Is Television Going Out of Fashion? 

Unquestionably, watching television was one of the most popular pastimes of the 20th century.  After World War II, Television ultimately replaced radio and movies as the main form of entertainment and became a necessity in every home.

As time passed, television became even more dominant in our homes. Black and white TV was replaced by color and then images became High-definition. More channels became available together with a wider range of content. Even our furniture was arranged to focus on the television set. Then the twenty-first century saw the arrival of the internet and then we evolved from computers to personal devices. This has led to the trusty television set no longer serving as the primary hub of entertainment in the house.

Most people nowadays look for instant gratification on their mobile devices and would rather surf the internet or play online games than TV channels for something better to watch. The incredible number of entertainment options on your phone are endless – from social media to online casinos.

The Age of the Internet

With the availability of fast and reliable internet connections and high ownership of mobile devices, it takes only a moment to check your phone. – in fact, we check our phones every four minutes – around 340 times a day.

People are also spending more time on social media platforms, an average of two and a half hours a day. Maybe a quick glimpse at people’s thoughts, behaviors, and reactions seems far more intriguing than watching the news on television. Additionally, short-form videos on platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram have made social media even more convenient. People do not have much free time nowadays and are more inclined to watch shorter videos when they access these apps. 

Mobile gaming has also become a larger share of consumer entertainment with US consumers spending over 2 hours more per week on mobile games in 2022 than in 2019. And as governments all over the world change their laws regarding internet casinos, an increasing number of people now have access to casino games whenever and wherever they want. Online casinos’ deposit and withdrawal times have significantly changed as a result of new online banking methods such as cryptocurrencies.

The Age of the Television

The age of Television, however, is far from over. Every year, businesses spend approximately $100 billion on television advertisements and these huge budgets still indicate the presence of large audiences. Television is still a primary source of information and is our go-to media for significant events such as elections and big sporting events. During the presidential debates CNN, MSNBC, and other television stations witnessed significantly increased viewership. This year’s Superbowl had an audience of 112.3 million viewers.

We, as a society, are busier than ever. Who really has time to sit down and watch television? Streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hula have changed the way we watch television. We are now able to choose from hundreds of available titles and ”Binge watch” complete seasons of TV shows on demand. In the United States, over one-third of Television time is now via a streaming platform.

Final Thoughts

So it seems that television will always be a popular medium. Television has not disappeared from our lives, it has just evolved to provide us with what we want, when we want it. Television will always hold a special place in our hearts, regardless of how our viewing and socializing habits may change.