We have known for years that conventional television is losing its influence to the increasing power of streaming platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ or Hulu. New generations consume audiovisual content with different patterns from those offered by traditional broadcast networks: they want to be able to enjoy their favorite programs or series at any […]
YouTubers go mainstream
Social media entertainers and especially YouTubers have traditionally had loyal fan bases on isolated corners of the Internet. Though very successful on their own channels, they would rarely enter the mainstream realm. That, however, is ending. Factors like the rising popularity of Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch—in February of 2020, Twitch had 3.8 million streamers, while […]
Streaming wars part II: the unbundling
When streaming platforms emerged in the late-2000s, they announced they had come to unbundle the bundled linear TV programming. Viewers got ordinary TV channels to watch sports programs, news shows as well as movies. They were unable to choose a show on-demand and had to wait for it to come up on the screen. Streaming […]
Apple TV Plus is here to fight for prestige
Apple TV Plus is only a few days away from launch, and we are excited to see the service. The new Apple product is set to start operating on November 1st, with nine original shows and movies. After launch, five new titles will be added to the list. But if you are anxious, don’t worry. […]
The deepfake, both beauty and beast
Last May, Nancy Pelosi appeared on a video slurring her words during a speech at the Center for American Progress. Although she sounded drunk, she wasn’t—the video was distorted and had been slowed down. As with Pelosi, thousands of other videos online are the result of video editing skills. They are fake, but it is […]
Netflix, no longer the streaming leader in the US
Two weeks ago, Netflix revealed its 2019 second-quarter results. They didn’t look pretty and the stock plummeted as a consequence. For the first time since 2011, Netflix has lost subscribers in the United States. The company is still growing internationally, but it has added almost 2 million subscribers less than expected—2.7million vs. the 5 million […]
Mobile consumption is up… way up
When was the last time you watched traditional TV? Maybe you have recently turned it on to tune in the Democratic debate or the news. What about your cell phone? You’ve probably read or watched something on it just a couple of minutes ago. It’s not only you. According to the latest forecast released by […]
Second-screen usage, the perfect sales opportunity
Today, more than 77% of the US population owns smartphones, and 70.1% of adults scroll online when they are watching television. It’s called second screen usage. The rise of two-screen usage may undermine the attention paid to quality content, as viewers divide their capacity to focus between their cellphones and the TV. But it also […]