Nondescript repeats and rushed bathroom breaks...
Remember the days when TV schedules dictated our evenings? When families gathered around the television at fixed times, a careful ritual, a shared experience that punctuated daily life?
Or perhaps more appropriately, arguments over what channel to watch, countless nondescript repeats of tired sitcoms, rushed bathroom breaks, telephone calls interrupting cliffhangers...
However you choose to remember it, the way we watch TV has changed.
Today, we curate our own viewing experience, seamlessly switching between on-demand content, live TV and streaming platforms, watching what we want, when we want, how we want.
Today's viewer has infinite choice and complete flexibility. Terms such as Netflix 'n chill, binge-watching and streaming wars are ubiquitous - the latter referring to the proliferation of streaming platforms competing for out attention - 200+ at the time of writing!
So, in a world where it’s possible to watch what you want, when you want, how you want - what does this mean for traditional broadcast TV? Will streaming signal the end of traditional broadcast TV as we know it?
Broadcast TV - appointment Viewing
For many years, broadcast TV relied on a linear programming model, with shows aired at specific times in accordance with programming schedules. This created a culture of "appointment viewing," where families gathered around the TV set at designated times to watch their favorite shows. Events like the moon landing in 1969 (watched by an estimated 125-150 million people) and the finale of "M*A*S*H" (watched by 106 million people) in 1983, became shared national experiences, demonstrating television's power to bring people together.
Whilst the notion of family get togethers in front of iconic events seems wholesome and romantic, appointment viewing was largely a thing due to a limited choice of channels and content.
Cable & Satellite TV - expanding choices
The introduction of cable and satellite TV in the late 20th century changed all that, revolutionizing the viewing experience by dramatically increasing the number of available channels. This expansion provided viewers not just with more choice, but better catered for diverse interests and niche audiences. Channels dedicated to news, sports, movies, and specialty programming arrived, diluting the dominance of the major broadcast networks.
Pay-Per-View and On-Demand
More choice - sounds great! but not much flexibility - viewings were still by appointment only.
Enter the introduction of pay-per-view (PPV) and on-demand services, allowing viewers to watch movies and special events at their convenience. This marked the beginning of a shift towards a more personalised viewing experience, with control starting to move from broadcaster to viewer.
The Digital Revolution
The television landscape really started to heat up in the late 1990s / early 2000s, with the convergence of television and the internet setting the stage for a major transformation in TV consumption. The launch of digital video recorders (DVRs) like TiVo allowed viewers to record shows and watch them later, essentially bypassing traditional broadcast schedules and commercials.
However, advancements in internet speed and accessibility really put the 'r' in revolution, laying the groundwork for smart TV platforms (and connected devices), allowing viewers to access a variety of content directly on their television sets.
The Birth of Streaming
The real game-changer came with the invent of streaming technology. In 2007, Netflix transitioned from a DVD rental service to a streaming platform, offering subscribers the ability to watch content online. This was a watershed moment, introducing the concept of "binge-watching," and forever changing the TV viewer’s consumption of content.
The success of Netflix spurred the development of numerous other streaming services. Platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, and Apple TV+ entered the market, each offering a vast library of content and original programming.
Viewers were spoilt for choice. No longer a slave to schedules, no more channel-surfing marathons, and say goodbye to missing the first few minutes of your favorite show!
Streaming vs Live TV
The flexibility, convenience and cost effectiveness of streaming technology has resulted in some viewers “cutting the cord’ - a term given to the cancellation of traditional cable or satellite TV subscriptions in favor of streaming platforms.
The removal of these services might suit the viewing preferences of some, but it does have its drawbacks (including content fragmentation, reduced access to local sports and news, the management of multiple services etc). And in a hotel environment, any decision to remove a live TV service is very brave!
A TV service for ALL your guests...
Why is that?
Well, we know that on-demand services are great. The future of TV. We also note the exponential shift from linear TV to on-demand content in hotel rooms across the world.
However, if a hotel removes live TV, it's not providing a TV service to satisfy the needs of every guest. Not every guest is tech savvy, not every guest has access to streaming services and critically, not every guest wants to be restricted to on-demand content only.
And isn't there something nice about the immediacy of Live TV? Something familiar and comforting? Live sporting events, news and special reports, awards shows or live performances?!
And what about the guest that quite fancies a bit of channel surfing, a bit or programming spontaneity?! the thrill of the chase?! Why would any hotel that strives to provide a five-star guest experience choose to exclude all this?
Getting the balance right...
A premium hotel must offer a premium service, and from a TV system’s perspective, that means offering a comprehensive line-up of content, catering for all demographics, and all viewing habits.
A live TV service should complement on-demand content consumption, not compete with it. It should be part of a balanced TV entertainment system, one that caters for every guest, not 'most guests.'
This all sounds very idyllic, but how does a hotel provide both a credible live TV service and a unrestricted line-up of streaming apps and on-demand services?
This has proved to be a bit of an issue for hoteliers, limited by cumbersome casting technology and handcuffed by a limited line-up of streaming apps (failure to provide Netflix in the hotel room is not going to impress your guests!) and clunky interfaces that struggle to integrate the different viewing components.
The Future of TV
ROOMNET's collaboration with Spectrum Enterprise and its TV Streaming Access (TVSA) app, ticks every box.
ROOMNET TV provides a modern apps-based TV experience, allowing guests to stream content directly on the TV (no need to cast!), and / or download their own apps from the App Store for the duration of the stay.
The TVSA app offers a line-up of 200+ live TV channels and a large on-demand library of movies and TV shows. Call it traditional TV with a modern twist!
TVSA allows the guest to watch a modern format of traditional live TV alongside the bounty of content provided by streaming apps. And best of all? All this is provided on Apple TV's powerful, lightning fast interface.
Sounds great, right?
A just like at home TV experience. And the future of hotel TV....
