For 1st month ever, streamers rule broadcast, cable networks
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/08/2022 (1525 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
NEW YORK (AP) — This summer has been a breakthrough for streaming, with the time viewers spent watching services like Netflix and Hulu outpacing broadcast and cable television networks in July for the first month ever.
Viewers spent 35% of their time with streamers, 34% on cable networks and 22% watching broadcast television last month, the Nielsen company said Thursday. Video on demand or DVD playback accounted for much of the other time.
July is an unusual month — broadcast TV is essentially on vacation with little live sports or scripted programming and a prime-time schedule clogged with game shows — but it’s a clear indication of how rapidly the business is changing.
“It was inevitable,” said David Bianculli, professor of television studies at Rowan University and critic on NPR’s “Fresh Air.” “I knew it had to happen, but I didn’t know it would happen as quickly as it did.”
What to stream
A roundup of some must-see TV series and films premiering on subscription streaming platforms in August
A roundup of some must-see TV series and films premiering on subscription streaming platforms in August:
“Thirteen Lives”
“Apollo 13” director Ron Howard brings his methodical, nail-biting style to another real-life story that captivated the world. When a Thai boys’ soccer team ended up trapped in an underground cave during the summer of 2018, it was up to a team of British rescuers, working with locals and experts from around the world, to attempt an excavation effort. Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell play the Brits with a subdued presence that allows the claustrophobic underwater cinematography to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. For another take on the story, check out the acclaimed documentary “The Rescue,” on Disney Plus. (Aug. 5, Prime Video)
“Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99”
They billed it as a tribute to the legendary Woodstock ’69 music festival, but what transpired on one July weekend in 1999 was far from “peace and love.” A three-part documentary series leans on the memories of musicians, staff and promoters who participated in the massive rock music spectacle that spiralled into rage and destruction. Their stories are told against a ticking clock that moves from Korn’s Friday night show to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ closing performance when concertgoers set the grounds ablaze. (Netflix, Aug. 3)
“House of the Dragon”
HBO hopes to ride the monstrous success that was “Game of Thrones” with a new fantasy TV series set 200 years before that storyline. Centred on the House Targaryen, the lineage of Daenerys Targaryen, the so-called Mother of Dragons, the series draws on material from George R.R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood.” Much about the series has been shrouded in secrecy since it began production in early 2021, but early trailers suggest there are many battles waged over succession plans and more dragons than ever. “House of the Dragon” stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy and Rhys Ifans. (Crave, Aug. 21, episodes weekly)
“Five Days at Memorial”
Staff at the intensive care unit of a New Orleans hospital are faced with unimaginable challenges when hurricane Katrina slams New Orleans and leaves their facilities hanging in the balance. As the waters rise, the power drops out and patients pour in, forcing doctors and nurses to make crucial decisions that could cost lives. Based on a true story that unspools like a disaster thriller, the eight-episode limited series stars Vera Farmiga and Cherry Jones, who won two Emmys for guest roles on “Succession” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.” (Aug. 12, Apple TV Plus, episodes weekly)
“Mo”
Rising comic Mohammed Amer plays Mo, a Palestinian refugee living in Houston who’s been on the path to U.S. citizenship for years. But after he suddenly finds himself out of a job, Mo faces the prospects of his own uncertain future and his family’s buried past. Uniquely told as a comedy situated between two cultures and three languages — his girlfriend is of Mexican descent – the series mixes life’s dramatic elements with a hearty dose of humour. “Mo” is co-created by Amer and Ramy Youssef, who won a Golden Globe for his own show “Ramy.” (Netflix, Aug. 24)
RETURNING SHOWS: Netflix releases a new season of dating reality series and viral sensation “Indian Matchmaking” on Aug. 10 before heading south for the spinoff “Queer Eye: Brazil” on Aug. 24. Also on the service, the final season of Canadian-shot horror series “Locke & Key” wraps on Aug. 10, while a new round of comedy “Never Have I Ever” is out Aug. 12.
At Crave, the second season of stock market trader drama “Industry” returns with weekly episodes on Aug. 1, while the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” franchise works the runway with a new “Secret Celebrity Drag Race” edition starting Aug. 12 and the debut season of “Drag Race Philippines” on Aug. 17.
-The Canadian Press
Streaming’s audience share in July was up 23% compared to July 2021, Nielsen said. Broadcast television’s share was down 10% and cable down 9%.
Streaming services learned from what cable did in its infancy, using broadcasting’s quiet summer months to put forward some of their best programming, said Brian Fuhrer, Nielsen’s senior vice president for product strategy and thought leadership. New episodes of “Stranger Things” alone on Netflix accounted for 18 billion minutes of streaming, while “Virgin River” and “The Umbrella Academy” also did well.
Netflix is still the top streamer, but it no longer dominates the field the way it once did. In July, Hulu had strong numbers for “Only Murders in the Building” and “The Bear,” while Amazon Prime hit with “The Terminal List” and “The Boys.”
With pandemic-related pauses in shooting schedules now largely over, the streamers have a backlog of fresh material, Fuhrer said.
Many viewers became familiar with streaming and added it to their media diets during the pandemic, he said. They haven’t looked back. Each week in July had more total minutes of streaming than any other weeks Nielsen has ever counted, with the exception of the week between Christmas and New Year’s last year.
The return of football games and a new season of fresh scripted shows this fall should boost the broadcast networks, Fuhrer said.
Yet it’s hard to see them pushing back to a level of dominance approaching anything in the past. For one thing, media companies that own broadcast networks also have sister streaming services — CBS and Paramount+, NBC and Peacock, for instance — and generally see streaming as the future, he said.
“The networks have collectively decided not only that streaming is the future, but they can’t wait to get there as fast as they can,” Bianculli said. “They’re not doing anything to slow down the charge.”
Fuhrer said it will be interesting this fall when large football audiences return to broadcast TV to see whether those networks will spend a great deal of time promoting their own shows.
“This month and the next two to three months may be the most pivotal in the history of television in terms of all the media companies and their strategies,” he said.
Some business experts believe streaming services are in a pre-shakeout period, with several trying to establish themselves before the industry learns there are only so many outlets consumers are willing to pay for. The result may be a period of consolidation.
“It’s a great time to be a TV viewer,” Bianculli said, “and I can’t imagine there will ever be a greater time to go into television creatively.”
