This ritual is almost sacred. You are off work. you collapse You’re queue up to watch the latest hit show or that hot show you’ve been dying to watch. This is universal comfort food for a Sunday night. However, there is a subtle change in the way we use this content. No more waiting for a broadcast time. We are no longer tied to a specific channel guide. The switch has been flipped. We use video on demand (VOD).
This is not just a preference. This is a structural change in media, moving from the studio to the screen. This raises a difficult question: Does linear TV still have a future? If so, what does the future actually look like?
The answer is not easy. It’s very messy.
Transition to an on-demand culture
Watching television has been a common experience for decades. Everyone was watching Game of Thrones at the same time. Watercooler discussions are based on simultaneous viewing. Those days are gone. VOD gives us control. We choose when We choose where we are. Choose how much you can tolerate before skipping ahead.
This control changes everything. Advertisers hate it. The ratings agencies are confused. The network is in chaos.
But what about the audience? It feels like freedom. You don’t have to miss an episode just because you ate dinner. You don’t have to sit through unskippable commercials (if you have a modern DVR or streaming service). Friction is eliminated.
Why linear TV is struggling
Linear TV is built for scarcity. Channels are limited. Fixed schedule. This model is suitable when there are few options. now? There are thousands of options.
Traditional TV models rely on:
– Schedule: Content will be delivered at specific times.
– Advertising: Revenue generated from suspended content.
– Broadcast Rights: Unique windows for specific programs.
VOD breaks these pillars. Content is available 24/7. Ads can be targeted or skipped. Exclusivity periods are shortened when studios release content directly to their own platforms.
Is linear TV over? No, but it’s shrinking. And that is changing.
TV still has a foothold
Linear TV is not going away. It has adapted. Or trying to do so.
Live events are still at home. Sports. News. Awards shows. People still want to see this happen in real time. The shared experience of a Super Bowl or news event cannot be recreated with delayed streaming. Simultaneity is valuable. With a collective reaction.
But even here the lines are blurred. Sports leagues are launching their own streaming apps. The news network pushes the clip to social media before showing it.
So what is the future?
This is not an either-or choice. This is not “TV or VOD”. It’s a mixture. A confused, confusing mix.
Adoption of the hybrid model
Most major networks have not abandoned linear television. They use it as a funnel. trailer. marketing tools.
New episodes are shown on cable TV. It gets buzz. It was trending on Twitter. Then, a day later (or at the same time), it’s available on the web’s streaming app. Linear broadcasts drive traffic to digital platforms. Digital platforms collect News about audience behavior. The network learns what
Germans spend an average of 223 minutes a day in front of a screen. That’s over 3 and a half hours a day. This is an amazing number. But averages lie. They smooth over the cracks in behavior. If you dig deeper, the story changes.
Retirees watch the most. They clock in around 312 minutes daily. A younger generation? Not so much. For them, there is a huge difference between weekdays and weekends. Yet, one trend cuts across every age group. People are leaving traditional broadcasting. They are moving toward Video-on-Demand services. TV time spent by under-30s has decreased by 24 minutes a day since 2010. It’s not that they’re watching less content. They just look at it differently. They moved to the Internet. They choose what they want from YouTube, public broadcaster archives or platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Maxdome and Sky Go.
Video-on-demand growth in all population groups
It is often assumed that this change only affects young people. This is not true. The latest ARD/ZDF online survey confirms that Video on Demand has become more common in all target groups. Even retirees are jumping in. More than a third of older adults today surf the web regularly. This is 23% more than in 2018. 10% of these “silver surfers” also use social networks.
Why are they online? Email is still king. The main reason is to send and read messages. But they do a lot more now. They shop online. They study the news. They book vacations. Yes, stream videos. Barriers to entry have been lowered. For older generations, the Internet is no longer a mystery.
Flexibility live and on demand
The technology is ready. High transmission speeds enable watching live TV from a laptop, tablet or smartphone. About one in five people now watch live broadcasts online. This trend is even more pronounced among young people between the ages of 14 and 19. 30% of them follow live broadcasts via the Internet.
However, experts doubt that this is the future. They think the days of the TV guide are coming to an end. Browsing programs now feels outdated. This does not mean the death of traditional broadcasters. That means they have to adapt. The future is in storing programs in media libraries. This way, the content is available for a certain period of time. Flexibility is key.
Video on Demand Products are growing. These include third-party giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime. It also includes the broadcasters themselves. Pilot projects with exclusive content have already launched. “You Are Wanted” is a classic success story. Exclusive video-on-demand content attracts viewers who want more than just the evening news.
YouTube is on top
You might expect Netflix or Amazon Prime to dominate. You are wrong. Surprisingly, these services are not number one. YouTube holds the crown. It remains the undisputed market leader in online mobile image consumption. People go there first. They go there always. Algorithms feed them. They click. It’s very simple. it works.
Mediatheken: The new streaming champion
public broadcasters’ archives won a silver medal. Many people may be off guard. This suggests that video-on-demand has not yet killing traditional linear television. The emphasis is on “yet”. Experts warn that the situation can change quickly. If broadcasters ignore the changing habits of their target audience, they may be left behind. The trend is clear. The public demands sovereignty in terms of time and place. They want to watch their favorite shows anytime and anywhere. This access must be consistent across all devices. Smart TVs. Tablets. Laptops. Smartphones. You no longer have to wait to watch the next episode of the series or for the blockbuster movie to finally be released. Patience is running out.
Changing Information Consumption Habits
This change is not limited to television. People no longer wait for the evening news. Push notifications about breaking updates are sent to your phone. They shop online late at night instead of waiting for stores to open. The Internet has created a luxury mindset. Users expect instant access. They won’t compromise. They want to watch as many episodes as they please. They want to pause without being interrupted by ads. They demand simultaneous viewing. different rooms. different programs. This level of control is now the norm.
The end of linear TV or just a transformation?
Linear TV is not going away. It is evolving. Although the use of traditional television is still high, the long-term trend is the downward toward on-demand services. Experts predict that the Internet will fundamentally reshape television, not eliminate it. The result is a hybrid. Blurred lines between live broadcasting and streaming. Smart TVs facilitate this convergence. Future user interfaces anticipate user needs. The question is not whether television will survive, but how it will look when it does.
