TV has experienced a drastic decrease in viewership as YouTube videos have grown in popularity for the 18-49 demographic, according to Google. This news came during an earnings conference call. During the event, the company announced that most of its traffic comes from mobile devices. And the average viewing time has doubled from 20 to 40 minutes.
YouTube Videos Killed the Television Star
Just like “Video Killed the Radio Star” back in the 1980s, YouTube videos are set to kill the television star. It not surprising, YouTube is available on just about any mobile device with an internet connection. Moreover, kids are getting smartphones and tablets at an earlier age.
Youtube Gives You Freedom
Yes, one can record programs on their television set for future viewing. However, the advances in mobile technology and interconnectivity have led to a preference among most people to view videos wherever they want. And whenever they want. Besides it, the average teenager in the United States gets more excited about YouTube stars than Hollywood celebrities. This is where TV gets left behind in the dust and You Tube videos take the center stage.
Netflix, Amazon and Hulu Join Youtube
This latest news about YouTube videos overtaking television in popularity is but the latest in a long line of signs pointing to the eventual death of cable TV. Online streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime have grown in popularity over the last few years. And these names have become a household name in living room entertainment.
The era of online streaming has become such a standard in today’s society that even longstanding premium cable networks such as HBO and Showtime have begun offering their programs on online streaming services. HBO began offering a few of its shows on Amazon Prime not too long ago. The company also developed its own online streaming service called HBO Go. As a result, Showtime has begun offering its programs on Hulu Plus for an additional price. If this trend continues, more and more networks will migrate to online streaming services. Thus, cable television will naturally wither away into obscurity and obsolescence.
YouTube Killed TV: Premium Content
With the rise of the success, Youtube began offering its own premium streaming service, similar to the services provided by veterans like Netflix and Hulu Plus. It has 90% of its current content creator partners signed up for the service. The plan seems sound. Although, with so many other streaming services available, it leaves one to question whether YouTube really stands a chance to emerge victorious in the premium online streaming market. Regardless of this, however, there is no denying that You Tube has already killed TV.
