Majority of US Households Use a Streaming Video Service
The emergence of subscription video on-demand (SVOD) has revolutionized the way Americans view television. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and other services put consumers in control of what, when, and where they watch. Within the past few years, SVOD’s have seen a vast increase in popularity. A staggering 64 percent of Americans now have at least one SVOD subscription, compared to 47 percent in 2014. Netflix continues to be the most popular service, with 83 percent of users having a subscription. The rise of SVOD services has helped television become more accessible. Families are no longer
Game of Thrones, Breaker of Records
It may not feel like it outside, but the long summer is over and winter is here. Game of Thrones fans tuned into the show’s eagerly awaited seventh season two weeks ago in record numbers. At 16.1 million live viewers, the episode beat the HBO record for a season premiere. That’s more than the population of New York, LA, and Chicago combined. The old record for a premiere audience, you may have guessed, was also held by Thrones for last season’s debut, which brought in 10.7 million live viewers. Keep in mind that last season started much earlier in the spring months when television audiences
Cable Networks Lead the Pack for Emmy Nominations
The 69th Primetime Emmy nominations were announced yesterday and once again cable programming is the juggernaut, receiving a total of 315 nominations. HBO alone brought in 110 nominations. Westworld leads the way with the most nominations of any show (22). Ryan Murphy’s latest project on FX FEUD: Bette and Joan was the next most decorated program, raking in 18 nominations alone. The nominations also reflect new trends in powerful storytelling; the Limited Series category this year is packed with star-studded projects such as Big Little Lies, FEUD: Bette and Joan, and Fargo. In fact, every
Twitch and the Draw of Gaming Culture
As broadband speeds have increased, the home gaming experience has benefitted. That combined with improved latency means that gaming is more accessible than ever. In fact, 62 percent of U.S. households include at least one gamer, and the appetite for gaming related content is clearly reflected by the huge success of the website Twitch.tv. So, what exactly is Twitch? Twitch.tv is a video platform devoted to gaming. Specifically, it’s a place for people to watch live streams of gameplay, walkthroughs of difficult levels, live broadcasts of professional gaming tournaments, and tons of other
Americans Still Prefer Their TV Sets to Phones
We live in a time where you can catch up on American Gods on the bus or take your binge of American Horror Story with you to check the mailbox. But even with small screens always a reach away, it turns out Americans still prefer to watch on a television set. According to new data from Nielsen, 92 percent of viewing time in Q4 2016 happened on a good old fashioned television set. It makes sense that when given the choice, people choose to watch on a larger screen, particularly as programming continues to become more cinematic. Mobile viewing is just that–mobile. Why watch the game on your phone
The State of Virtual Reality In 2017
In the latest installment of our State of the Industry series, we explore the rise of virtual reality and its predicted growth worldwide as a medium that will touch many aspects of our lives in the next several years, particularly in the media and entertainment landscape. Similar to the advancements we’ve seen in internet speeds, premium television, TV Everywhere and online gaming, VR has progressed immeasurably in the past decade. In addition to the gaming space, where VR makes it biggest impact, VR is making strides in television as audiences are introduced to new apps and hardware that make
After Decades of Dreaming, is it Finally Virtual Reality's Time?
NCTA announced last month that on April 27th, we were going to host a half-day event called The Near Future. In that announcement, we shared a few details on how The Near Future was going to revolve around up-and-coming technologies and how they will soon change the way we live, work, learn, and play. One piece of technology that will surely play a big part in our conversation is virtual reality and how the latest in immersive storytelling is already transforming entertainment and the way we connect. Virtual reality has long been a part of future technology lore. The very idea of fully
Turner Dives into VR Madness
March Madness comes to a fevered end this coming Monday, and while many of us will watch the Final Four duke it out this weekend from our couches or from our small screen devices while on-the-go, others will experience the matches courtside, without actually having to make the trip out to Phoenix. That's because NCAA and Turner now offer a compelling virtual reality (VR) experience for the Sweet 16 through the championship game, giving fans the option of buying either a "gold" or "silver" ticket for the tournament, each of which offers different VR experiences. Mark Johnson, SVP of Turner
The State of Online Gaming in 2017
Earlier this year, we took a look at the state of America's internet connectivity and speeds, premium television, and TV Everywhere to measure progress in our communications and entertainment marketplaces. This week, in the latest status check of our series, we examine the state of online gaming and its steady surge in popularity in U.S. households. Faster internet speeds and improved latency are definitely contributing to a better overall home gaming experience. A look at some recent web traffic statistics demonstrate not only that more people are taking up gaming as part of their online
March Madness on the Go
March Madness is upon us, and now that brackets have been filled out, tip-off of the first round of the tournament is just about here. Luckily, most fans won't have to miss out on those often unpredictable matches, even the ones taking place during the work day. Live streaming the games and following your tournament pick has never been easier. While CBS is broadcasting 24 of the 67 games, Turner's TBS, TNT and TruTV will air the other 43 games, including on the network's individual online apps for those with a subscription. But this time, tournament fans will get a chance to access the games