In recent years television has gradually transitioned from the traditional form to online streaming. For many people, watching television has become more than a past-time and something of utmost importance. Previously, television was not the center of an individual’s daily life. In recent years, television has become a thriving, living thing.
Online streaming of television has become the new “thing” of today. It is through the many outlets of watching shows online that many are able to accomplish making television the center of their daily-lives. Many of the most popular outlets include that of Hulu, Amazon Prime, and the most popular Netflix. Through these streaming services, people took TV watching to a whole other level. In fact it is in these archives that one can finish an entire series that are available. In order to do this many take the full advantage of using the mobile apps that come along with these sites. Using these sites individuals have been able to take their TV watching on the go with them in almost every place possible with Wi-Fi connection.
Online streaming is gradually moving to replace traditional television. As the months continue to pass by, we see more and more that online streaming is taking the place of the television. According to Wall Street Journal author Shalini Ramachandran, “Americans increased streaming of Web video to nearly 11 hours a month, up from nearly 7 a year earlier. The amount of online video consumed is likely even higher than the numbers suggest, as they don’t include viewing with devices such as the Roku, gaming consoles, or smartphones.”
It is clear that many people are progressively beginning to favor more online streaming than that of traditional television. As a result of this, as many continue to favor these online archives, many soon begin to lose interest in the traditional cable television altogether. For instance, according to the National Post’s Aly Thomson, 16 percent of Canadians have chosen to stop paying for traditional television subscriptions. As documented by a CBS research report done May 2015, many Canadians have decided to cut ties with the traditional television subscriptions in favor of the online streaming.
Who is watching more online television? The answer is pretty obvious; it is no surprise that younger people are the ones watching online streaming of television. For the generation where technology is readily available, it is no surprise that we turn to computers for our television time. In fact, it is because of this that those over at MarketingCharts were able to make their deductions that, “Yes, youth as a whole are watching less TV – and the decline appears to be accelerating."
According to MarketingCharts, between 2014 and 2015 the viewing between ages of 18-24 showed a decline from the previous years. One could then make the deduction that in the many of the shows that were watched during traditional television showings now are more likely to be watched streaming online.
Thus far it is hard to predict how long online streaming of television will last. Could we see ourselves slowly become a generation solely dependent on the internet and separated from the television? Will popular networks now begin to cater to the online streamer? What is the fate of traditional television? Will it continue to remain relevant or will it eventually fade with time and history?
