MTV Shuga: Television That Changes Lives
Television serves as one of life’s biggest sources of entertainment, but sometimes we forget how much of a changemaker it can actually be. MTV has always been a staple in this kind of “edutainment” style of programming, with its array of reality shows that plunge into real-life issues that teenagers grapple with day in and day out. The force behind much of the network’s footprint in this type of behavior-changing content is the MTV Staying Alive Foundation–MTV’s international and grant-giving initiative dedicated to HIV prevention. Throughout the past nineteen years, the foundation has
Diversity Programming Stands Out at the 2017 Emmys
Last night's 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards marked another year where innovative storytelling and unique talent came out on top. But this year’s victories stood out a little more this time around. As many have noted since last night, the 2017 Emmy award winners have never been more diverse. Whether it was a lead actor or director from a minority group or a women-centric storyline that took the honors, there’s no doubt that this year’s Emmy-winning programs have made television richer and more vibrant than ever. In honor of and in anticipation of the industry’s Diversity Week next week, we’d
Premium TV is Serving Up Choice, Value, and a Side of Fries
Today, you can watch TV wherever you are and on whatever device you want. But more than just being flexible and fun, premium TV is also available in a number of different packages, from a la carte to full suite bundles, which means there’s a way to watch for every budget. The graphic below highlights the many ways to access premium TV. And while no one option is perfect for everyone, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the bundle is usually the best value. Learn more about how cable provides great TV value here.
Television’s Role in Supporting Diversity
Like most things that make American culture rich, the success of premium television rides on the diverse voices and perspectives that come together behind the scenes and on the screen. Directors, producers, showrunners and cast members are hard at work looking for the best ways to represent America's array of viewers, and most importantly, to encourage acceptance and understanding of all types of communities across the country—all through innovative storytelling. With Hispanics as the second-largest ethnic group in the U.S., it's essential that networks like Univision and El Rey provide
More Viewers Try New Ways to Watch TV
As more and more Americans are taking advantage of streaming video on demand services like Hulu or TV Everywhere apps, television as we know it is being redefined. A big part of that revolution is which screens we use to access these services. While television sets aren’t going away, they’re no longer the only place to watch our favorite shows. According to new data from Leichtman Research Group, 43 percent of adults watch tv on non-tv devices like tablets, laptops and phones. That’s up from 33 percent in 2015 and 18 percent back in 2012. As our lives grow more and more connected, we fit
New Data Shows Vast Majority of Evening Internet Traffic is From Streaming Media
Sandvine, a network policy company known for their deep research and insight into internet trends, recently released the 2016 Global Internet Phenomena Report. Among the many revealing broadband stats was one number that crystalizes just how significantly streaming content has changed how we use the internet. According to Sandvine, 71 percent of all evening internet traffic in North America is streaming audio or video content. This means that from a data volume perspective, Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, YouTube, and dozens of other popular streaming media sites are responsible for the vast bulk of
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