SERENE SHIBLY | OCTOBER 30, 2018 |COLUMN

All across the world, televisions sit in the living room, collecting dust. What was once the centerpiece of every household has now become old news with the rise of streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu.

Cable television providers are losing customers left and right, according to an article by Fortune magazine. Many cable television service providers have reported an increase loss of customers, with an overall 3.4% decline of cable subscribers in 2017, faster than in 2015 and 2016. Meanwhile, there is a constant growth of streaming services. The increased mobility of society in the late 2010s means people want entertainment on the go. Just looking around in airports, one may spot multiple people at every corner with their earbuds in, the world tuned out, and their latest Netflix download on.

Much research and multiple surveys have come out within recent years, highlighting the impact of the increased popularity of online streaming. According to a 2017 article by Pew Research Center, 61% of young adults in the United States of America use online streaming services to get their daily dose of television. The streaming industry is only growing, with an average spending of $2.1 billion a month on such services, according to CNBC in 2018. More than half of the families in the US subscribe to a television streaming service.

These statistics offer a look into the future of the way we watch, as we turn to our smartphones and laptops as a source of entertainment. In fact, movie theater attendance has recently hit a record low for the first time in 25 years. This leads to the argument of whether or not this is all a good thing. Some may argue that the increase of streaming services is a necessary and cheaper advancement that is more accessible, while others say it is damaging traditional hangouts, like going to a theater with friends, as well as making people more centered around their phones. Either way, the future of entertainment is being altered right before our eyes, as we watch the world turn away from the television and towards their smartphones.

The New Wave of Television