content (Shaw). Rovner agrees, saying that their NBC and cable content is moving to a more unscripted brand. She aims to make Peacock more fit for open-ended scripted series that can draw the audience attention for a cultural movement (such as Squid Game or Tiger King’s impact), and then move on. For the cable TV networks, such as E! and Bravo, Rovner wants to maintain total unscripted-ness. She believes in the loyalty of Bravo watchers, wanting to see a wider range of The Real Housewives and watch real, authentic people on screen. For instance, Rovner discussed the racism during The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season, saying that people aren’t going to be turned off by this as they are invested in the variety of people, in income, race, and religion, that causes such problems, and how they are dealt with (O’Connell). It mirrors real life, and so people find kinship in the stories.
The article, “Why Networks Love Reality TV,” by Barclay Palmer, explains why these reality shows can be competitive to SVOD services. One includes the cost of talent, paying stars as much as $1million per season, and only costing between $100,000 and $500,000 to produce each episode. Meanwhile, scripted series can pay actors $1million per episode, and cost millions per episode to produce (Palmer). Therefore, the investment is worth it, especially when these reality shows find high viewer ratings, such as hits like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and 90 Day Fiancé. These tend to help smaller networks, like TLC, MTV, and Bravo, providing smaller networks with a spot in the game. The article also talks about how much easier it is to digest product placement in reality TV because it is real life, and products are everywhere (Palmer). In a scripted series, products are required more attention, and can feel forced to viewers, turning them away from shows appearing to be “sell outs.”
DeleteThus, in 3-5 years, I expect streaming to become home for the more scripted and open-ended content, while cable will be home to only Sports, event shows, and reality television. I think if both forms find their niche and market, they won’t even need to compete, as they’ll be two totally different entities, and people can choose to pay for both in order to get the full experience of content.
Works Cited
O'Connell, Mikey. “Susan Rovner Talks Peacock Plans, Post-Kardashians E! and Future of ‘Broken’ Golden Globes.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 May 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/peacock-streaming-kardashians-golden-globes-future-4177564/.
Palmer, Barclay. “Why Networks Love Reality TV.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 13 Sept. 2021, https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0410/why-networks-love-reality-tv.aspx.
Porter, Rick. “Peak TV Update: Scripted Series Volume Hits All-Time High in 2021.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2022, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/peak-tv-scripted-series-all-time-high-2021-1235075677/.
Schneider, Michael. “Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2021's Winners and Losers.” Variety, Variety, 3 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/network-ratings-2021-top-channels-1235143630/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Shaw, Lucas. “After Bingeing on Dramas, Netflix and Rivals Target Reality TV.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 11 Nov. 2021, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-11/netflix-hbo-amazon-buying-up-reality-tv-shows-for-streaming-services?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=211114&utm_campaign=screentime.
Robert Lyon- 1/2
ReplyDeleteMany television viewers have been tired of paying high prices for traditional cable or satellite (or linear) services for years. The term “cord cutting” became popular in households as smart TV’s, streaming services and Amazon firesticks allowed for alternative forms of entertainment in households. What the major networks need to do is continue to adapt by treating their cable platforms as avenues for on-demand services. Direct TV for example, a satellite based linear service has now come up with Direct TV Stream, a live television streaming service, but at an expensive price compared to other services. Most people are going to ask themselves, “Can I find the channels I like in a streaming package and still save money?” Consumers do not want to spend the high prices on streaming services. The trend is changing; in 2010 the number of households with traditional cable topped 105 million and is predicted to drop to 72 million by 2023 (Nurpur). Networks will have no choice but to shift into streaming to survive. The main reason why people shift to streaming is because of the lack of advertisements, something the major networks were built on; sponsorships. No matter what the cable companies do to attract viewers, they will need to compete with the edgy, original, and unscripted content that makes streaming attractive. Viewers will ultimately decide networks fate.
There is one lifeline that will keep cable networks viewers: sports. In 2021, ESPN saw an 11% increase in viewership, while NBC saw a 17% increase (Schnieder). Sports will continue to have a place on linear television. If those who are in control of linear television keep the sports rights, the core audience to the original television companies will always be there. They will either ignore or watch the long commercials just because they are a devoted sports fan. If the streaming services win over some of the big sports rights, linear television will shrink faster. I think the key to the future of linear television is winning new audiences; this may be hard to do considering the way we consume media has changed. I see sponsorship probably becoming more automated because it will need to be. During the shift into streaming by the media companies, anything can happen, and it will be any networks game. The network that makes the shift sooner will win out. These are not normal times for network companies, the consumer is sitting in judgment of how the big media companies handle the transition to streaming. Again, content will be a major factor. With the average American subscribing to four streaming services, the networks will have their work cut out for them. If Covid-19 has changed anything, it has changed the way we look for entertainment. Gone are the days of watching the nightly news, no one wants to watch politically charged news anymore. Networks will have to beat each other at the streaming game. Streaming offers the average household an escape from network television and more importantly: a choice.
Robert Lyon- 2/2
ReplyDeleteReferences
Schneider, Michael. “Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2021's Winners and Losers.” Variety, Variety, 3 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/network-ratings-2021-top-channels-1235143630/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Shaw, Lucas. “After Bingeing on Dramas, Netflix and Rivals Target Reality TV.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-11/netflix-hbo-amazon-buying-up-reality-tv-shows-for-streaming-services?utm_medium=email&%3Butm_source=newsletter&%3Butm_term=211114&%3Butm_campaign=screentime.
Sherman, Alex. “How Local TV Stations Plan to Remain Relevant as Viewers Shift to Streaming.” CNBC, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2021, https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/24/local-tv-stations-plot-to-remain-relevant-in-shift-to-streaming.html.
Verma, Nupur. “55.1 Mn People to Abandon Linear TV by 2022 - Will Ott Kill Linear TV Broadcasting?” SG Analytics, 23 May 2021, https://www.sganalytics.com/blog/55-1-mn-people-to-abandon-linear-tv-by-2022-will-ott-kill-linear-tv-broadcasting/.
Rita Sherban
ReplyDeleteAs more people cut the cord on cable, linear television is looking to revive itself and compete against streaming services, like Hulu. In recent years, networks for children’s programming have seen a decline as media companies like YouTube compete against Disney and Nickelodeon (Bridge 2021). Parents are more prone to YouTube and other streaming services for kid content as they tend to have shorter ads or the option to exclude commercials altogether (Bridge 2021). While it’s unlikely children’s networks will see a successful turn-around, linear television companies like NBCUniversal have other strategies to keep their linear television afloat. According to Susan Rovner, Chairmen of Entertainment at NBCUniversal, a show on the NBC network should be, “broad, commercial, relatable and more closed-ended” (O’Connell 2021). Shows that can appeal to a wide audience is better for programming than niche content. However, broadcast news has always attracted audiences, but over the years, opinion news has seen a decline of their cable audience and are leaning into streaming services to attract more eyes. Tucker Carlson Tonight attracted an average of 3.2 million people and due to this high-performance rate, Fox gave him his own space on Fox Nation, a subscription syndicate of the Fox company (Johnson 2021). Similarly, CNN is looking to expand their content on CNN+ with shows like Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico (Johnson 2021). Ultimately, the best way for linear television to compete with media conglomerates like Netflix and Hulu is to start leaning into original content. Netflix is a juggernaut for reality TV and it’s because of how quick and easy they are to produce. “Unscripted content is buzzy, sticky, binge-able, cheaper and quicker to make than scripted” (Shaw 2021). About 50% of Netflix original content is unscripted docuseries like Too Hot to Handle and Cheer have kept Netflix as a top contender for reality shows.
Sherban (cont.)
ReplyDeleteIt’s unlikely that linear television will dissolve completely, especially if pricing for SVOD services continue to rise, sites like Netflix now range from $10-$20 depending on the plan and HBO Max cost $15, but there’s no ads. The biggest concern for linear television should be sports. While ESPN has already packaged themselves in with Disney; franchises like NFL, who have already partnered with Amazon Prime to host Thursday Night Football, may look to other streaming sites to expand their reach. According to an article from MediaVillage, “If the SVODs win over some of the big sports rights, linear TV will shrink faster…” (Harvey 2022). Without the live events like sports, award shows, and action news, linear television will dissipate. As more and more people leave cable behind in exchange for subscription based services, it will be interesting to see if linear television like news and live events will also switch to a subscription based service to access the content.
Harvey, B. (2022, January 13). The future of linear television depends on sports. MediaVillage. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.mediavillage.com/article/the-future-of-linear-television-depends-on-sports/
Johnson, T. (2021, December 26). A look back at 2021: Cable News viewership dropped - and there may be more disruption to come (analysis). Deadline. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://deadline.com/2021/12/cable-news-ratings-2021-fox-cnn-1234899789/
O'Connell, M. (2021, May 7). Susan Rovner talks Peacock Plans, post-kardashians E! and future of "Broken" golden globes. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/peacock-streaming-kardashians-golden-globes-future-4177564/
Shaw, L. (2021, November 11). After Bingeing on Dramas, Netflix and Rivals Target Reality TV. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-11/netflix-hbo-amazon-buying-up-reality-tv-shows-for-streaming-services?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=211114&utm_campaign=screentime
Sydney Lunder (1)
ReplyDeleteThe term “cutting the cord” has been used to describe users who cancelled their live television cable services. There has been a spike since the start of the pandemic in cord-cutting, and can be directly traced back to the rise of streaming services. No more waiting around for an episode to come on at a specific time, and more access to movies and tv shows on demand. This has become an issue for cable companies because it is difficult for them to compete with the prices and the access that these streaming services are providing. According to the article “A Look Back at 2021: Cable Viewership Dropped- And There May Be More Disruption to Come (Analysis)” posted on deadline.com Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN suffered the most drastic losses during 2021 alone. Based on charts from the article Fox suffered a 34% decrease from 2020 in cable news primetime views, MSNBC suffered a 28% decrease, and CNN suffered a 39% decrease. The author writes “The past 12 months also have been one of tune out, as all of the networks saw a significant drop in viewers… the news cycle moved on from the four-alarm fires of the Trump administration and the momentous nature of a presidential election year. Coupled with the onset of Covid-19 shutdowns, the year 2020 was a ratings bonanza for the news business” (Johnson, 2021). Due to a variety of different factors, cable has suffered extreme losses. According to the article “Fading Ratings: Viewership Declines in Key Cable Genres” a key factor in this loss of viewers can also be found within the content. Some examples mentioned included kids shows, sports networks, and news networks. As stated in the article “The first reason for decline is increased competition, which started with YouTube but has since expanded to almost all SVOD, FAST and AVOD services featuring kids content. With these either having shorter ad loads or the option for no ads at all, parents are happy for their children to be less exposed to commercials” (Bridge, 2021). The reason for the decline in news and sports network views is accredited to packages offered by SVOD services providing other networks like ESPN+ and live news stations. The question is, how will these cable companies fix this decline and adapt to the new market.
Sydney Lunder (2)
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned in an article from CNN.com Fox News has adapted. The article “Why Fox News is Launching ‘Fox Nation’ streaming service”. This article dives into what the new venture is about, the business side of it, and why it might be successful. This article breaks down each section by discussing the pros and cons of this new streaming platform. From reading this article, it is clear this was a good move for FOX. They are one of the few major cable companies that have made a fast transition to streaming. Fox will be able to try and compete with other SVOD companies in terms of viewers. As mentioned in the article “ox Nation makes sense for several reasons. It creates more shelf space for contributors who might be agitating for a show of their own. Fox execs can use Fox Nation to groom talent and try out future shows for the TV network…
The streaming service is not ad-supported, so execs don’t have to worry about ad boycott efforts…
– they have to worry about ratings… Nielsen won’t be measuring anything…, but as long as Fox’s superfans keep renewing their subscriptions, that’s OK” (Stelter, 2018). Fox Nation was one of the early players in this transition to streaming game, and consistently gain viewers. I think in 3-5 years every major cable network will do what Fox did with Fox Nation. They will all condense their content into one platform with a streaming service, and they will be able to compete with the other SVOD services.
Work Cited
Stelter, Brian. “Why Fox News Is Launching the 'Fox Nation' Streaming Service | CNN Business.” CNN, Cable News Network, 27 Nov. 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/27/media/reliable-sources-11-26-18/index.html.
Johnson, Ted. “A Look Back at 2021: Cable News Viewership Dropped - and There May Be More Disruption to Come (Analysis).” Deadline, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2021, https://deadline.com/2021/12/cable-news-ratings-2021-fox-cnn-1234899789/.
Bridge, Gavin. “Fading Ratings: Viewership Declines in Key Cable Genres.” Variety, Variety, 30 Dec. 2021, https://variety.com/vip/fading-ratings-viewership-declines-in-key-cable-genres-1235144463/.
Michael McGurrin
ReplyDeleteLinear broadcasting and cable networks are starting to hit rock bottom. Streaming services are taking the media field by storm, and many companies join the bandwagon. However, cable networks have been trying to develop ways to keep people interested in cable. FX has seen a significant increase in the number of scripted shows available. According to Rick Porter, “The year featured 559 English-language scripted shows — a 13 percent jump from 2020” (Porter). That was the most significant increase in the companies time they have been tracking the amount of content. Cable networks have also been advertising so much on social media about their content. This is to get their content known to everyone on the internet. Companies have been using to keep people engaged with cable are utilizing streaming services. Companies like NBC created a streaming service, Peacock, to boost their brand to a newer market. This means both brands can build off each other and continue to support one another. Not to mention buying rights deals to many major networks or services. ESPN buying the NHL.TV rights this previous off-season was huge. ESPN will feature a certain amount of games, and the rest of the out-of-market games will be on ESPN+. That is why these companies have been expanding their horizons, buying, and creating more content of their own on streaming.
There will come a time when regular cable TV comes to an end. I believe that will happen within the next 3 – 5 years. According to Nick G., “Nearly 30% of US consumers plan to cut the cord in 2021” (G.). Streaming services have been on the offense and continue to grow every month and year. Any broadcast or network will be moved to a streaming service eventually. It will cost companies more to broadcast off traditional media than streaming on their own. You can blame the pandemic for a major fail in cable and pushed streaming over the top. There were no live sports or events taking place for several months. There were barely any people even working at the stations. However, there is another huge reason for these failures. According to Simon Cohen, “Cable and satellite television are just too expensive” (Cohen). He gives it to everyone straight up that it is a one-time cost. He also acknowledges, “most folks know that on-demand streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ offer some outstanding content that you can’t get on regular pay-tv” (Cohen). It brings up the question, why would anyone want to pay more to get less content? With prices for everything rising across the U.S, entertainment costs have to be going down. Although cable networks can make some good deals or rights, they can’t compete with SVOD independently. That is why we will also see cable tv a thing of the past in the next few years.
“19 Cord Cutting Statistics and Trends in 2022 [The Dusk Of TV Is Here].” Techjury, 6 Feb. 2022, techjury.net/blog/cord-cutting-statistics/#gref.Cohen, Simon.
“Why 2021 Could Be the Beginning of the End for Cable TV.” Digital Trends, 1 Feb. 2021, www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/2021-final-nail-cable-satellite-pay-tv-coffin.Porter, Rick.
“Peak TV Update: Scripted Series Volume Hits All-Time High in 2021.” The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Jan. 2022, www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/peak-tv-scripted-series-all-time-high-2021-1235075677.
Robert Fritz
ReplyDeleteIn recent years cutting the cord has become a trend in favor of streaming services and the way people consume content is shifting. Linear broadcasting and cable networks are slowly becoming a relic of the past. In an article titled 19 cord cutting statistics and trends in 2022 [The Dusk of TV is here] the data showed that indeed linear broadcasting and cable TV is on the downswing. In that article it was mentioned that nearly 30% of US consumers planned to cut the cord in 2021 and that only 56% watched satellite or cable TV which is 20% drop off. To combat this issue of linear broadcasting and cable taking a turn for the worst they have began making streaming services of their own to try offset the losses from regular TV. Another thing is content is being created at an all-time rate according to an article in the Hollywood reporter. Scripted series have hit an all-time high of 559 scripted shows which is a 13 percent increase from 2020 and a 5% increase from 2019. Over the next three to five years, it will be interesting to see how streaming vs cable plays out. One of things that I think will be an important factor in all of this is live sports as we haven’t seen live sports make a full transition to streaming services. The NFL is king in America and the ratings prove that every single year and with Thursday Night football moving to Amazon Prime it will be interesting to see if ratings carry over. This also goes beyond just football as baseball earns a lot of their money through local TV deals so getting access to all 30 teams will be difficult as the MLB is having a hard time itself with MLB.TV. In an article at TechHive written by Jared Newman he talks about this issue of live sports and streaming services “If you wanted to stream local baseball, basketball, and hockey, DirecTV Stream has been the only option in many markets, with prices starting at $85 per month. Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV both dropped regional Fox Sports networks (now called Bally Sports networks) in the fall of 2020 and show no signs of bringing them back.” If live sports remain largely on cable TV, I can see them being able to continue on, but it also won’t save them either. Being able to retain live sports would be huge but just having that may not be enticing enough for people to stay. Another thing that will heavily influence this is the pricing of the streaming services and if it actually cheaper than cable TV. If the prices change enough to where it’s not only more expensive than cable but it prices people out of their service.
G, Nick. “19 Cord Cutting Statistics and Trends in 2022 [the Dusk of TV Is Here].” Techjury, 6 Feb. 2022, https://techjury.net/blog/cord-cutting-statistics/#gref.
Newman, Jared. “Cord-Cutting Trends We Expect to See in 2022.” TechHive, 23 Dec. 2021, https://www.techhive.com/article/579918/cord-cutting-trends-we-expect-to-see-in-2022.html.
Porter, Rick. “Peak TV Update: Scripted Series Volume Hits All-Time High in 2021.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2022, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/peak-tv-scripted-series-all-time-high-2021-1235075677/.
Kimberlyn Bouley
ReplyDeleteLinear television and cable networks have seen a drastic change in viewership as well as a decline in subscriptions. SVOD services are on the rise and other networks are contributing to their own streaming services while being less focused on their cable services. These networks have seen more and more cord-cutters, cord-trimmers, and cord-nevers as increasing amounts of consumers are breaking away from cable and investing in streaming services. These terms have been defined in Nick G.’s article, “19 Cord Cutting Statistics and Trends in 2022 [The Dusk of TV is Here]” where he explains the types of consumers who are breaking away from cable. Cord-cutter is explained as, “viewers who decided to cancel or “cut the cord” on their cable or satellite subscriptions in favor of less expensive or free video platforms.” This is seen as streaming services are providing more content for a cheaper price. In some cases, these SVOD services are also providing an option to view content without the constant interruptions of advertisements. The options provided are still being offered at a cheaper price than most cable subscription packs. Another type of consumer starting their transition are the cord-trimmers which are consumers that have, “cut their TV subscription expenses by trimming their TV packages and opting for skinnier TV bundles.” TV bundles can be expensive and some SVOD are offering the same content for a cheaper cost. Now, Hulu is the most popular live internet TV service with their package offering a subscription to their service as well as live TV. This bundle is the most common way consumers are replacing their cable TV. Doing this means companies like AT&T are losing customers at an extreme rate. According to Nick G.’s article just last year AT&T had already lost 1.16 million TV accounts. Cable Networks are now trying to find ways to increase their sales.
Most networks are now switching over to focus on their streaming services more than cable subscriptions. As seen in Hollywood Reporter’s article, “Will the CW Be a Streaming Wars Casualty?”, Viacom CBS and Warner Media have sold their stakes in the CW to “local TV Giant” Nexstar. This will allow these networks to apply their profit to better their streaming services, Paramount + and HBO Max. This will increase the content on those platforms and increase subscriptions. Children’s networks like Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network have also seen a significant drop in prime-time viewership as more children and parents are choosing the Disney + streaming service. The gains of this option is a new experience for children’s viewing as well as fewer ads being displayed for the younger viewers to be influenced.
Linear television and cable networks have seen a significant decrease in prime-time viewership in events like award shows. Events like The Oscars, The Grammys, and The Golden Globes didn’t even make the top 100 for Nielson’s most-watched telecasts. The only content that came into the top 10 were sporting events as well as televised events like, “Adele’s One Night Only” and “Oprah with Meghan and Harry”. SVOD services are now taking advantage of reality TV and unscripted television. To gain and keep viewers, cable networks need to lower their package prices as well as keep consumers interested in their content. Reality television, award shows, and sporting events are the content that will keep consumers engaged.
Although I don’t believe that linear television and cable networks will fully disappear as an option for users, there will be a significant decrease in content within three to five years. SVOD services will then be the main option for consumers to receive their content. CNN has now decided to also create a streaming service for their news and other content. Once sports like the NFL and AFL decide to create streaming services, my prediction is that linear television and cable services might be the very last options consumers will choose for their media consumption.
Sources:
DeleteG., Nick. “19 Cord Cutting Statistics and Trends in 2022 [the Dusk of TV Is Here].” Techjury, techjury.net/blog/cord-cutting-statistics/#gref.
Weprin, Alex. “Will the CW Be a Streaming Wars Casualty?” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Jan. 2022, www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/the-cw-sale-nexstar-1235073465/.
Kallie Purdue
ReplyDeleteAs streaming has started to take over the media world and more people turn to their streaming services instead of cable, it's incredibly important that cable networks continue to pivot and develop new initiatives to survive against their competitors. Factors that have helped cable remain profitable are that their content they offer is still widely watched and needed by consumers. These two genres are live news and live sports. Sports have been a favored genre for years, and for cable it has been a lifesaver against streaming services. In 2021 live sports were back after the start of the Pandemic and viewers were engaging positively, “ESPN led all, of course, up 11% to an average of 1.6 million viewers in primetime. Also on the rise was TNT (10%) — not a sports network per se, but clearly helped by NBA coverage and March Madness” (Schneider). People use cable to watch live sports and sporting events. For live news the viewership was up as well, “NBC ended 2021 up 9% in total viewers and up 7% in adults 18-49, while CBS was flat in viewers and up 1% in 18-49" (Schneider). The influence of sports on these networks definitely impacted these statistics and we can see how important sports are for cable television. In addition, cable news soars during elections as viewership is up, and this component has helped cable news over the years. Gavin Bridge from the article, “Fading Ratings: Viewership Declines in Key Cable Genres” expects 2022’s national election (since 2020) “year-over-year audience change to be positive again in the coming year. Cable news is set to remain one of cable TV’s few successful tentpoles for some time to come” (Bridge).
These genres that are included within cable are the ways they are able to compete against streaming services and are really the way that they are still afloat. However, these statistics are not going to continue to rise without new innovation. And it will not be long until streaming services find ways to include these genres in their structures. This is why cable television needs to continue to capitalize on their genres that work and incorporate entities of streaming services to better serve their customers. Incorporate the Direct Tv component where consumers can watch a “live” show later and record the time it was broadcasted. And then in their leisure time they can go back and watch it as many times as they want. Incorporating more content focused commercials and grouping them together so consumers are not interrupted throughout the broadcast. According to a recent study, consumers like that cable tv has convenient billing and familiar layouts when it comes to billing and program variety. They also like the idea that cable has cheaper and skinnier plans, “cable companies are coming up with less expensive, stripped-down plans to compete with cable-replacement streaming services” (Willcox). There are consumers that want to still watch cable tv, so it is essential that cable tv really starts to implement beneficial features from streaming services to get their consumers to stay and remain competitive in the industry.
In 3-5 years, I think cable tv will look a lot more like streaming does now. I think the only way to truly stay competitive is to start to pivot and change the structures to things that are working. I think cable can stay competitive because of their genres they include, but if they do not continue to change their structures to be more beneficial for their consumers it will not work in the long run.
Works Cited:
DeleteBridge, Gavin. “Fading Ratings: Viewership Declines in Key Cable Genres.” Variety, Variety, 30 Dec. 2021, https://variety.com/vip/fading-ratings-viewership-declines-in-key-cable-genres-1235144463/.
Schneider, Michael. “Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2021's Winners and Losers.” Variety, Variety, 3 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/network-ratings-2021-top-channels-1235143630/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Willcox, James K. “Cable vs. Streaming Live TV Services: Which Should You Choose?” Consumer Reports, 29 July 2019, https://www.consumerreports.org/tv-service/cable-vs-streaming-live-tv-services-a9347081295/.
Stepping out from a worldwide pandemic, nobody should expect the media to look the same. Together, Covid-19 and SVOD services put a record-setting damper on cable assets. For a long time the goal of these companies was to go above and beyond, now it is simply to stay afloat. Therefore, many cable providers are doing whatever they can to retain viewers. CBS and Fox have been working desperately to adapt and create their own streaming services, in order to provide everything the viewer needs by themselves. Streaming giants like Netflix and Hulu are fighting back without hesitation, exploring endeavors like live sports, reality television and more (Bloomberg). Cable networks weren’t anticipating the seriousness of this shift, and the lack of hindsight is hurting them badly now. They also haven’t paid attention to the personalization and need-based nature of these streaming services. But while they haven’t been too successful, there are two sectors staying alive even in these digital times. Cable sports and news networks are the two immovable objects for the moment, and it is crucial that the networks play to these strengths to survive. The unwavering American need for sports has proved itself time after time, and despite a 26% drop in viewership since 2014, ESPN is still king (Variety VIP+). While they didn’t see the success of ESPN who made some smart purchases this offseason, many other networks bounced back such as TNT due to NBA coverage, as well as major league networks like NFL, MLB and even Fox Sports up 25%. Another important thing sports networks need to capitalize on is the emphasis of niche content created by the pandemic. Nowadays, people are looking to branch out rather than stay traditional, and many niche sports and events could be taken advantage of by these networks (Variety). News networks should not be expected to top a year that involved a peaking global pandemic and lingering election drama. However, they’re still booming when comparing their growth since 2014. Despite pandemic numbers blurring the lines, it is clear that news has become more of a valued necessity to viewers in the last 10 years. As we enter the generation of photoshop and deep fakes, it seems this search for validity and facts will only grow stronger. So far, these networks have been caught by the safety net of the brands they’ve built up for so long. However, our world is only becoming more portable and content will be at the forefront. Forbes and Fortune reported that 27% of US households plan to cut cable in 2021. This is dangerous for cable, considering Pew Research’s report that showed only 56% of viewers currently watch cable TV (TechJury). These are alarming numbers and while cable is hanging on, they are going to have to get very crafty to get back on top. Knowing my generation, it is hard to have a positive outlook on cable in the next 3-5 years. Content and attention spans are becoming more momentary everyday, and it is justified as people can watch the same content with less time and money than before. Unless cable can cater to the specific needs that streaming services do, I don’t think there is any turning back. I also don’t think that cable will be able to cater this way, since their abundance of content has been their weapon for so long. As a 1999 baby, I grew up waking up early for my cartoons and I hope that kids still get to do so in the future because it’s exciting. I just don’t know how much longer cable can hang on.
ReplyDeleteBloomberg.com, Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-11/netflix-hbo-amazon-buying-up-reality-tv-shows-for-streaming-services?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=211114&utm_campaign=screentime.
ReplyDelete“19 Cord Cutting Statistics and Trends in 2022 [the Dusk of TV Is Here].” Techjury, https://techjury.net/blog/cord-cutting-statistics/#gref.
Schneider, Michael. “Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2021's Winners and Losers.” Variety, Variety, 3 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/network-ratings-2021-top-channels-1235143630/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Bridge, Gavin. “Fading Ratings: Viewership Declines in Key Cable Genres.” Variety, Variety, 30 Dec. 2021, https://variety.com/vip/fading-ratings-viewership-declines-in-key-cable-genres-1235144463/.
Johnny Marquardt part 1.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the biggest attractions to cable networks are the sports. With many streaming services not quite into the swing of things when it comes to live sports, Cable networks are capitalizing on the opening of live events after covid protocols. According to Variety they state, “ESPN led all, of course, up 11% to an average of 1.6 million viewers in primetime. Also on the rise was TNT (10%) — not a sports network per se, but clearly helped by NBA coverage and March Madness. ESPN2 jumped 48%, Fox Sports 1 was up 25%, and even the about-to-be-shuttered NBC Sports Network saw a 17% gain” (Schneider). Though there are platforms with live sports such as Hulu, Peacock, and ESPN+, Cable still has a larger percentage of viewers watching sports, and the numbers are increasing since Covid. Who knows how long this will last though?
Cable seems to be fleeting regardless, becoming another trend disappearing into the past. First it was Netflix taking out Blockbuster and making it obsolete. Now other companies followed suit, creating their own streaming service and are now in the midst of killing the cable industry. According to another Variety article they state, Only the NFL Network can report a greater average primetime audience in 2021 than in 2019 (up by 3.7% or 10,000 people), with ESPN2 level at 304k. All other major sports nets are down in 2021 versus 2019” (Bridge). So even with sports being one if the few saviors of cable, it won’t last forever. Overtime people will take advantage of live sports on streaming services, such as viewers who decided to watch the Superbowl on Peacock, rather than tune in on NBC.
Johnny Marquardt Part 2.
ReplyDeleteLooking down the road in 3-5 years, it’s hard to imagine cable being completely obsolete. Similar to radio, who has been competing with music streaming for years, it’s hard to see life without it. There has yet to be a big-name cable station to be cut from air, so it’s up the imagination what will happen to cable. I think cable will still be around, I just don’t think it’ll be the primary focus on income like it used to be. Big names like CBS, NBC, and HBO have their own streaming services, so they won’t be losing as much money per say, the sales will just shift from cable to streaming. The only companies that will really be hurting are, the cable companies, such as Frontier, Xfinity, and Charter. According to Yahoo it states, “the first quarter 2021 numbers show that the cable TV industry continued to bleed customers at a staggering rate, with Comcast and AT&T leading the way. Leichtman Research Group estimates that the number of cable cord-cutters in the first quarter was close to 2 million” (Meek). Like Hollywood videos and Blockbusters, they’ll just be phased out and streaming will be supreme. The question is, what will phase out streaming?
Bridge, Gavin. “Fading Ratings: Viewership Declines in Key Cable Genres.” Variety, Variety, 30 Dec. 2021, https://variety.com/vip/fading-ratings-viewership-declines-in-key-cable-genres-1235144463/.
Meek, Andy. “Cable TV Is Dying, and the Industry Only Has Itself to Blame.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, https://www.yahoo.com/video/cable-tv-dying-industry-only-211216126.html.
Schneider, Michael. “Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2021's Winners and Losers.” Variety, Variety, 3 Jan. 2022, https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/network-ratings-2021-top-channels-1235143630/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.