Remember that joke during the pandemic when everyone was stuck at home? It was something to the effect of “what are you watching this week?” And the answer was “Netflix . . . as in all of the Netflix library”. Those days accelerated a streaming wave that has only gained momentum since, and now in 2023 streaming is the predominant way folks are watching television. Cable and satellite companies are losing customers by the hundreds of thousands every quarter. Ad budgets have shifted dramatically to streaming. Cord cutting is all the rage. So where does broadcast TV fit in all of this?
With all this doom and gloom about audiences shifting to non-traditional television, it’s easy to think broadcast television is on its way out. Luckily, broadcast has been a resilient medium that provides great value to a wide variety of audiences. Here are some of the reasons broadcast will keep its relevance even as the landscape shifts:
- Live Sports - the NFL is THE marquee programming on television. Its audiences are unmatched. The NFL even owns a day of the week! Networks understand the value of the NFL, and they are sure to keep the rights for the foreseeable future. Other sports like the Olympics, World Cup Soccer, World Series and NBA Finals are also appointment viewing because let’s face it - nothing is as compelling as live sporting events.
- Broadcast still reaches most audiences - internet users watch an average of 1 hour and 25 minutes of online tv per day. Broadcast TV users average 1 hour and 55 minutes per day. And Gen Z’ers watch more live TV every day (47%) than Tik Tok (33%).
- Local News - as long as local communities exist, there will be a need for local news. They are essential to holding our elected officials accountable and having a loyal, educated audience. Local weather is also a huge draw as well. Who doesn’t prefer a live weather segment over looking at an app?
- Broadcast TV is Free - broadcast is available to 100% of its audience, and the best part is that it is free! All you need is an antenna, or a live-streaming tv service like Youtube TV, or Fubo. And with ATSC 3.0, receiving a signal should be easier than ever for those cord cutters.
- Consumers Value TV Ads - Advertising Week conducted research asking internet users to describe ads in 3 different media - social media, website, and TV. The top 3 qualities associated with social media were “intrusive” and “distracting”. TV ads had qualities such as “entertaining” and “informative”. The intimacy of the internet is such that ads are viewed less favorably.
As you can see, there are several reasons to believe that broadcast will continue to have a big role in any media mix and maintain its relevancy. Its' reach and power remain very strong regardless of what goes on around it. TV has and always will provide advertisers with advantages other media simply can’t match.