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US adults will spend an average of 2 hours and 29 minutes (2:29) per day watching traditional TV in 2025, more than any other media activity, per our May 2025 forecast.

The news: NBCUniversal is exploring a dedicated sports cable network that would feature content鈥攊ncluding NBA games鈥攕hown on its Peacock streaming service, per a Wall Street Journal report. Our take: Launching a dedicated sports cable channel could help NBCU open the door to new ad inventory and bolster its cable revenues as traditional TV faces mounting pressure from the streaming transition. Live sports continues to command strong advertiser demand, even as general linear viewership declines.The channel will enable NBCU to better monetize its existing sports rights by repackaging content for cable audiences who might be losing interest in traditional TV.

The news: CBS is ending 鈥淭he Late Show with Stephen Colbert鈥� next year, an announcement the titular host made during taping for his Thursday show, sparking controversy and speculation. The move came days after Colbert criticized CBS parent company Paramount on air, saying it paid a 鈥渂ig fat bribe鈥� when settling a lawsuit with Trump worth $16 million. Our take: Though politics and Paramount鈥檚 sink-or-swim pending merger may have influenced the swiftness of 鈥淭he Late Show鈥� cancellation, the ultimate cause likely boils down to the traditional TV model floundering.

The news: Prescription drugmakers spent $2.97 billion on national TV advertising in the frist half of 2025, an increase of 12.2% YoY, per iSpot.tv. The takeaway: Prescription drugmakers went against the current trend鈥攎ost other industries decreased linear TV spending in the first half of the year, per iSpot. But traditional TV viewing audiences are a prime audience for drugmakers. We forecast 52.8% of TV viewers will be age 65 and older this year, the only age demographic to increase. It makes sense for pharma marketers to focus spending on key audiences, driving awareness and encouraging them to ask their doctors for their brands.

The trend: Gen Z is opting out of both traditional pay TV and ad-supported streaming tiers, signaling deeper changes in viewing behavior. Just 42% of Gen Z subscribers use ad-supported SVOD, while less than half of all US households now maintain a pay TV subscription. Our take: Streaming鈥檚 future depends on reaching the next generation, but current models鈥攅specially ad-supported tiers鈥攁ren鈥檛 meeting Gen Z where they are. With only 1.3 hours of streaming and 0.8 hours of traditional TV per day, Gen Z prefers social video, gaming, and music. To stay relevant, platforms must prioritize native formats, interactivity, and creator integration over legacy ad models.

The news: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) plans to split into two separate public companies by 2026, one focused on streaming and studios and the other on global cable networks, the company announced. Its streaming company will include HBO Max and WBD鈥檚 movie properties, while the global networks company will include TNT Sports, Discovery, and CNN. Our take: WBD鈥檚 move emphasizes that sticking with a one-size-fits-all model is no longer viable given traditional TV declines and the rise of streaming. Managing decline while pursuing growth requires two fundamentally different playbooks.

This year, streaming services will finally earn more than traditional TV in subscription revenues.

NBCU highlights sports, streaming at Upfront event: The presentation outlined NBCU鈥檚 plan to offset declining traditional TV revenues.

The traditional TV bundle will further decay as more live sports embrace streaming.

Major creators will hold event to vie for YouTube ad dollars: The Spotter Showcase will unveil crucial data and content slates to draw marketers away from traditional TV.

OTT video鈥攊ncluding YouTube, subscription OTT, AVOD, and free ad-supported streaming TV鈥攊s extremely popular in nearly all forms. But traditional pay TV continues to reach new lows.

32% of US connected TV (CTV) users find traditional TV ads useful/helpful for holiday gift info, while 34% say the same about streaming TV ads, according to June 2025 data from LG Ad Solutions.

Fox acquires Red Seat Ventures: As audiences shift from traditional TV, The company is expanding its digital-first media push.

Digital eclipsed traditional pay TV among live sports viewers in 2023. As that lead grows, the growth of women鈥檚 sports and betting apps provides marketers with opportunities to reach new audiences.

In 2024, traditional TV accounted for less than half of US total video subscription revenues for the first time. Its share of video subscription revenues will slip to about one-third by the end of our forecast in 2028.