What is a TV series you have recently watched? Where did you watch the show? Did you watch it on a broadcast network like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, or The CW, or was it on a streaming service or an app? I’m guessing, for most of us, the answer is likely one of the latter.
The reality is, more and more each day, that not many of us are watching a television series live on network television. So, by that logic, What’s happening to broadcast TV? Well, it’s in peril. There are many reasons why broadcast television is struggling right now, including reasons like streaming to the current age of Peak TV. Though, there is also the newest threat plaguing broadcast television currently and that is, of course, The Writer’s Strike.
The Current Writer’s Strike
Fifteen years later, history repeats itself as television writers have found themselves striking and picketing for the same rights and conditions they fought for from November 5, 2007, through February 12, 2008. Without writers, of course, network television has found itself in potentially rough territory again as the 2023-2024 television season approaches.
To provide some background, The Writer’s Guild of America, which represents 11,500 writers, had been in negotiations with the industry’s representatives, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), for over six weeks, fighting for better working conditions for union workers. Unable to reach a fair agreement and with the contract in place expiring on May 1, 2023, striking began.
The issues surround writers not being paid enough, reduced wages and income, the threat of streaming reducing pay, limited full-time work, studios and streaming cutting back in an unstable economy, downsizing and integration within media conglomerates and working conditions, among other critical issues.
Consequently, The Writer’s Strike has brought many television productions to a halt. This includes the late-night shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to Netflix’s final season of “Stranger Things” to ABC’s hit comedy Abbott Elementary. Stars and celebrities have also exited television programs in support of the writers, including Drew Barrymore from the MTV Movie Awards and host Mayim Balik from the current season of ABC’s Jeopardy. Thus, broadcast television has already met challenges for the 2023-2024 season.
Though, of course, the question is still whether a fair agreement and new contract will be reached for the thousands of writers. So far, negotiations remain unsuccessful, as picketing continues to take over studio grounds and stops the filming of many productions. Additionally, many networks are opting to air Canadian imports such as Canadian medical series, Transplant.
In other cases, other networks like CBS granted early renewals to nearly all their scripted series this past season to err on the safe side, hoping to fill the schedule with as much programming in the new season as possible. With networks finding new ways to replace paused or halted content, there is a looming possibility that the writers could possibly be replaced on productions they have tirelessly worked on and authored for years.
Clearly, none of these solutions truly solve The Writer’s Strike and what the writers are asking for. Though, The Writer’s Strike has been only the cherry on top of a slew of issues plaguing network television in recent years.
Threats of Streaming and Peak TV
Another major issue networks have been facing is linear viewership. According to Variety, from 2016 to 2021, for 112 out of 124 networks measured, 90.3% were down in viewership over time. More recently, in February 2023, Nielsen reported broadcast viewing dropped 9.2% and cable down 5.7%. On the contrary, streaming services collectively amassed 34.3% of television viewership, away from traditional television watching.
Additionally, nearly all scripted series on broadcast television are down for this 2022-2023, in either Nielsen 18-49 demographic rating and total viewers (in millions), as has been the trend the last few years, according to data from TVSeriesFinale,
And it’s not that broadcast TV isn’t putting out interesting content or viewable content. Evidence in hand includes The CW’s popular teen series All American, along with its “Homecoming” spin-off, have consistently made Netflix’s Top 10 for every television season. NBC’s New Amsterdam, additionally, was the most streamed program in February, with 4.6 billion minutes, according to Nielsen.
Rather, it is the competition with streaming in the age of Peak TV: the current age in which viewers are experiencing the highest amounts of television series and programming released and consumed than ever before. Additionally, viewers can find and watch television series in digital spaces everywhere – on apps, such as Tubi and FreeVee, on streaming platforms like newly entitled Max+ or Apple TV+, and on smartphones, laptops, on iPads and pretty much any smart device.
Yet, streaming continues to be a big factor in traditionally broadcast series’ renewals. In fact, the previously mentioned All American was renewed due to its growing popularity on Netflix. All American, which didn’t have great linear ratings in its first season, grew its audience exponentially through streaming on Netflix and received renewals for more seasons, according to Deadline.
Thus, with the overwhelming amount of television programming out there, it not only makes it challenging for viewers to watch everything but it also makes it harder for broadcast television to stand out in the programming crowd as well. Streaming, of course, provides many pros that broadcast television is having difficulty competing with in this digital time and age.
For one, it is the norm right now for viewers to gravitate to the popular streaming platforms where libraries of shows and films live and can be viewed or binge-watched at any time rather than waiting for a specific time on the network’s broadcast schedule. Second, while DVR usage prevails and continues to keep broadcast TV alive, live TV watching is potentially dead. Viewers can stream whatever show they want, whenever they want. If we are indeed watching television live, it’s probably a non-scripted program – news, sports, or political event – and less likely a scripted program that we regularly follow.
Finally, the dominance of streaming, again, continues to hurt broadcast TV in other ways as well – programming-wise and financially too. With streaming platforms becoming the main priority for media companies, broadcast TV is facing cutbacks as well. In fact, the news surfaced that NBCUniversal is considering cutting NBC’s 10 PM primetime scripted hour, filling the slot with cheaper, local programming or local news in the future. What’s more, media companies have also been laying off employees in masses, such as at Disney recently.
Looking Ahead
All said, the ultimate question is whether traditional television will become extinct, or become, as is more likely the case, an existing but aging media technology, not completely one of the past, but an increasingly less used medium. No matter how one looks at it, it’s pretty clear that danger is up the road ahead for broadcast television. The ultimate question, though, is whether that danger will last temporarily or forever.
Words by Tristan Naraine
Tristan Naraine is a student at Hunter College currently pursuing a degree in Media Studies and a minor in Theater. Previously, Naraine earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Queens College in 2018. Naraine has worked as an English and Science teacher in New York City for the past four years as well. In his free time, Naraine likes to travel, analyze media, go to concerts, and appreciate the arts – which he loves to write about!
