TV Guide 2025: Television’s Dramatic Transformation – From Cable to Streaming
The Evolution of Television Viewing in 2025
As 2025 unfolds, the television landscape is experiencing significant transformations, with streaming services reshaping the industry. The year brings major changes to both linear and streaming television, including the loss of one streaming service and the introduction of another.
Major Platform Changes
Amazon is consolidating its services by moving all Freevee content to Prime Video, while maintaining free ad-supported viewing. In a groundbreaking move, Netflix has secured exclusive rights to WWE Raw starting January 2025, marking a significant shift in wrestling entertainment delivery.
ESPN is launching a new direct-to-consumer streaming service dubbed ‘ESPN Flagship’ in fall 2025, which will incorporate all current ESPN+ programming.
Viewing Habits and Industry Trends
Despite the media narrative focusing heavily on streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+, traditional TV formats continue to dominate the viewing landscape. Broadcast and cable still account for the majority of global TV consumption.
Modern viewers spend an average of 3 hours and 13 minutes watching television daily across all formats. The distinction between traditional TV and streaming is increasingly blurred, with over 30% of viewers accessing content through connected TV sets.
Programming Changes and Show Endings
2025 marks the end of several popular series, including ‘Stranger Things’, ‘Squid Game’, ‘The Conners’, ‘Andor’, and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’.
In a historic development for daytime television, CBS is launching ‘Beyond the Gates’ on February 24, 2025, representing the first new daytime drama on broadcast TV in decades.
Future of Television
The industry is witnessing a significant integration of broadcast and broadband technologies. New standards are being developed to create a seamless bridge between traditional linear TV and IP-based content delivery, aiming to provide viewers with a more unified experience.
