Does anyone still watch live TV?

[Dough4872]

Some sports I like to watch live such as NFL. But other sports i like to watch on DVR such as NASCAR so I can fast forward through commercials.

[CtrlAltDel]

It depends on what you mean by "live tv." Do you mean a program transmitted more or less at the same time it is being created? Or do you mean a program transmitted only at set scheduled times?

Live TV is generally meant as something that is currently being transmitted--the earliest you could possibly watch that program regardless of when it was created.

True, but that doesn't seem to be how some people are using it here, such as with Jeopardy, which is why I thought to point it out.

[vdeane]

"Live" as in antenna/cable/satellite channels.  Not necessarily "live" as in "these events are literally happening right now".

[Ted$8roadFan]

Sports and news.

[1995hoo]

It depends on what you mean by "live tv." Do you mean a program transmitted more or less at the same time it is being created? Or do you mean a program transmitted only at set scheduled times?

Live TV is generally meant as something that is currently being transmitted--the earliest you could possibly watch that program regardless of when it was created.

True, but that doesn't seem to be how some people are using it here, such as with Jeopardy, which is why I thought to point it out.

What I meant as to Jeopardy should have been utterly obvious to normal people, but it was more or less the following: It comes on Channel 7 at 7:30. We usually watch NBC Nightly News at 7:00. If we're done with dinner by 7:30, and if there is nothing else on we want to watch instead (such as a Caps game during hockey season), we will turn it to Jeopardy and watch that as it airs. If we haven't finished dinner, or if there's something else we want to watch then, we let the DVR pick up Jeopardy and we watch it later. Every normal person knows Jeopardy does not "air live" in the way sports do–it's recorded several weeks in advance, although they know when a given episode is scheduled to air when they record it. (And of course sometimes it winds up being preempted due to breaking news or severe weather alert coverage.)

I'm surprised certain people haven't tried to make a stink about the distinction between getting your TV service via a "cable replacement service" (YouTube TV, Sling, etc.–all of which are technically "streaming" but allow you to watch "live TV" in the sense of watching a program when it airs) versus getting it via an antenna, cable, or satellite dish.

[mgk920]

For me, watching anything on an outside programmed broadcast receiver is on the screens at a local sports bar.  The current reaction to the latest new technologies by SAG-AFTRA and the WGA is going to do it permanently for many others.

Mike

[WillWeaverRVA]

Sports and reality are generally the only things I watch live anymore. Everything else I watch on demand.

[MATraveler128]

Basically just watch the news.

[Roadrunner75]

Despite having access to multiple streaming services beyond standard cable, I still mostly just watch regular "live" tv.   Force of habit.   Just putting on the news or a few other favorite channels is easier than trying to think of something I want to watch and then trying to find which service has it, with a few exceptions. 

[CtrlAltDel]

It depends on what you mean by "live tv." Do you mean a program transmitted more or less at the same time it is being created? Or do you mean a program transmitted only at set scheduled times?

Live TV is generally meant as something that is currently being transmitted--the earliest you could possibly watch that program regardless of when it was created.

True, but that doesn't seem to be how some people are using it here, such as with Jeopardy, which is why I thought to point it out.

What I meant as to Jeopardy should have been utterly obvious to normal people

My apologies for not fitting your definition of normal.

[Rothman]

It depends on what you mean by "live tv." Do you mean a program transmitted more or less at the same time it is being created? Or do you mean a program transmitted only at set scheduled times?

Live TV is generally meant as something that is currently being transmitted--the earliest you could possibly watch that program regardless of when it was created.

True, but that doesn't seem to be how some people are using it here, such as with Jeopardy, which is why I thought to point it out.

What I meant as to Jeopardy should have been utterly obvious to normal people

My apologies for not fitting your definition of normal.

No one on this forum does.  No one.

[hbelkins]

Since I don't have any streaming services where I can watch shows on demand, everything I watch is live.

[HighwayStar]

I do on occasion, especially in hotels or when I'm just throwing something on while working on something. Just the other night I watched live broadcast TV when the Plex device was having problems.

I've always enjoyed engineering a good antenna setup and pulling in broadcast TV, and still do it as a backup for internet outages and other problems.

[kkt]

I would need cable in order to get a signal, and cable was the first thing I pulled the plug on when the ex moved out.

[triplemultiplex]

I still watch plenty of what they call "appointment television".  Plenty of interesting things on PBS these days.  Various reruns on those OTA channels where half the ads are for scams.  And then of course live sports as others have mentioned.  If I feel like getting agitated, I'll watch a Sunday morning yak show.  Might catch some local news just to see what's up.  Then it's fun to do some armchair storm chasing when there's severe weather in my media market.

[SP Cook]

I'm surprised certain people haven't tried to make a stink about the distinction between getting your TV service via a "cable replacement service" (YouTube TV, Sling, etc.–all of which are technically "streaming" but allow you to watch "live TV" in the sense of watching a program when it airs) versus getting it via an antenna, cable, or satellite dish.

The consensus in the industry is going to be the term "paid linear television", which would mean a set of channels, distributed in the traditional linear manner.  This can be cable, satellite, or linear streaming such as DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV, Sling, etc.

Anyway, Nielsen covers this and the numbers are publicly available (Nielsen charges for a lot of stuff).  Total time spent watching non-linear streaming is about 40%.  Unfortunately, Nielsen divides "OTA" (NBC, CBS, etc) and "cable channels" (ESPN, USA, Discovery, etc) into two categories, each of which get about 30% which leads know-nothings to proclaim the "streaming is the most popular form of TV", but, of course, most people don't really care if a show or game is on ABC or on TBS, they are just different channel numbers in their cable (or satellite or alternative) package.

IMHO, this is about where this is going to stay.  No body is sitting around waiting for streaming to come to their town.  Those that want each service, have it.  Most people us it the way HBO used to be, a pay extra supplement to the standard channels.   The problem is none of these services, save only Netflix, makes a dime, and there really seems to be no path to profitability for them.  Many will go broke in the next few years.

As far as the question, I pretty much only watch sports.  Maybe 3-4 scripted dramas.  I really regret that these streaming services are picking up sports.  To get the sports that you used to watch on "cable" with just one bill, you now need every streaming service, except Netflix.  Very anti-consumer.

[JayhawkCO]

As far as the question, I pretty much only watch sports.  Maybe 3-4 scripted dramas.  I really regret that these streaming services are picking up sports.  To get the sports that you used to watch on "cable" with just one bill, you now need every streaming service, except Netflix.  Very anti-consumer.

But if you only want particular sports, you don't need every streaming service. For my sports, I use YouTube TV (which gets me the ESPNs, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, TBS/TNT, etc.), Peacock (which comes free with my internet), and Paramount+ if I feel like watching Champions League. So I only really pay for YouTube TV and maybe for a couple months of the year an extra $5/mo for Paramount.

[SP Cook]

Baseball:  Must have the linear channels, including your local RSN which is only on DirecTV or cable now (not on DISH or YouTube TV); Apple, and Peacock.  In market New York Yankee fans also must have Amazon.   
Pro Football: Must have linear channels, Peacock, and Amazon. 
Soccer: Must have linear channels, Apple, Peacock, Paramount Plus, ESPN+, Amazon.
College football:  Appears the Pac 12 will be on Apple.  Also must have ESPN+, Peacock, and the linear channels.
College basketball: Same.
Golf: Must have linear channels, and ESPN+.
Indy Car: Must have linear channels, plus Peacock.
NASCAR:  Is almost certain to sell 6-8 races to Apple in next deal.

To watch the same sports you used to get for one bill, you must have every service, except Netflix.  Very anti-consumer.

[JayhawkCO]

Soccer: Must have linear channels, Apple, Peacock, Paramount Plus, ESPN+, Amazon.

I won't comment on all of them, but I probably watch more soccer than any poster on this forum. You're never going to be able to watch every single league. As a Premier League fan, the networks I mentioned are plenty. If you want to watch the Turkish Super Lig or Dutch Eredivisie and you're grumpy that you have to pay for special streaming, I don't know what to tell you.

[Roadgeekteen]

exclusively sports and election coverage.

[1995hoo]

I'm surprised certain people haven't tried to make a stink about the distinction between getting your TV service via a "cable replacement service" (YouTube TV, Sling, etc.–all of which are technically "streaming" but allow you to watch "live TV" in the sense of watching a program when it airs) versus getting it via an antenna, cable, or satellite dish.

The consensus in the industry is going to be the term "paid linear television", which would mean a set of channels, distributed in the traditional linear manner.  This can be cable, satellite, or linear streaming such as DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV, Sling, etc.

... .

My comment was more meant as a reference to certain exceptionally hypertechnical members of this forum.

[JKRhodes]

It's a novelty we enjoy whenever we stay in hotels, but we don't have any sort of live TV service at home; by and large it's just streaming services for entertainment and social media for news.

[Henry]

Only for news, sports and game shows. Everything else is now on-demand.

[Sctvhound]

Basically just sports, news programming and the occasional Price is Right, Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune for me. My parents watch more than that, but mostly HGTV or Food Network specifically.

[MauriceRobbins]

Only sports matches. Nothing more