The days of people checking the television schedule and planning their viewing habits around that could be coming to an end. Netflix and other streaming platforms have changed how we consume entertainment, with younger generations now used to having everything at their fingertips on demand.
Traditional British broadcasters have had to adapt to this new paradigm. While programme scheduling is still a thing, it appears that they are now gradually becoming streaming companies as well.
Entertainment Industry Now Made Up of Various Platforms
If you look at the wider entertainment industry, the norm is for content to be presented in the format of an on-demand platform. It’s not just television and film that come in this way either. In fact, the iGaming industry has played a big part in pushing varied content for people to choose from at their leisure.
For example, those who discover Paddy Power’s casino find that it’s packed full of slots from different genres, with games like Big Bass Blast and Triple Cash Boost to choose from. However, alongside just slots, there are also table games, live-streamed dealer games and a range of other options, meaning players don’t need to wait as they may have done in a physical casino in the past.
Netflix made this concept popular for television and film, and now there are countless streaming options for people to choose from. There are thousands of television shows and films available, meaning that it’s often far more convenient to watch in this way than wait for programmes to be shown at scheduled times. Music has gone in the same direction as well, with many people now using services like Spotify and Apple Music to listen to their favourite tracks.
Broadcaster Platforms Are No Longer Just for Catch-Up
When broadcaster platforms like BBC iPlayer and ITVX first came about as ITV Hub, they were primarily designed as catch-up tools for people who missed their favourite shows during their scheduled slots. These would be available for a certain length of time before being removed, but now it seems that the model is changing.
Many of the best programmes have remained on these platforms, meaning that people can easily watch many of the original series from these broadcasters any time. It’s even possible to go back years and watch classic programmes, so it could be argued that these services now act in the same way as platforms like Netflix.
British broadcasters may not be able to match the budgets or scale of the biggest streaming giants, but they do have some advantages. One thing that works in their favour is that they have a strong connection to British life, and most of the content is relatable to people in the country. They also have a lot of coverage of major live events, such as the World Cup and general elections.
It’s clear that the main British broadcasters have looked at Netflix and other streaming services and realised that if you can’t beat them, join them. By adapting to this new entertainment model, they have a good chance of survival long into the future.
