Traditional television and media seem like a thing of the ancient past, something that the young generation might not even be able to relate to. We have technology to thank for that.

Technology has overshadowed everything. It has even replaced traditional broadcast and cable media with a more sophisticated and convenient solution, i.e. streaming. Where people had to struggle with heavy dish antennas to be able to watch something, now they only have to struggle with choosing what to watch.

The technology-driven transformation has caused a digital disruption in traditional media like cable TV and Hollywood. Let us learn more about how streaming technology has impacted traditional media.

Understanding the Difference between Streaming Platforms and Traditional Media

Despite having a similar purpose and end goal, the difference between streaming and traditional media is massive.

Traditional Media

Traditional media is the conventional source of mass communication like newspapers, radio, satellite, and TV. However, for the context of this blog, we will be referring to cable and broadcast TV as traditional media forms.

Also known as linear TV, these forms follow a set schedule and only air specific content. So, if the viewers miss a program, they can only watch it if it is aired again.

Cable TV is transmitted to the viewers through copper coaxial cables that run from the cable provider to their homes. Whereas, broadcast TV is transmitted to the user through radio waves that are caught by the antennas set up in the viewer’s home. The core features of traditional TV are:

• Set programming schedules
• Lineups of local channels
• Live broadcasts

Streaming Platforms

Streaming technology is a stark contrast to traditional TV. It is delivered to the viewers through the internet and online platforms. Streaming delivers content in real-time, so you do not need to download or prerecord the content.

One thing about streaming is that you are dependent on the internet to access the content. So, you can only enjoy it if you have access to a high-speed and reliable connection like Spectrum Internet, without any data caps.

Moreover, streaming is a sophisticated version of video-on-demand. Viewers can watch whatever they like, whenever they like. As compared to traditional TV, which has limited content aired on a set schedule, streaming platforms have a wide variety of content available to watch. So much so that choosing what to watch often puts viewers in a dilemma.

Furthermore, streaming is also considered subscription-based entertainment, because viewers pay a monthly subscription fee to watch and enjoy endless content. At its core, streaming has the following main features:

• Diverse content options
• Flexible content delivery
• Different video qualities available
• Personalized content
• Easy subscription models

Exploring the Impact of Streaming Platforms on Traditional TV Media

As mentioned above, streaming has completely replaced traditional media in homes. However, the impact of these platforms on traditional TV media is far more complex than the former replacing the latter.

It has impacted TV media on so many levels and kickstarted an entire transformation. Listed below are some important aspects of this impact.  

The Cord-Cutting Trend

The rise in the popularity of streaming services has impacted traditional TV media in a crucial way by giving birth to the cord-cutting trend.

This refers to when people stop paying for traditional TV services like cable or broadcast TV. This can be for several reasons, like no one watches TV in their home, or they find streaming services more cost-effective.

The trend is also because people find the ease and flexibility of streaming platforms more lucrative than what traditional TV has to offer. Moreover, this trend caused a massive decline in traditional TV consumers – forcing them to either adapt to user expectations or go out of business.

Change in Viewership Habits and Expectations

With the technology-driven convenience of streaming platforms, there was a massive shift in viewer habits and expectations. Most streaming platforms, at least in the beginning, earned from their subscription fees.

Viewers could watch what they wanted without annoying ads interrupting their entertainment. This set the bar of service for subscription-based viewers, and TV ads became a major nuisance. Moreover, streaming services also gave birth to binge-watching culture among the younger generation.

With entire shows and series just a click away, people began watching them in one go. This highlighted another traditional TV drawback that people had to wait before they could watch the latest episode of their favorite show. Plus, traditional TV did not offer entire shows for watching in one go.

So, as streaming platforms increased viewer expectations, traditional TV could not keep up.

Forcing Traditional TV to Adapt

Streaming triggered a massive transformation in traditional TV. The sudden decline in viewership forced it to adapt to audience expectations and change its business model. It took inspiration from the on-demand content revolution and many cable TV providers started offering flexible video-on-demand options.

Apart from that, many cable and broadcast networks also launched their own streaming services. For instance, NBC launched Peacock and CBS launched Paramount+.

Moreover, traditional TV service providers also started offering streaming packages as well. This was done to attract the customers who preferred streaming and improve their customer retention. Plus, this also enabled them to compete better against streaming giants like Netflix. It also put a break to the cord-cutting trend and lowered their costs as well.

Overall, adapting to consumer expectations was the only way for traditional TV service providers to survive.

Improved Content Quality and Diversity

The massive pressure of streaming services on cable and traditional TV greatly improved the overall content quality.

Since the competition was so tough, even among streaming services, it gave birth to the original content trend by streaming giants. This production of original content was the only way streaming platforms could stand out because the benefits they were providing to the viewers were similar to each other.

 Traditional TV also took inspiration and gravitated towards independently producing content like movies and shows.

This not only diversified content options and genre, but also greatly improved the content quality as well. With such tough competition, platforms cannot take a chance at losing viewership over such issues.

All in all, the rise of streaming platforms has greatly impacted traditional TV media forms like cable and broadcast television. This impact has forced traditional media to change its structure and offerings. However, both options are geared towards one collective goal, i.e. surpassing audience expectations and making entertainment affordable and easily accessible.