I never watch commercial TV and haven't for years. Streaming with Roku is the way to go. Over-the-air TV really is 20th century.
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This entire argument is saying that the circular firing squad that is the symbiotic relationship between ads and networks is working because they are investing in each other's content...
Meanwhile, you ignore that the audience is turning to streaming because of commercial free content, subscription models and far better and more varied content. It is so appealing it is drawing audiences away from movie theaters, too.
I don't know how to explain to you how deeply Americans are tired of the sleazy tactics of retail and hoping for some shred of authenticity in it's content.
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If you're assuming that viewers who can master a streaming set-up cannot master an OTA broadcast set-up, you're wrong. The streamer goes into the HDMI input and the antenna goes into the antenna input, and you use the remote to select your viewing source.
That's not hard.
And OTA broadcast quality far surpasses that of cable. I first noticed that when I toggled between broadcast and cable to watch the Olympics--like an instant upgrade.
It's even better if you still have access to an outdoor/roof antenna.
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Another reason advertisers are chasing smaller audience is all the people like me who avoid advertising at all cost.
Once you get used to commercial-free Netflix,HBO,Amazon and Hulu, it becomes just too annoying to watch regular TV with 6-8 minutes of ads and promos every 30 minutes. I don't wish ill of the commercial networks because they occasionally produce content worth watching, but I will enjoy that content only when it becomes available in commercial-free streamable form.
As Edmund points out, live sports is becoming the last bastion of commercial television. For some reason we are still willing to sit through a 3 1/2 hour broadcast to watch maybe 20-25 minutes of actual football.
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@Tom
I DVR most Network shows I want to watch, then fast forward through the commercials. Problem solved!
When I watch football games, fast forwarding and watching only the plays cuts them down drastically.
Keep fooling yourself with denial. OTA TV is going to be around but is sliding into irrelevance.
It is the demographics.
With streaming, you know exactly who is watching in fine granular detail, unlike broadcasting that is dependent upon journals such. Take a look at the advertising and it will tell you a lot about who is watching a program. Compare the ads on the CBS Evening News to The Rachel Maddow Show- both news programs, but with different audiences. The CBS newscast is full of ads for depends, denture stuff, drugs and such.
I myself hate advertising, I do watch a little TV with ads, but mostly watch- and pay for- channels without ads. The new Criterion Channel, PBS Passport & HBO are most of what I watch. I do watch a little of the stuff I pay for on Hulu, but not much.
Over at CBS, they have moved on streaming News with CBSN- a 24 hour news service and now have a localized version for New York. I would expect at some point a similar localized News Channel for either Los Angeles or California as a whole. They now also have a Sports streaming channel. How long before entertainment moves beyond OTA to streaming?
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