Fans of The West Wing might remember the episode when Vice President John Hoynes declared “the internet is not a fad,” thus demonstrating his firm grasp of the crashingly obvious. Well, a new Nielsen survey has some even bigger news to deliver: streaming is a thing.
According to the just-released survey results, broadcast and cable TV viewership fell to a combined 49.6 percent of the overall TV “usage” pie in July, marking the first time that linear TV viewing sank below 50 percent.
Meanwhile, streaming hit an all-time high, notching 38.7 percent of total TV viewership last month, according to Nielsen.
And yes, streaming is still growing, with streaming viewership increasing 2.9 percent month-over-month and by an eye-popping 25.3 percent compared to last year.
So, what were we all streaming last month? Turns out it was Suits, with the addictive legal drama gobbling up a staggering 18 billion viewing minutes on Netflix and Peacock last month.
(Seriously, wouldn’t life on Suits be easier for everyone if Mike Ross were to simply go get a law degree at CUNY or something? Of course, there wouldn’t be a show if he did, but still…).
Over on the linear side, dramas and ABC World News Tonight were the top draws, as was Fox’s MLB All Star Game.
For cable viewers, it was all about ESPN (Home Run Derby and the College World Series) and The Hallmark Channel (When Calls the Heart).
Of course, the impending arrival of streaming as the biggest way for most people to watch TV has a downside: namely, skyrocketing streaming prices.
As we learned earlier this week, the cost of a “basket” of the top streaming services now tops the price of the average cable bill, as content providers like Netflix, Disney+, and all the other “pluses” pivot from simply scooping up subscribers to raking in profits.
And while it’s fun to slag on such broadcast dinosaurs as ABC, CBS, and NBC, you can watch them all for free, and they still offer some pretty good shows. (Abbott Elementary, anyone?)
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.