Linear TV v/s On-Demand TV – What The Audience Wants?

Ankit Jena Published on : 17 January 2022 6 minutes

What’s the future of Linear TV? Is OTT TV captivating the legacy? If you haven’t realized the evolution of the video streaming industry, it’s a good chance to read out the blog and get a clear understanding of how the … Continue reading

What’s the future of Linear TV? Is OTT TV captivating the legacy? If you haven’t realized the evolution of the video streaming industry, it’s a good chance to read out the blog and get a clear understanding of how the industry has opened up with changing times.

In the year 2010, the number of Linear TV viewers had reached a peak of 105 million, however, it has recently dropped to 82.9 million. According to a report, 55.1 million people will have abandoned Linear TV by 2022 and adding to this data, according to Enders Analysis, by 2025,  80% of the audience will switch to on-demand content.  

Linear TV is the most traditional approach of broadcasting content that is scheduled to run at a specific time. It is the most admired form of communication and has been the pillar of society for decades. However, now times have changed and so have the trends and the industry standards.  

What is Linear TV?

In simple terms, linear TV is the traditional mode of broadcasting contents through cable, satellite or air. The viewer can only watch the content that the service provider has scheduled at a specific time. If they want to consume their preferred content, they have to tune into a specific TV channel at a specific time.

What is On demand or OTT TV?

On demand TV or OTT TV refers to the content delivered to the audience via the internet on a live streaming platform. Here, viewers don’t need a cable connection or satellite service provider to view the contents. Access to a consistent internet connection and a compatible smart device can stream content 24/7.

Why is On Demand TV so popular?

On-demand TV is widely popular because it has essentially outsmarted the linear TV model by providing supreme flexibility of watching content in their own time.. Viewers also have the liberty to customize their viewing experience and engulf whatever they want to, no matter the language preference or geographical limitations of broadcasting.

Will Linear TV sustain in the future?

Some of the broadcasters have taken linear TV to new heights by choosing Cloud TV. It provides a cloud-based infrastructure to deliver content and OTT services. Embracing Cloud playout will help sustain the robust nature and scalability of linear TV and at the same time it will benefit broadcasters with personalization and advanced audience targeting possible. Cloud TV is the future of linear TV as it combines the best of linear TV as well as OTT TV.

Linear TV

Why are the maximum number of users choosing On-demand TV over Linear TV?

Flexibility of creating your own schedule

Several experts predict that in the future, rather than switching on Television sets via a remote, users will use an application full of online channels with a million content pieces to consume. On-demand TV gives users the flexibility of becoming the king of their own TV kingdom. They can create a schedule that is completely personalized according to their tastes.

It allows viewers to watch their favourite content from any device. They can pause the content today and resume it tomorrow to continue watching their favourite show in the bathroom or in the kitchen as well as traveling in a bus.

Enhanced cash flow

Broadcasters have realized it’s the future! To keep their users engaged on their channels, they continue to expand their offerings and opt for  a desirable cloud TV broadcasting platform. With augmented engagement in Live TV channels, they get the opportunity to personalize Ads delivery and earn constant revenue from it.

Variety of content

Broadcasters can stream a wide variety of content, starting from TV shows, documentaries, short films and movies, that offer users the access to surf through a hundred and thousands of content at one place. Superior internet connectivity allows users to enjoy watching numerous countries globally.

Device compatibility

Linear Television was not attuned to all types of devices and hence blocked the connectivity of the potential consumers with relevant content. However, OTT TV allows end users to enjoy superior compatibility with any type of device as well as formats. It delivers the content according to the preferences of the end users.  

Cloud TV also reduces device dependability and several technical issues that were often encountered in traditional methods.

Monetizing the content 

Well, coming to the monetization part, you can stream your content for free on your channel and earn revenue by integrating ads. Or  you can  choose a subscription model that allows end users to pay a monthly, quarterly or yearly fee to watch the content  too. You can choose multiple ways to monetize your content in the OTT world compared to Linear TV.

Can Linear and On-Demand TV co-exist?

The rapid growth of On-demand TV has engrossed several broadcasters to stream their content on cloud streaming platforms. However, in several developing countries, television still exists due to the presence of underpenetrated households. Stakeholders and media entrepreneurs still believe that linear television will not go anywhere. 

On the other hand, OTT TV is the star of the hour with internet connectivity seeping in every nook and corner of the world.  When it comes to co-existing, TV networks need to adapt to trends and correct  course in order to offer more engaging content as OTT TV.  

Wrapping it up!

 Despite the threat of on-demand TV, linear TV is not obsolete yet! However, the way  media is delivered  is  surely changing, and TV operators or broadcasters need to evolve to sustain in the marketplace. We see cloud TV as the future of linear TV as it combines the best of linear TV and On-demand TV.

Muvi Playout offers several imperative features and services that enable broadcasters as well as media companies to launch cloud TV experiences for their end users. We have the proficiency and know-how of helping media service providers with their cloud transformation journey. We will be excited to help you start or migrate from a less feature-carrying platform. Try out our 14 days free trial to see how Muvi Playout can provide your viewers a personalized TV experience.

Linear TV

Written by: Ankit Jena

Ankit is Content Writer for Muvi’s Marketing unit. He is a passionate writer with 5+ Years of Experience in Content Creation And Development. In his past time, he likes to dance, play football and google various things to quench his thirst for knowledge.

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