Linear TV Viewership Reaches All-Time Low, Signals End of Traditional Television

Traditional TV viewership has reached a new record low, with linear TV viewership falling below 50% for the first time, according to Nielsen data. Broadcast and cable hit new record lows of 20% and 29.6% of total TV usage, respectively. Meanwhile, streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video saw month-over-month viewership increases. Analysts believe that linear TV is "past the point of no return" and that the revenue line for cable and satellite operators is "probably permanently negative." Cord-cutting continues to be a trend as more consumers opt for streaming services, although subscriber numbers for major direct-to-consumer services were down. Direct-to-consumer advertising, however, saw significant growth.