Live Television Still Reigns Supreme
Remember when the DVR first became a thing? We watched TV with a new sense of wonder, pausing shows whenever we’d get up for a snack, and zapping through those annoying commercials. Then came apps. With the help of Wi-Fi and just one finger tap, TV content now streams directly to our phones and tablets. That latest Fargo episode will be there for us after we get off the airplane. But, low and behold, even with these new advancements catering to our schedules, recent data reveals most of us still manage to squeeze in chunks of time to watch our favorite programs live. According to Nielsen, live
What Apps Mean for Your Television Experience
Where’s the remote? What’s on TV tonight? Is it my turn to pick what we watch? It’s such a nice night – why can’t I watch the game out on the porch? These were the questions we’d been asking each other for decades. And then seemingly overnight we all stopped. Why? Because the remote is now your smartphone. And because you know what’s on TV when you can watch pretty much watch anything on demand. And because you never have to take turns picking what to watch when every device in the house works as a TV. And because you can watch the game on the porch thanks to Wi-Fi. All of this is because of
Wait, What? People Still Like Watching TV the Traditional Way?
Want a Halloween scare? Get this: In a time when you can watch your favorite scary movies on pretty much any device with a screen, a recent report shows that–gasp–people still tune into TV the old-fashioned way. Ok, so maybe this isn’t as much a spook as it is a surprise for some people, but come to think of it, I would definitely choose watching Paranormal Activity this weekend huddled around my television set accompanied by friends and a bowl of popcorn. That over streaming it on my tablet in the dark all by myself! Findings by Pivotal Research Group reveal that TV viewership is stable and
Zombies Alive and Well on AMC
This Columbus Day weekend was a little more intense than usual. AMC’s The Walking Dead, also known as the most watched cable show in history, premiered its sixth season on Sunday night, to the anticipation and suspense of 14.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen, and upstaging the Giants v. 49ers game, as some early reports indicate. Fans tuned in and made room in their schedules for the zombie apocalypse, hoping to catch the show live at a gathering with friends or at least soon after its release. Nielsen’s Twitter TV ratings also say a lot about live TV viewership in this day and age. With
Apps are the Present and the Future of TV
There is an interesting, but somewhat puzzling debate brewing in tech policy circles right now that poses a basic question: Do we need a new tech mandate to ensure that consumers can enjoy TV content on retail devices? If you take even a cursory look at the consumer experience and rapid transformation of the TV marketplace, the answer is pretty clear: No. We don’t need an FCC mandate telling tech innovators, show creators, and pay TV operators how they can and cannot distribute content. Technology, TV, and content companies have drawn similar conclusions. This most logical, consumer-driven
Cable Sweeps Emmy's with 24 Trophies, 69% of Wins
It was as close to a rout as a Primetime Emmy Awards night could possibly be. With a whopping 24 wins, cable took home the big kudos for being the most awarded platform for television. Broadcast left with 6 wins and online programers like Netflix and Amazon took a shared 5 wins. All told, 69 percent of Primetime Emmy Awards went to cable programs. Nods for perhaps the most competitive and highly sought awards, Outstanding Comedy and Outstanding Drama, went to HBO’s Veep and HBO’s Game of Thrones. Veep broke ABC’s Modern Family’srecord-tying five win streak (shared with Frasier). Had Modern
After Big Wins at Creative Arts Emmy's, Cable Looks to Primetime Emmy's
Last week the Television Academy presented the 2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, honoring the many artists and craftspeople behind the scenes who create amazing television experiences. Cable programs captured 59 percent of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, not only confirming that some of the greatest television is happening on cable, but also acting as a precursor to this Sunday’s big event: the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards. When nominations were revealed in July, we pointed to cable’s impressive 315 nominations – more than half of the total available. This is extra impressive as new programming
Cable Prepares for Next Week’s Superstar, Pope Francis
The Emmy’s might be coming up this weekend, but Pope Francis is sure to steal the stage as cable’s superstar starting early next week. The Pope will begin his trip to the United States on September 22nd, going through the 27th and will hit Washington, D.C, New York, and Philadelphia. Thanks to our highly connected society, millions of people will be along for the journey, in person and over television sets, computer screens, iPhones and social media platforms, and especially on cable networks nationwide. In addition to the many national news and religious networks that will be broadcasting the
Don't Hit Rewind on TV Revolution
Originally posted on September 15, 2015 in USA TODAY as an opposing view to this USA TODAY editorial. A government effort to power up a cable box market is backward looking. USA TODAY regularly writes about how online video is transforming the TV experience, allowing consumers if they wish to “cut the cord.” The marketplace has attracted lots of innovative and well-heeled companies to the video business. Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Apple TV and Roku are now firmly established video offerings. The result is invigorated competition and expanding choices for consumers. What screen we watch TV on also
Choice in Cable Programming Means Diversity, Inclusivity, Flexibility
As temperatures begin to cool, we’re ready for another round of television premieres. What used to be a tiered premiere schedule with broadcast followed by cable networks is now a year round high-quality television bonanza. Too busy these next few months while starting that new job? You can catch up on the fourth season of Homeland in the new year when you’ve settled in a bit more. Not ready to make the emotional commitment and focus that some of those heavily scripted dramas require? Perhaps you’d rather sit back and have a few laughs by going back and re-watching past episodes from South