Social Media Is the New Television

Opinion: Viewership is moving away from linear television to go further online

Year over year, marketers are finding that television events that previously saw high viewership are grossing lower ratings than ever.

The 2017 Academy Awards ratings were the lowest in nine years at 32.9 million viewers, down 4.4 percent from last year. Even the Super Bowl didn’t break any records despite the fact that it had all of the makings of a ratings blockbuster.

Viewership is moving away from linear television to go further online. This shift is particularly true with younger audiences, who watch 13 percent less traditional TV year over year and spend more of their time on over-the-top platforms.

For the Oscars, it’s possible that extensive coverage of political content played a role in causing audience fatigue.

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