Linear TV's Role in a Digital World
- allscope
- May 6
- 3 min read
Is linear TV becoming obsolete, or does it still play a vital role in media? Despite the growth of CTV, linear TV is an important part of any TV plan.
Introduction
The integration into our daily lives of connected television (CTV) and the ubiquity of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and YouTube TV leads to an obvious question: Is linear TV becoming obsolete, or does it still play a vital role in media? Despite the growth of CTV, linear TV is an important part of any TV plan.
1. Linear TV has higher coverage across all demos – including Gen Z
Linear TV enjoys near-universal reach among older demographics. However, even among younger viewers, linear TV maintains a higher weekly coverage than CTV, demonstrating its continued importance.
2. Linear TV represents a higher share of viewing
The data shows that linear TV represents a higher share of viewing:
63% of U.S. TV viewing time is spent on linear television.
87% of ad-supported TV viewing occurs on linear TV.
(Nielsen, “Nielsen Audience Insights.” Nielsen, May 2024. eMarketer, “Linear TV Still Reigns in Advertising Time.” eMarketer, Dec. 2024.)
3. Linear TV Dominates Live Events – and without glitches
Live programming is where linear TV continues to dominate. Major events such as news broadcasts, sports, award shows, and live performances thrive on linear TV.
Super Bowl 2025 saw 128 million viewers – with 89% watching on linear TV.
Academy Awards 2025 saw roughly 18 million viewers, with 91% watching on linear.
Streaming services recognize this and are bidding record sums for distribution rights. However, while the CTV tuning experience has improved greatly, live events – which draw massive audiences – have sometimes faced technical difficulties.
The 2025 Academy Awards – broadcast on ABC and streamed on Hulu – experienced log-in issues and cut out for some viewers before major awards announcements were made.
The Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson match on Netflix saw many viewers who were unable to load the match.
(Wall Street Journal, “Super Bowl Viewership Hits New Record With Big Boost From Free Streaming ,” Feb. 10, 2025. NBC News, Oscars 2025's ratings get boost from people watching on their phones and computers,” Mar. 4, 2025.)
4. The cord-cutting trend is slowing
Cord-cutting - the shift from traditional pay TV to streaming - has slowed in recent years. Nielsen estimates that 55% of U.S. households still have a traditional pay-TV subscription.
In addition, many providers are now bundling internet and mobile services to make the cost of their linear TV packages more attractive. Consumers are often opting for the hybrid approach which is most affordable, combining streaming services with linear TV for sports, news, and special events.
(Nielsen. "National Universe Estimates, January 1, 2025." Nielsen, Aug. 2024.)
5. The rise of FAST channels is a nod to the linear format
Free ad-supported streaming (FAST) channels have become increasingly popular, reshaping how people consume media. FAST channels - such as Tubi, Pluto, Amazon Freevee - are free, offering ad-supported TV played in a linear format with a guide. They provide a viewing experience that combines the comfort of linear TV with the convenience and flexibility of streaming. Some experts predict that FAST will eclipse subscription-based streaming services by 2030.
6. The advertising model for linear TV is still strong
Linear TV ad revenue in the U.S. is projected to exceed $60 billion by 2025, significantly outpacing CTV advertising by roughly 50%.6
Linear TV’s broad reach makes it attractive for advertisers compared to the fragmented digital landscape.
(eMarketer. "US TV Advertising Revenue Forecast 2025." eMarketer, 2024.)
Conclusion
Linear TV is evolving, but not disappearing. While streaming services have transformed media consumption, linear TV remains important due to its convenience, dominance in live content, broad reach across all demos, and strong advertising revenue. The future of TV is hybrid – where linear and streaming – in various forms – will coexist.
