How Streaming Destroyed TV: The Decline of Quality, Stability, and Profitability
At first, the advent of streaming platforms, which allow viewers to access a library of almost boundless content at a fraction of the cost of cable, was seen as the future of television. However, instead, streaming has ruined television by encapsulating binge-watching, taking away ad-supported revenue paths, and creating ultra-oppressed and risk-averse content. On the one hand, these factors weakened the quality of TV shows, undermined the financial sustainability of production companies, and left worse outcomes for show creators and consumers alike. This essay claims that streaming ended traditional television by instigating a binge-watch culture undermining creativity, stealing from viable business models that helped support quality content, and shifting attention away from constructive niche and innovative shows to broad market mediocrity.
Binge Watching Undermined the Creative Process and Viewer Engagement One of the first ways of disrupting television, streaming platforms like Netflix, with their binge-watching model, which encourages viewers to gorge on entire seasons of shows in one sitting. Binge-watching was initially a novelty but it soon became a yardstick for streaming companies that determined success for a show. Conover explains that streaming services expect audiences to "binge the entire show as soon as it drops, and if we don’t, they cancel it" (7:13). Binging on multiple shows is exactly what has killed the traditional television model, a model where shows were released weekly allowing audiences to discuss and reflect on the episodes over time. The weekly release format also helped generate word-of-mouth marketing, which contributed to the success of shows like Breaking Bad (7:53). By getting rid of this momentum-building process, binge-watching takes away viewer involvement and weakens a show’s cultural impact. As Conover notes, even expensive productions such as
House of the Dragon can quickly fade from public consciousness, leaving little time for sustained discussion (8:25). The binge-watching model, therefore, sacrifices long-term viewer investment in favor of immediate but short-lived attention, which ultimately weakens the creative and cultural significance of television.
Abandoning Ad-Supported Revenue Models Eroded Industry Profitability
Another significant consequence of the rise of streaming has been the abandonment of the ad-supported revenue models that once sustained the television industry. Traditional television networks, whether broadcast or cable, relied on advertisements to generate revenue, allowing them to produce a wide variety of content while keeping subscription costs low for consumers. However, Netflix’s business model, which promised an ad-free experience, forced legacy networks to abandon this profitable approach in order to compete.
Conover highlights how major networks, in an attempt to replicate Netflix’s success, launched their own streaming services, such as Paramount+ and HBO Max, without ad support (5:59). This shift proved disastrous because ad-supported TV had been the cornerstone of the industry’s profitability for decades. As Conover explains, "advertising used to fund almost the entire television industry" (4:51), and by eliminating this model, streaming services set themselves up for financial failure. Despite increasing subscription fees, streaming companies are now losing money, with platforms like Peacock and Warner Brothers Discovery suffering billions in quarterly losses (3:18, 3:24). The decision to forgo ads in favor of subscription revenue was a critical mistake that destabilized the economic foundation of television, making it harder for networks to sustain high-quality content production.
Homogenized, Risk-Averse Content Has Replaced Niche and Innovative Programming
In their pursuit of becoming global monopolies, streaming platforms have also compromised the diversity and quality of content available to viewers. Before the rise of streaming, television networks catered to specific audiences by developing unique brands, such as
Comedy Central, which focused on edgy comedies, or FX, known for its innovative dramas (12:08). These brands fostered creative risks, resulting in groundbreaking shows that pushed the boundaries of television. However, Conover explains that Netflix’s goal to "be everything to everyone" forced networks to abandon their niche identities in favor of mass-market content (12:45). As a result, programming has become increasingly homogenized, with streaming services producing shows that are designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience rather than catering to specific tastes. This shift can be likened to the creation of "flavorless pap," where the focus is on making shows that everyone tolerates, rather than taking risks to create something new and different (Conover 15:08). This homogenization has led to a decline in the overall quality of television, as platforms prioritize quantity over creativity, producing short, bingeable series that are quickly forgotten.
The Shift to Streaming Has Harmed Both Consumers and Creators
Finally, the shift to streaming has created worse outcomes for both consumers and the creators who make television shows. While the initial promise of streaming was that it would save consumers money, Conover reveals that today, the cost of subscribing to the top streaming services exceeds the price of traditional cable (0:21). Yet despite paying more, consumers are receiving less value, as many streaming platforms deliver fewer episodes, cancel shows prematurely, and eliminate entire genres, such as game shows and late-night programming, from their content libraries (3:02-9:37). Creators, too, have suffered under the streaming model. Writers, actors, and crew members who once thrived under the traditional
TV model are now struggling to make a living, as streaming platforms reduce the number of shows they produce and offer fewer job opportunities (18:29). As Conover points out, the industry has seen mass layoffs, and despite gains made during the 2023 writers’ strike, many workers in Hollywood are still struggling to find consistent work (18:39). The streaming revolution, rather than benefiting consumers and creators, has left both groups worse off.
Conclusion
In outline, the rise of streaming platforms has had a devastating impact on the television industry. The binge-watching model has eroded viewer engagement and creativity, while the abandonment of ad-supported revenue has destabilized the financial foundations of TV production. Additionally, the homogenization of content has reduced the diversity and quality of programming, leaving audiences with fewer innovative shows. Both consumers and creators are paying the price for the unsustainable model that streaming platforms introduced. What was once hailed as the future of television has instead contributed to its decline, leaving a landscape where quality has diminished, jobs have been lost, and viewers are left paying more for less.
