Yes and No. Yes to the fact that the traditional medium of the way we see television is quickly becoming obsolete. Computers are becoming a persons way to consume visual media and cable providers are jumping on the streaming bandwagon.
Although no in the sense that the inherent way we process and consume that same visual media is the same. Yes it is no longer the traditional analogue TV set or even a screen in the living room. The media is still consumed just through computer and phone screens.
Television is alive and probably doing better than ever because of the connectivity of social media, YouTube and streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. Gone are the days where one had generic programming and 20 channels. Now content providers can produce media in a very specific way tailored to the individuals needs.
Social Media:
Short two to three minute videos dot the internet landscape on YouTube and Facebook. Holding the watcher’s attention just enough to the the message across until something else catches their eye. Home videos of “baby’s first steps” to “indie film making” are able to be liked and shared with anyone. Social media platforms have opened the floodgates to the notion that anyone can be a star.
Instead of companies spending thousands on broad spectrum advertisement, they can spend a few hundred dollars on niche marketing and much cheaper ad placement. This can be tailored to suit the companies need. According to emarketer.com digital ad at 77 billion spending will surpass TV spending at 72 billion next year in 2017.
Many news stations are also using these platforms as much as they are using televised news broadcasts. Most talent that go on are are spending their time off air giving news updates or making short vlogs. Some up and coming smaller news channels are entirely web based and don’t even broadcast on air.
Streaming Services:
On the flip side of that you have video steaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. Delivering TV shows to a home computer or mobile device.
Sites like these host actual television content and even produce their own original content such as Netflix’s widely popular series House of Cards or Marvel’s Jessica Jones. To say that online streaming services is not television is a rather backward thinking train of thought.
The site cheatsheet.com has compiled a list on 6 reasons Netflix is winning against traditional television for a more in depth lookinto the comparison.
Who’s to say that the way media is consumed is not the next evolutionary step for TV. The same way radio can be said to be evolving into podcasts.
Television is doing alive and well and will continue to thrive and grow into the far future.
griffin gregory 