We’ve known for some time that more people are streaming than ever before, but new data shows just how much the gulf between traditional TV and streaming is widening.
According to recent numbers from Hub Entertainment Research, 68% of people say they watch their favorite new shows online – online including mobile and desktop viewing plus streaming through a network’s smart TV app or a TV service like YouTube TV or Sling TV.
That’s compared to just 26% of people who say they watch their favorite new show through traditional pay television. The remaining percentage watches over the air.
Of course, Netflix dominates the list, claiming the top spot for individual viewing source. A full 38% of people say they watch their favorite show on the streaming giant’s platform. In fact, it accounted for more viewing than every linear network combined.
Hub’s research also showed what they called “dramatic differences” in how streaming viewers find new shows compared to traditional TV viewers. Streamers are far more likely to find a new show through word of mouth (33% of people said that’s how they discover new content) while traditional TV viewers learn of new shows through advertising (30% of viewers say that’s how they find new shows).
In short, people who watch TV online are far more likely to talk about shows socially.
As more and more people turn to streaming, one interesting result is that simply advertising a TV show on television isn’t going to cut it anymore. While advertising (like placement in a streaming service’s home screen) will still play a part, word of mouth and social media buzz is quickly becoming king.
This data comes from a study done by Hub Entertainment Research in October of 2020 among 1,604 US broadband customers who watch at least one hour of television per week.