Technology

Streaming Services Still on the Rise, CTA Says—but So Are Giant TV Sets

Streaming television services like Netflix are now about as popular as pay-TV services like cable television, the Consumer Technology Association says in a new report. And while that trend reflects a desire to watch TV anywhere, consumers still love their 4K Ultra HD screens.

Streaming isn’t the future of television—it’s the present.

That’s a key finding of “The Changing Landscape for Video and Content,” a recent report from the Consumer Technology Association. CTA found that an equal percentage of Americans subscribe to streaming services as to television services like cable and satellite—in both cases, roughly two-thirds of survey respondents.

In a news release, CTA Senior Director of Market Research Steve Koenig said the reason is simple: People want to watch stuff anywhere, at any time.

“This is one of the driving trends of our time,” Koenig said. “Today’s advancement of technology delivers ‘content convenience’ that results in cultural changes such as binge watching, second-screen behavior, content recommendations, and the screens consumers use to consume video. And we expect streaming subscribers to surpass paid TV services—and by a fair margin—in the next year or so.”

But that doesn’t mean people who rely on streaming services are looking to get rid of their TV sets. Quite the contrary. The report also notes that televisions are maintaining their popularity as a market segment, with 4K Ultra HD television sets gaining in prominence despite the fact that most households already have more than one TV—in fact, the average is almost three per household.

“CTA’s consumer research shows people want larger screens and better picture,” Jeff Joseph, CTA’s senior vice president of communications and strategic relationships, told MediaPost. “The TV remains the essential entertainment hub for activities such as gathering to watch sporting events, watching movies as families, and playing video games together.”

Ernie Smith

By Ernie Smith

Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. MORE

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