Forecast: Digital Video Viewing to Top Traditional TV in US

A Netflix logo is pictured in Los Angeles, California, US, September 15, 2022. (Reuters)
A Netflix logo is pictured in Los Angeles, California, US, September 15, 2022. (Reuters)
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Forecast: Digital Video Viewing to Top Traditional TV in US

A Netflix logo is pictured in Los Angeles, California, US, September 15, 2022. (Reuters)
A Netflix logo is pictured in Los Angeles, California, US, September 15, 2022. (Reuters)

For the first time ever, US adults will spend more time this year watching digital video on platforms such as Netflix, TikTok and YouTube than viewing traditional television, Insider Intelligence forecast on Wednesday.

In the historic first, the market tracker expects "linear TV" to account for less than half of daily viewing, dropping to under three hours while average daily digital video watching climbs to 52.3 percent with 3 hours and 11 minutes.

"This milestone is driven by people spending more and more time watching video on their biggest and smallest screens, whether it's an immersive drama on a connected TV or a viral clip on a smartphone," Insider Intelligence principal analyst Paul Verna said in a release.

"Given teens' preferences for social and streaming video over TV, we can expect these trends to continue to shift in favor of digital."

Netflix and YouTube are "neck and neck" leaders when it comes to digital video audience attention, with US adults tuning in for about 33 minutes daily on average at each platform, according to Insider Intelligence.

Live sporting events becoming available on video streaming platforms is also helping power the shift away from traditional television, as is the popularity of shared video clips on apps, the market tracker said.

TikTok is a key driver with the average amount of time spent there daily by US adults climbing sharply, according to Insider Intelligence.

"TikTok versus Netflix will be a major trend to watch this year," said Insider Intelligence principal analyst Jasmine Enberg.

"The lines between social and entertainment have blurred, and TikTok is now coming for the bigger-screen video players."

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify in March before US lawmakers in Washington, where the Chinese social media app faces accusations that it is beholden to the Communist Party in Beijing.

TikTok, whose parent company ByteDance is Chinese, is fighting for survival in the United States with rising calls from mainly Republican lawmakers that the company should be outright banned because of its alleged links to Beijing.

Insider Intelligence noted that while Twitter is not primarily a video platform, overall time spent on the platform by US adults is expected to drop this year and next year as its ranks of users decline.

"The problem is that Twitter's efforts to encourage more original videos, from Vine to Fleets, have so far been unsuccessful," Enberg said.

"Twitter owner Elon Musk's attempts to bring more video to the app, including potentially incentivizing YouTube creators to post to Twitter, will be futile at improving time spent among all US adults unless he also manages to stave off a user decline."



Oscars to Add New Award for Stunts

There will be an Oscar for stunts handed out at the 100th edition of the ceremony in 2028. Handout / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
There will be an Oscar for stunts handed out at the 100th edition of the ceremony in 2028. Handout / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Oscars to Add New Award for Stunts

There will be an Oscar for stunts handed out at the 100th edition of the ceremony in 2028. Handout / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
There will be an Oscar for stunts handed out at the 100th edition of the ceremony in 2028. Handout / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

A new Oscar for stunts will be handed out when Hollywood's glitziest party celebrates its 100th birthday, awards officials said Thursday.

The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said films released in 2027 will be eligible for an Oscar for Achievement in Stunt Design, AFP said.

"Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement.

"We are proud to honor the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and dedication in reaching this momentous occasion."

Rules on eligibility and who will vote for the winner will be unveiled in two years' time.

The announcement marks the culmination of a growing campaign for a "best stunts" category at the Oscars, with supporters arguing that the input of the unsung performers who risk life and limb equals that of the sound mixers, makeup artists and visual effects gurus who are already honored.

Stunt work is already honored at some prestigious movie and TV ceremonies, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards where "Fall Guy" took home the 2024 prize.

The Academy has been expanding the Oscars to create more categories that reflect how complex filmmaking has become.

Last year, a new Oscar was established for casting, which will be awarded for the first time next year.