In the hustle and bustle of the digital age the practicality of live television is diminishing as it is much easier to watch something on your own time. With popular streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix and YouTube the cases of linear TV viewing (watching programs when they air on their networks) are becoming less and less common. With thousands of movies, TV shows and unique content available online for a considerably cheaper price, there is not really much reason for financially struggling young people to pay for traditional TV packages.
According to a 2015 Pew Research Center study “15% of American adults are now ‘cord cutters’ – that is, they indicate that they once had a cable or satellite TV connection, but no longer subscribe.” Adults are slowly moving away from watching TV in the traditional sense. The immediate access of online streaming services is a likely reason audiences find Netflix, Hulu and other services so desireable. The ability for viewers to watch something without having to wait for a particular day and time is appealing as it allows them to view a program at their own pace, otherwise known as timeshifting.
Newwave Communications’ basic cable package costs a Carlinville resident $75.99 a month before tax. With the cost of having basic Netflix, Hulu and YouTube packages totalling to $16 a month, the decision between cable or streaming is a no brainer for many consumers. The cost of TV packages are not even a factor for some. For example, all residence halls at Blackburn are given hookups to cable TV in each room, but, despite this service being included in the housing fees, many students still turn to internet based media. Senior biology major Nathan Boulch stated, “I use YouTube and Netflix, as well as the occasional Amazon Prime for my ‘TV’ purposes. The only exceptions being when the internet is down or new episodes of ‘The Walking Dead’.” Even when TV is an available option, it is only something people get interested in if there is a particular show that is popular such as HBO’s immensely popular program “Game of Thrones.” Some students also use the cable available in the residence halls and several common areas on campus to watch live sporting events. However, with the growing number of students from around the country and the world, the local sports teams broadcasted in the area are not as appealing as tracking scores electronically. There are even streaming services that specialize in sporting events that are growing in popularity (NFL games on Twitter, for example). With those exceptions there is not much else that draws audiences to traditional cable and satellite TV services.
In particular, YouTube is still growing in popularity and is often used as a substitute for traditional TV. Audiences may be turning to this alternative due to how videos have become more syndicated and similar to a television series. Game Grumps, the YouTube “let’s players” (YouTube channels that show videos of video gameplay with audio commentary), structure their episodes in 15 minute blocks with commentary reminiscent of morning radio talk shows. By producing episodes that are short, channels such as Game Grumps are able to put out one to three videos a day. This simulates the draw of traditional television where audiences have to wait until the next episode to continue the narrative of their show but shortens the length of time that a viewer has to wait before that episode is released.