Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as television series and films , streamed over the Internet. Standing in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air aerial systems, cable television , and/or satellite television systems, streaming television is provided as over-the-top media (OTT), or as Internet Protocol television (IPTV). In the United States, streaming television has become "the dominant form of TV viewing."
133-403: Up until the 1990s, it was not thought possible that a television show could be squeezed into the limited telecommunication bandwidth of a copper telephone cable to provide a streaming service of acceptable quality, as the required bandwidth of a digital television signal was (in the mid-1990s perceived to be) around 200 Mbit/s , which was 2,000 times greater than the bandwidth of
266-707: A TV ( CTV ), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features that allow users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart TVs are a technological convergence of computers , televisions , and digital media players . Besides the traditional functions of television sets provided through traditional broadcasting media, these devices can provide access to over-the-top media services such as streaming television and internet radio , along with home networking access. Smart TV should not be confused with Internet TV, IPTV , or streaming television . Internet TV refers to receiving television content over
399-637: A TV show , is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is traditionally broadcast via over-the-air, satellite , or cable . This generally excludes breaking news or advertisements that are aired between shows or between segments of a show. A regularly recurring show is called a television series, and an individual broadcast of such a series is called an episode. Epidodes are usually broadcast in annual sets, which are called seasons in North America and series in other regions. A one-off television show may be called
532-460: A remote control , remotely access and modify files on TV and attached USB drives, access camera and microphone. There have also been concerns that hackers may be able to remotely turn on the microphone or webcam on a smart TV, being able to eavesdrop on private conversations. A common loop antenna may be set for a bi directional transmission channel, capable of uploading data rather than only receiving. Since 2012, security researchers discovered
665-488: A television special , while a short series of episodes is a miniseries . A television film , or telefilm , is a feature film created for broadcasting on television. Television shows are most often scheduled for broadcast well ahead of time and appear on electronic guides or other TV listings , though the rise of streaming services has made television schedules less relevant than in earlier decades. Some programming may be aired live —that is, events are broadcast at
798-474: A Canadian show's season normally runs to a maximum of 13 episodes rather than 20 or more, although an exceptionally popular series such as Corner Gas or Murdoch Mysteries might receive 20-episode orders in later seasons. Canadian shows do not normally receive "back nine" extensions within the same season, however; even a popular series simply ends for the year when the original production order has finished airing, and an expanded order of more than 13 episodes
931-399: A Smart TV, with such as second screen companion devices, spatial gestures input like with Xbox Kinect , and even for speech recognition for natural language user interface . Smart TV develops new features to satisfy consumers and companies, such as new payment processes. LG and PaymentWall have collaborated to allow consumers to access purchased apps, movies, games, and more using
1064-493: A TV show that was broadcast hours or days ago, or to replay the current TV show from its beginning. It also supports video on demand —browsing a catalog of videos (such as movies or television shows) which might be unrelated to the company's scheduled broadcasts. IPTV has an ongoing standardization process (for example, at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute ). Streaming quality
1197-671: A concluding episode, which sometimes is a big series finale . On rare occasions, a series that has not attracted particularly high ratings and has been canceled can be given a reprieve if home video viewership has been particularly strong. This has happened in the cases of Family Guy in the US and Peep Show in the UK. In the United States, if the show is popular or lucrative, and a minimum number of episodes ( usually 100 ) have been made, it can go into broadcast syndication , where rights to broadcast
1330-561: A digital or analog network. Apart from being linked to data networks, one key point is its ability to automatically download necessary software routines, according to a user's demand, and process their needs. However, descriptions of the elements of a smart television can be found in public discourse from the beginning of the 1980s, if not earlier, with the introduction of videotex services, particularly teletext information for reception by television sets, leading commentators to consider that televisions and accessories would evolve to encompass
1463-411: A license fee to the studio for the right to air the show. This license fee does not cover the show's production costs, leading to the deficit. Although the studio does not make its money back in the original airing of the show, it retains ownership of the show. This allows the studio to make its money back and earn a profit through syndication and sales of DVDs and Blu-rays . This system places most of
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#17331068573151596-520: A limited time. Channel 4's online service All 4 can only stream shows created in the US by companies such as HBO for thirty days after they are aired on one of the Channel 4 group channels. This is to boost DVD sales for the companies who produce that media. Some companies pay very large amounts for broadcasting rights with sports and US sitcoms usually fetching the highest price from UK-based broadcasters. A trend among major content producers in North America
1729-478: A lower profile than those aired during the main season and can also include limited series events. Reality and game shows have also been fixtures of the schedule. In Canada, the commercial networks air most US programming in tandem with the US television season, but their original Canadian shows follow a model closer to British than US television production. Due to the smaller production budgets available in Canada,
1862-506: A majority of streaming devices will covertly collect and transmit personal user data, including captured screen images, to a wide network of advertising and analytics companies, raising privacy concerns. Digital marketing research firm eMarketer reported a 38 percent surge – to close to $ 7 billion, a 10 percent television advertising market share – in advertising on connected TV like Hulu and Roku , to be underway in 2019, with market indicators that
1995-556: A much more cinematic experience of the content than is currently available with most computers. Some Smart TV platforms also support interactive advertising ( companion ads ), addressable advertising with local advertising insertion and targeted advertising, and other advanced advertising features such as ad telescoping using VOD and DVR , enhanced TV for consumer call-to-action , and audience measurement solutions for ad campaign effectiveness. The marketing and trading possibilities offered by Smart TVs are sometimes summarized by
2128-640: A new kind of customer called "cord cutters". Cord cutters are consumers who are cancelling their cable TV or satellite TV subscriptions and choosing instead to stream TV series, films and other content via the Internet . Cord cutters are forming communities. With the increasing availability of Online video platform (e.g., YouTube ) and streaming services, there is an alternative to cable and satellite television subscriptions. Cord cutters tend to be younger people. Television show A television show , TV program ( British English : programme ), or simply
2261-522: A new standardization, therefore in 2012, with the contributions of Apple, Netflix, Microsoft, and other companies, Dynamic Adaptive Streaming , known as MPEG-DASH, was published as the new HTTP-based adaptive streaming standard. The mid-2000s were the beginning of television programs becoming available via the Internet . In 2003, TVonline Station was founded in Greece, making it the world's first television station to produce and broadcast content exclusively over
2394-452: A one-time fee to watch a program at a time of their own choosing. Modern streaming television allows viewers to watch programming at any time with a subscription to the service. The first television shows were experimental, sporadic broadcasts viewable only within a very short range from the broadcast tower starting in the 1930s. Televised events such as the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany,
2527-454: A person or company decides to create new content for television broadcast, they develop the show's elements, consisting of the concept , the characters , the crew , and the cast. Then they often "pitch" it to the various networks in an attempt to find one interested enough to order a prototype for the first episode of the series, known as a pilot . Eric Coleman , an animation executive at Disney , told an interviewer, "One misconception
2660-537: A practice known as over-the-top content delivery. Both IPTV and OTT use the Internet protocol over a packet-switched network to transmit data, but IPTV operates in a closed system—a dedicated, managed network controlled by the local cable, satellite, telephone, or fiber-optic company. In its simplest form, IPTV simply replaces traditional circuit switched analog or digital television channels with digital channels which happen to use packet-switched transmission. In both
2793-440: A price discounted from basic broadband plus basic cable . In 2017, YouTube launched YouTube TV , a streaming service that allows users to watch live television programs from popular cable or network channels, and record shows to stream anywhere, anytime. As of 2017, 28% of US adults cite streaming services as their main means for watching television, and 61% of those ages 18 to 29 cite it as their main method. As of 2024, Netflix
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#17331068573152926-532: A range of related activities. In the words of one commentator: "In the long run, this machine is likely to develop into a multi-purpose receiver, for electronic mail, dealing with the bank, calculations, remote information - and ' Not the nine o'clock news ' or ' Casablanca ' on video." The mass acceptance of digital television in the mid-late 2000s and early 2010s greatly improved Smart TVs. Major TV manufacturers have announced production of Smart TVs only for their middle-end to high-end TVs in 2015. Smart TVs became
3059-824: A remote control, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. This is intended for an easier and more convenient way for checkout. Smart TV technology and software is still evolving, with both proprietary and open source software frameworks already available. These can run applications (sometimes available via an 'app store' digital distribution platform ), play over-the-top media services and interactive on-demand media, personalized communications, and have social networking features. Android TV , Boxee , Google TV , Horizon TV , Inview , Kodi Entertainment Center , Mediaroom , MeeGo , OpenTV , Plex , RDK (Reference Development Kit), Roku , Smart TV Alliance, ToFu Media Platform, Ubuntu TV , Vewd, and Yahoo! Smart TV are framework platforms managed by individual companies. HbbTV, provided by
3192-440: A script is approved. A director is chosen to plan the episode's final look. Pre-production tasks include storyboarding; construction of sets, props, and costumes; casting guest stars; budgeting; acquiring resources like lighting, special effects, stunts, etc. Once the show is planned, it must then be scheduled: scenes are often filmed out of sequence, and guest actors or even regulars may only be available at certain times. Sometimes
3325-592: A significant change for the industry. One year later the introduction of HTTP-based adaptive streaming, many companies such as Microsoft and Netflix developed their streaming technology. In 2009, Apple launched HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), and Adobe , in 2010, HTTP Dynamic Streaming (HDS). In addition, HTTP-based adaptive streaming was chosen for important streaming events such as Roland Garros , Wimbledon , Vancouver and London Olympic Games, and many others and on premium on-demand services (Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, etc.). The increase in streaming services required
3458-742: A similar vulnerability present in more series of Smart TVs, which allows hackers to get an external root access on the device. Anticipating growing demand for an antivirus for a Smart TV, some security software companies are already working with partners in the digital TV field on the solution. It seems like there is only one antivirus for Smart TVs available: "Neptune", a cloud-based antimalware system developed by Ocean Blue Software in partnership with Sophos . However, antivirus company Avira has joined forces with digital TV testing company Labwise to work on software to protect against potential attacks. The privacy policy for Samsung's Smart TVs has been called Orwellian (a reference to George Orwell and
3591-469: A small, close-knit production team. These are "pitched" in the traditional way, but since the creators handle all the writing requirements, there is a run of six or seven episodes per series once approval has been given. Many of the most popular British comedies have been made this way, including Monty Python's Flying Circus (albeit with an exclusive team of six writer-performers), Fawlty Towers , Blackadder and The Office . The production company
3724-485: A speech signal over a copper telephone wire . By the year 2000, a television broadcast could be compressed to 2 Mbit/s, but most consumers still had little opportunity to obtain greater than 1 Mbit/s connection speeds. Streaming services started as a result of two major technological developments: MPEG ( motion-compensated DCT ) video compression and asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) data communication . The first worldwide live-streaming event
3857-671: A television set unit. A Smart TV runs a complete operating system or mobile operating system that may provide a platform for application developers. Thus, a Smart TV often allows the user to install and run more advanced applications or plugins/addons based on its specific platform. A Smart TV platform has a public software development kit (SDK) or native development kit (NDK) with which third-party developers can develop applications for it, and an app store so end-users can install and uninstall apps. The public SDK enables third-party application developers to write applications once and see them run successfully on any device that supports
3990-542: A variety of terms. In the United Kingdom and other countries, these sets of episodes are referred to as a "series". In Australia, the broadcasting may be different from North American usage. The terms series and season are both used and are the same. For example, Battlestar Galactica has an original series as well as a remake, both are considered a different series, each with their own number of individual seasons. Australian television does not follow "seasons" in
4123-513: A website originally created for DVD rentals and sales, began providing streaming content in 2007. In 2008 Hulu , owned by NBC and Fox, was launched, followed by tv.com in 2009, owned by CBS. The first generation Apple TV was released in 2007 and in 2008 the first generation Roku streaming device was announced. Digital media players also began to become available to the public during this time. These digital media players have continued to be updated and new generations released. Smart TVs took over
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4256-488: Is 6000 kbit/s, whereas UHD requires upwards of 16,000 kbit/s. For users who do not have the bandwidth to stream HD/4K video or even SD video, most streaming platforms make use of an adaptive bitrate stream so that if the user's bandwidth suddenly drops, the platform will lower its streaming bitrate to compensate. Most modern television streaming platforms offer a wide range of both manual and automatic bitrate settings which are based on initial connection tests during
4389-408: Is a smart TV . Within the same decade, rapid deployment of LTE cellular network and general availability of smartphones have increased popularity of the streaming services, and the corresponding apps on mobile devices . On August 18, 2022, Nielsen reported that for the first time, streaming viewership has surpassed cable. Considering the popularity of smart TVs, smartphones, and devices such as
4522-452: Is a streaming service owned by Apple Inc. Apple TV+ is a streaming subscription platform that launched November 1, 2019. The service offers original content exclusively made by Apple, being seen as Apple Originals. This streaming platform solely releases content that can only be found on Apple TV+, there is no third-party content found on the platform whereas several other streaming services have third-party content. The AppleTV+ name derives from
4655-537: Is a subsidiary of NBC Universal Television and Streaming. The streaming service gets its name from the NBC logo based on its colors. The platform had launched on July 15, 2020. The streaming service primarily features content that can be found on NBC networking channels as well as other third-party sources. Additionally, Peacock now offers original content that cannot be found on any other streaming platform. In December 2022, Peacock reached 20 million paid subscribers. In March 2023,
4788-412: Is applied to the next season's renewal order rather than an extension of the current season. Only the public CBC Television normally schedules Canadian-produced programming throughout the year; the commercial networks typically now avoid scheduling Canadian productions to air in the fall, as such shows commonly get lost amid the publicity onslaught of the US fall season. Instead, Canadian-produced shows on
4921-462: Is complete, producers coordinate tasks to begin the video editing . Visual and digital video effects are added to the film; this is often outsourced to companies specializing in these areas. Often music is performed with the conductor using the film as a time reference (other musical elements may be previously recorded). An editor cuts the various pieces of film together, adds the musical score and effects, determines scene transitions, and assembles
5054-430: Is currently promoting and establishing an open European standard for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast and broadband digital television and multimedia applications with a single-user interface. BBC iPlayer originally incorporated peer-to-peer streaming, moved towards centralized distribution for their video streaming services. BBC executive Anthony Rose cited network performance as an important factor in
5187-464: Is done to increase profits, as seen with shows such as The Witcher . Since at least the 2000s, new broadcast television series are often ordered (funded) for just the first 10 to 13 episodes, to gauge audience interest. If a series is popular, the network places a "back nine order" and the season is completed to the regular 20 to 26 episodes. An established series that is already popular, however, will typically receive an immediate full-season order at
5320-413: Is for a fee. In the UK, the term catch up TV was most commonly used to refer to these sort of services at the time. Since 2012, around 200 over-the-top (OTT) platforms providing streamed and downloadable content have emerged. Investment by Netflix in new original content for its OTT platform reached $ 13bn in 2018. Amazon Prime Video was originally launched in the year 2006. Upon its initial release,
5453-524: Is intended for viewing post- watershed . Honour systems are also used where users are asked for their dates of birth or age to verify if they are able to view certain content. IPTV delivers television content using signals based on the Internet Protocol (IP), through managed private network infrastructure entirely owned by a single telecom or Internet service provider (ISP). This stands in contrast to delivering content over unmanaged public networks -
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5586-628: Is often separate from the broadcaster. The executive producer , often the show's creator, is in charge of running the show. They pick the crew and help cast the actors, approve and sometimes write series plots—some even write or direct major episodes—while various other producers help to ensure that the show runs smoothly. Very occasionally, the executive producer will cast themselves in the show. As with filmmaking or other electronic media production, producing of an individual episode can be divided into three parts: pre-production , principal photography , and post-production . Pre-production begins when
5719-436: Is only available to viewers in the United States because of licensing restrictions. Hulu is one of the only streaming services that provides streaming for current on-air television shows a few days after their original broadcast on cable television, but with limited availability. Hulu originally had both a free and paid plan. The free plan was accessible only via computer and there was a limited amount of content for users, whereas
5852-433: Is provided by Microsoft to prevent content being copied. Additionally, BBC iPlayer makes use of a parental control system giving users the option to "lock" content, requiring a password to access it. The goal of these systems is to enable parents to keep children from viewing sexually themed, violent, or otherwise age-inappropriate material. Flagging systems can be used to warn a user that content may be certified or that it
5985-404: Is that it's very difficult to get in and pitch your show, when the truth is that development executives at networks want very much to hear ideas. They want very much to get the word out on what types of shows they're looking for." To create the pilot, the structure and team of the whole series must be put together. If audiences respond well to the pilot, the network will pick up the show to air it
6118-738: Is the quality of image and audio transmission from the servers of the distributor to the user's screen. Also, Streaming resolution helps to measure the size of the streaming quality of video pixels. High-definition video (720p+) and later standards require higher bandwidth and faster connection speeds than previous standards, because they carry higher spatial resolution image content. In addition, transmission packet loss and latency caused by network impairments and insufficient bandwidth degrade replay quality. Decoding errors may manifest themselves with video breakup and macro blocks. The generally accepted download rate for streaming high-definition (1080p) video encoded in AVC
6251-517: Is the use of the " TV Everywhere " system. Especially for live content, the TV Everywhere system restricts viewership of a video feed to select Internet service providers , usually cable television companies that pay a retransmission consent or subscription fee to the content producer. This often has the negative effect of making the availability of content dependent upon the provider, with the consumer having little or no choice on whether they receive
6384-518: Is the world's largest streaming TV network and also the world's largest Internet media and entertainment company with 269 million paid subscribers, and by revenue and market cap. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had a strong impact in the television streaming business with the lifestyle changes such as staying at home and lockdowns. The Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) consortium of industry companies (such as SES , Humax , Philips , and ANT Software)
6517-528: The BBC . Half-hour programs are around 22 minutes on commercial channels and around 28 minutes on the BBC. The longer duration on the BBC is due to the lack of advertising breaks. In France, most television shows (whether dramas, game shows or documentaries) have a duration of 52 minutes. This is the same on nearly all French networks (TF1, France 2, France 5, M6, Canal+, etc.). Smart TV A smart TV , also known as
6650-592: The Daytime Emmy Awards was created. Later that year, Netflix made history by earning the first Primetime Emmy Award nominations for a streaming television series, for Arrested Development , Hemlock Grove , and House of Cards , at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards . Hulu earned the first Emmy win for Outstanding Drama Series, for The Handmaid's Tale at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards . Traditional cable and satellite television providers began to offer services such as Sling TV , owned by Dish Network, which
6783-410: The 1937 coronation of King George VI in the United Kingdom, and David Sarnoff's famous introduction at the 1939 New York World's Fair in the United States spurred growth in the medium, but World War II put a halt to development until after the war. The 1947 World Series inspired many Americans to buy their first television set, and then in 1948, the popular radio show Texaco Star Theater made
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#17331068573156916-487: The 1980s, shows (except for soap opera -type serials ) typically remained static without story arcs , and the main characters and premise changed little. If some change happened to the characters' lives during the episode , it was usually undone by the end. Due to this, the episodes could be broadcast in any order. Since the 1980s, many series feature progressive change in the plot, the characters, or both. For instance, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere were two of
7049-532: The 2010s with the rapid deployment of LTE cellular networks . These apps enable users to stream television content on mobile devices that support them. In 2008, the International Academy of Web Television , headquartered in Los Angeles, formed in order to organize and support television actors, authors, executives, and producers in web series and streaming television. The organization also administers
7182-738: The Apple TV media player that was released in 2007. Disney+ is an American subscription streaming service owned and operated by the Disney Entertainment division of The Walt Disney Company . Released on November 12, 2019, the service primarily distributes films and television series produced by The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Television , with dedicated content hubs for the brands The Walt Disney Company , Pixar , Marvel , Star Wars , and National Geographic , as well as Star in some regions. Original films and television series are also distributed on Disney+. Launched in 2007, Hulu
7315-460: The DVD and Blu-ray releases. In the UK and Ireland, most programs are referred to as 'series' while 'season' is starting to be used for some US and international releases. The 1980s and 1990s was the golden age of television miniseries attracting millions of Egyptians. For example, The Family of Mr Shalash miniseries, starring Salah Zulfikar and Laila Taher , was the highest rated at the time. In
7448-575: The Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV association, CE-HTML, part of Web4CE, OIPF, part of HbbTV, and Tru2way are framework platforms managed by technology businesses. Current Smart TV platforms used by vendors are Amazon , Apple , Google , Haier , Hisense , Hitachi , Insignia , LG , Microsoft , Netgear , Panasonic , Philips , Samsung , Sharp , Sony , TCL , TiVO , Toshiba , Sling Media , and Western Digital . Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, and Roku TV are some platforms ranked under
7581-646: The Internet instead of traditional systems such as terrestrial, cable, and satellite, regardless of how the Internet is delivered. IPTV is one of the Internet television technology standards for use by television broadcasters. Streaming television is a term used for programs created by many producers for showing on Internet TV. In smart TVs, the operating system is preloaded into the television set's firmware , which provides access to apps and other digital content . In contrast, traditional televisions primarily act as displays and are limited to vendor-specific customization. The software applications can be preloaded into
7714-612: The Internet. Broadcasters filed lawsuits against Aereo, because Aereo captured broadcast signals and streamed the content to Aereo's customers without paying broadcasters. In mid-July 2012, a federal judge sided with the Aereo start-up. Aereo planned to expand to every major metropolitan area by the end of 2013. The Supreme Court ruled against Aereo June 24, 2014. Some have noted that as opposed to broadcast television, with demographics of mostly "unspokenly straight" white viewers, cable, and with streaming services, dollars from subscription can "level
7847-505: The Roku and Chromecast, much of the US public can watch television via the Internet. Internet-only channels are now established enough to feature some Emmy-nominated shows, such as Netflix 's House of Cards . Many networks also distribute their shows the next day to streaming providers such as Hulu Some networks may use a proprietary system, such as the BBC utilizes their BBC iPlayer format. This has resulted in bandwidth demands increasing to
7980-934: The Smart TV platform architecture it was written for, regardless of the hardware manufacturer. Smart TVs deliver content (such as photos, movies and music) from other computers or network attached storage devices on a network using either a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) / Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) media server or similar service program like Windows Media Player or Network-attached storage (NAS), or via iTunes . It also provides access to Internet-based services including traditional broadcast TV channels, catch-up services , video-on-demand (VOD), electronic program guide , interactive advertising, personalisation, voting, games, social networking , and other multimedia applications. Smart TV enables access to movies, shows, video games, apps and more. Some of those apps include Netflix , Hulu , Spotify , YouTube , and Amazon . In
8113-413: The UK can stream content from the BBC. The BBC only allows free use of their product for users within the UK as those users have paid for a television license that funds part of the BBC. This IP address check is not foolproof as the user may be accessing the BBC website through a VPN or proxy server . Broadcasting rights can also be restricted to allowing a broadcaster rights to distribute that content for
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#17331068573158246-537: The UK. In Australia, many locally produced shows are termed differently on home video releases. For example, a set of the television drama series Packed to the Rafters or Wentworth is referred to as "season" ("The Complete First Season", etc.), whereas drama series such as Tangle are known as a "series" ("Series 1", etc.). British-produced shows such as Mrs. Brown's Boys are referred to as "season" in Australia for
8379-553: The United States, dramas produced for hour-long time slots typically are 37–42 minutes in length (excluding advertisements), while sitcoms produced for 30-minute time slots typically are 18–21 minutes long. There are exceptions: subscription-based TV channels, such as HBO , Starz, Cinemax, and Showtime, have episodes that are 45–48 minutes long, similar to the UK. Audience opinions of length have varied due to factors such as content overload . In Britain, dramas typically run from 46–48 minutes on commercial channels, and 57–59 minutes on
8512-466: The Web, cable or satellite TV channels, or a local storage device. A Smart TV device is either a television set with integrated Internet capabilities or a set-top box for television that offers more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary basic television set. A Smart TVs is an information appliance and may be thought of as the computer system of a mobile device integrated with
8645-436: The act is Vizio . The confidential documents, codenamed Vault 7 and dated from 2013 to 2016, include details on CIA 's software capabilities, such as the ability to compromise Smart TVs. Internet websites can block Smart TV access to content at will or tailor the content that will be received by each platform. Google TV -enabled devices were blocked by NBC , ABC , CBS , and Hulu from accessing their Web content since
8778-456: The best Smart TV platforms. According to a report from research group NPD In-Stat, in 2012 only about 12 million U.S. households had their Web-capable TVs connected to the Internet, although an estimated 25 million households owned a set with the built-in network capability. In-Stat predicted that by 2016, 100 million homes in North America and western Europe would be using television sets blending traditional programming with internet content. By
8911-441: The case of a local newscast and some made-for-television films), or historical (as in the case of many documentaries and fictional series). They could be primarily instructional , educational , or entertaining, as is the case in situation comedy and game shows . A drama program usually features a set of actors playing characters in a historical or contemporary setting. The program follows their lives and adventures. Before
9044-431: The chosen titles via DVDs in prepaid return envelopes. In 2007, Netflix's subscribers could watch some movies and TV shows online, directly from their homes. In 2010, Netflix launched an only-streaming plan with unlimited streaming services without DVDs. Starting from the United States, the only-streaming plan reached several countries; by 2016 more than 190 countries could use this service. In 2011, Netflix began to negotiate
9177-465: The commercial networks typically air either in the winter as mid-season replacements for canceled US shows or in the summer (which may also improve their chances of being picked up by a US network for a summer run). While network orders for 13- or 22-episode seasons are still pervasive in the television industry, several shows have deviated from this traditional trend. Written to be closed-ended and of shorter length than other shows, they are marketed with
9310-448: The completed show. Most television networks throughout the world are 'commercial', dependent on selling advertising time or acquiring sponsors . Broadcasting executives' main concern over their programming is audience size. In the past, the number of 'free to air' stations was restricted by the availability of channel frequencies, but cable TV (outside the United States, satellite television ) technology has allowed an expansion in
9443-462: The country. It offers classic Warner Bros. films and self-produced programs, and has won the right to exclusively air Ghibli Studios films in the United States. It is not until 45 days after the theatrical release from 2022 that the release is taking place on the platform and reached 70 million subscribers in December 2021. In September 2022, 92 million households were counted as subscribers, but since this
9576-439: The curation of traditional content by combining information from the Internet with content from TV providers. Services offer users a means to track and receive reminders about shows or sporting events, as well as the ability to change channels for immediate viewing. Some devices feature additional interactive organic user interface / natural user interface technologies for navigation controls and other human interaction with
9709-530: The decision, as well as consumers being unhappy with their own network bandwidth being used for transmitting content to other viewers. Samsung TV has also announced their plans to provide streaming options including 3D Video on Demand through their Explore 3D service. Some streaming services incorporate digital rights management . The W3C made the controversial decision to adopt Encrypted Media Extensions due in large part to motivations to provide copy protection for streaming content. Sky Go has software that
9842-590: The device or updated or installed on demand via an application store or marketplace , in a manner similar to how applications are integrated into modern smartphones . The technology that enables smart TVs is also incorporated into external devices such as set-top boxes and some Blu-ray players, game consoles , digital media players , hotel television systems , smartphones, and other network-connected interactive devices that utilize television-type display outputs. These devices allow viewers to find and play videos, movies, TV shows, photos, and other content from
9975-483: The dominant form of television during the late 2010s. At the beginning of 2016, Nielsen reported that 29 percent of those with incomes over $ 75,000 a year had a Smart TV. Smart TV devices also provide access to user-generated content (either stored on an external hard drive or in cloud storage ) and to interactive services and Internet applications, such as YouTube , many using HTTP Live Streaming (also known as HLS) adaptive streaming. Smart TV devices facilitate
10108-493: The dystopian world of constant surveillance he depicted in Nineteen Eighty-Four ), and compared to Telescreens because of eavesdropping concerns. Hackers have misused Smart TV's abilities such as operating source codes for applications and its unsecured connection to the Internet. Passwords, IP address data, and credit card information can be accessed by hackers and even companies for advertisement. A company caught in
10241-509: The early 1980s, "intelligent" television receivers were introduced in Japan. The addition of an LSI chip with memory and a character generator to a television receiver enabled Japanese viewers to receive a mix of programming and information transmitted over spare lines of the broadcast television signal. A patent was filed in 1994 (and extended the following year) for an "intelligent" television system, linked with data processing systems, by means of
10374-540: The end of 2019, the number of installed Connect TVs reached 1.26 billion worldwide. The number of households using over-the-top television services has rapidly increased over the years. In 2015, 52% of U.S. households subscribed to Netflix , Amazon Prime , or Hulu Plus ; 43% of pay-TV subscribers also used Netflix, and 43% of adults used some streaming video on demand service at least monthly. Additionally, 19% of Netflix subscribers shared their subscription with people outside of their households. Ten percent of adults at
10507-452: The episode. Director, actors, and crew gather at a television studio or on location for filming or videoing a scene. A scene is further divided into shots, which should be planned during pre-production. Depending on scheduling, a scene may be shot in non-sequential order of the story. Conversations may be filmed twice from different camera angles , often using stand-ins, so one actor might perform all their lines in one set of shots, and then
10640-402: The era and subject covered, these trucks were normally crewed by up to 15 skilled operators and production personnel. In the UK for most of the 20th century, the BBC was the preeminent provider of outside broadcast coverage. BBC crews worked on almost every major event, including Royal weddings and funerals, major political and sporting events, and even drama programs. Once principal photography
10773-424: The figure would surpass $ 10 billion in 2021. There is evidence that a Smart TV is vulnerable to attacks. Some serious security bugs have been discovered, and some successful attempts to run malicious code to get unauthorized access were documented on video. There is evidence that it is possible to gain root access to the device, install malicious software, access and modify configuration information for
10906-554: The financial risk on the studios; however, a hit show in the syndication and home video markets can more than make up for the misses. Although deficit financing places minimal financial risk on the networks, they lose out on the future profits of big hits since they are only licensing the shows. Costs are recouped mainly by advertising revenues for broadcast networks and some cable channels, while other cable channels depend on subscriptions. In general, advertisers, and consequently networks that depend on advertising, are more interested in
11039-747: The first US prime time drama television series to have this kind of dramatic structure, while the later series Babylon 5 further exemplifies such structure in that it had a predetermined story running over its intended five-season run. In 2012, it was reported that television was growing into a larger component of major media companies' revenues than film. Some also noted the increase in quality of some television programs. In 2012, Academy Award-winning film director Steven Soderbergh , commenting on ambiguity and complexity of character and narrative, stated: "I think those qualities are now being seen on television, and that people who want to see stories that have those kinds of qualities are watching television." When
11172-460: The first few seconds of a video loading, and can be changed on the fly. This is valid for both Live and Catch-up content. Additionally, platforms can also offer content in standards such as HDR or Dolby Vision or at higher framerates which can require additional costs or subscription tiers to access. Internet television is common in most US households as of the mid-2010s. In a 2013 study by eMarketer , about one in four new televisions being sold
11305-437: The idea of a video sharing site. Apple's iTunes service also began offering select television programs and series in 2005, available for download after direct payment. A few years later, television networks and other independent services began creating sites where shows and programs could be streamed online. Amazon Prime Video began in the United States as Amazon Unbox in 2006, but did not launch worldwide until 2016. Netflix,
11438-463: The internet. The online video platform site YouTube was launched in early 2005, allowing users to share illegally posted television programs. YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim said the inspiration for YouTube first came from Janet Jackson 's role in the 2004 Super Bowl incident , when her breast was exposed during her performance, and later from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami . Karim could not easily find video clips of either event online, which led to
11571-452: The last half of the episodes are sometimes referred to with the letter B as in "The last nine episodes (of The Sopranos ) will be part of what is being called either 'Season 6, Part 2' or 'Season 6B ' ", or " Futurama is splitting its seasons similar to how South Park does, doing half a season at a time, so this is season 6B for them." Since the 1990s, these shorter seasons also have been referred to as "split" or "half" seasons, which
11704-546: The move and became the first weekly televised variety show , earning host Milton Berle the name "Mr. Television", and demonstrating that the medium was a stable, modern form of entertainment that could attract advertisers . The first national live television broadcast in the US took place on September 4, 1951, when President Harry Truman 's speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in San Francisco
11837-417: The networks; it could originate from an independent production company (sometimes a product of both). For instance, the BBC 's long-running soap opera EastEnders is wholly a BBC production, whereas its popular drama Life on Mars was developed by Kudos in association with the broadcaster. There are still a significant number of programs (usually sitcoms ) that are built by just one or two writers and
11970-421: The next quarter to induce consumers to renew at least one more quarter. A standard television season in the United States runs predominantly during autumn . During the summer months of June through roughly mid-September, network schedules typically feature reruns of their flagship programs, first-run series with lower rating expectations, and other specials. First-run scripted series are typically shorter and of
12103-445: The next season. Sometimes they save it for mid-season or request rewrites and additional review. Other times, they pass entirely, forcing the show's creator to "shop it around" to other networks. Many shows never make it past the pilot stage. The method of "team writing" is employed on some longer dramatic series (usually running up to a maximum of around 13 episodes). The idea for such a program may be generated "in-house" by one of
12236-503: The number of channels available to viewers (sometimes at premium rates) in a much more competitive environment. In the United States, the average broadcast network drama costs $ 3 million an episode to produce, while cable dramas cost $ 2 million on average. The pilot episode may be more expensive than a regular episode. In 2004, Lost 's two-hour pilot cost $ 10 to $ 14 million, in 2008, Fringe 's two-hour pilot cost $ 10 million, and in 2010, Boardwalk Empire
12369-427: The number of episodes would decrease. Australian situation comedy series' seasons are approximately 13 episodes long and premiere any time between February and November. British shows have tended toward shorter series in recent years. For example, the first series of long-running science fiction show Doctor Who in 1963 featured forty-two 25‑minute episodes, and continued with a similar number each year until it
12502-533: The number of viewers within the 18–49 age range than in the total number of viewers. Advertisers are willing to pay more to advertise on shows successful with young adults because they watch less television and are harder to reach. According to Advertising Age , during the 2007–08 season, Grey's Anatomy was able to charge $ 419,000 per commercial, compared to only $ 248,000 for a commercial during CSI , despite CSI having almost five million more viewers on average. Due to its strength with younger viewers, Friends
12635-621: The old and new systems, subscribers have set-top boxes or other customer-premises equipment that communicates directly over company-owned or dedicated leased lines with central-office servers. Packets never travel over the public Internet, so the television provider can guarantee enough local bandwidth for each customer's needs. The Internet protocol is a cheap, standardized way to enable two-way communication and simultaneously provide different data (e.g., TV-show files, email, Web browsing) to different customers. This supports DVR-like features for time shifting television: for example, to catch up on
12768-533: The other side of the conversation is filmed from the opposite perspective. To complete a production on time, a second unit may be filming a different scene on another set or location at the same time, using a different set of actors, an assistant director, and a second unit crew. A director of photography supervises the lighting of each shot to ensure consistency. Live events are usually covered by Outside Broadcast crews using mobile television studios, known as scanners or OB trucks. Although varying greatly depending on
12901-454: The outset of the season. A midseason replacement is a less-expensive short-run show of generally 10 to 13 episodes designed to take the place of an original series that failed to garner an audience and has not been picked up. A "series finale" is the last show of the series before the show is no longer produced. (In the UK, it means the end of a season, what is known in the United States as a " season finale".) Streaming services time finales to
13034-462: The paid plan could be accessed via computers, mobile devices, and connected televisions. In 2019, The Walt Disney Company became the major owner of Hulu. The platform has bundle deals where customers can subscribe to both Hulu and Disney +. Max is a streaming service released by Warner Bros. Discovery. The platform was released on May 27, 2020 in the United States, and within the first five months of launching, had amassed 8 million subscribers across
13167-426: The platform had 22 million paid subscribers. The domain name of YouTube was bought and activated by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim in the beginning of 2005. YouTube launched later that year as an online video sharing and social media platform. The video platform became popular among the audience thanks to a short video, called Lazy Sunday , uploaded by Saturday Night Live in December 2005. The SNL's video
13300-441: The playing field," giving viewers from marginalized communities, and representation of their communities, "equal power." Many providers of Internet television services exist—including conventional television stations that have taken advantage of the Internet as a way to continue showing television shows after they have been broadcast, often advertised as "on-demand" and "catch-up" services. Today, almost every major broadcaster around
13433-697: The point of causing issues for some networks. It was reported in February 2014 that Verizon Fios is having issues coping with the demand placed on their network infrastructure. Until long-term bandwidth issues are worked out and regulation such at net neutrality Internet Televisions push to HDTV may start to hinder growth. Aereo was launched in March 2012 in New York City (and subsequently stopped from broadcasting in June 2014). It streamed network TV only to New York customers over
13566-416: The popular streaming service was referred to as Amazon Unbox. Amazon Prime Video was created due to the development of Amazon Prime , which is a paid service that includes free shipping of different types of goods. Amazon Prime Video is available in approximately 200 countries around the world. Each year, Amazon invests in the production of films and TV series that are streamed as Amazon originals. Apple TV+
13699-420: The principal photography of different episodes must be done at the same time, complicating the schedule (a guest star might shoot scenes from two episodes on the same afternoon). Complex scenes are translated from storyboard to animatics to further clarify the action. Scripts are adjusted to meet altering requirements. Some shows have a small stable of directors, but also usually rely on outside directors. Given
13832-506: The product. With the advent of broadband Internet connections, multiple streaming providers have come onto the market in the last couple of years. The main providers are Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. Some of these providers such as Hulu advertise and charge a monthly fee. Other such as Netflix and Amazon charge users a monthly fee and have no commercials. Netflix is the largest provider with more than 217 million subscribers. The rise of internet TV has resulted in cable companies losing customers to
13965-516: The production of original programming, starting with the series House of Cards . Paramount+ is a streaming service that is owned by the Paramount Global Media Company. The streaming service was launched on October 28, 2014, and was known as CBS All Access originally. At the time of the release, the platform focused primarily on streaming programs from local CBS stations as well as complete access to all CBS network content. In 2016
14098-409: The program are then resold for cash or put into a barter exchange (offered to an outlet for free in exchange for airing additional commercials elsewhere in the station's broadcast day). The terminology used to define a set of episodes produced by a television series varies from country to country. In North American television, a series is a connected set of television program episodes that run under
14231-492: The same number of episodes per year as a drama. This is a reduction from the 1950s, in which many US shows (e.g. Gunsmoke ) had between 29 and 39 episodes per season. Actual storytelling time within a commercial television hour has also gradually reduced over the years, from 50 minutes out of every 60 to the current 44 (and even less on some networks), beginning in the early 21st century. The usage of "season" and "series" differ for DVD and Blu-ray releases in both Australia and
14364-413: The same title, possibly spanning many seasons. During the 1950s, it was common for television seasons to consist of more than 30 episodes—however, the average length has been declining since. Until the 1980s, most new programs for the US broadcast networks debuted in the "fall season", which ran from September through March and nominally contained 24 to 26 episodes. These episodes were rebroadcast during
14497-462: The schedule. In recent years, a new season would begin in early February, and the season finale would broadcast in early December. Since Home and Away ' s inception, it normally receives 230 episodes per season. Some seasons have seen between 205 and 235 episodes commissioned. During the Olympics , Home and Away would often go on hiatus, which was referred to as an "Olympic cliffhanger". Therefore,
14630-696: The selection of winners for the Streamy Awards . In 2009, the Los Angeles Web Series Festival was founded. Several other festivals and award shows have been dedicated solely to web content, including the Indie Series Awards and the Vancouver Web Series Festival . In 2013, in response to the shifting of the soap opera All My Children from broadcast to streaming television, a new category for "Fantastic web-only series" in
14763-529: The specified broadcast programming time slot. If the Nielsen ratings are good, the show is kept alive as long as possible. If not, the show is usually canceled . The show's creators are then left to shop around for remaining episodes, and the possibility of future episodes, on other networks. On especially successful series, the producers sometimes call a halt to a series on their own like Seinfeld , The Cosby Show , Corner Gas , and M*A*S*H and end it with
14896-509: The spring (or summer) season, from April through August. Because of cable television and the Nielsen sweeps , the "fall" season now normally extends to May. Thus, a "full season" on a broadcast network now usually runs from September through May for at least 22 episodes. A full season is sometimes split into two separate units with a hiatus around the end of the calendar year, such as the first season of Jericho on CBS. When this split occurs,
15029-464: The streaming service created original content that could only be found by using the platform. As the network continued to expand with its content, the service decided to rebrand themselves and took the name Paramount+, taking its name from Paramount Pictures film studio. The network since expanded to Latin America, Europe and Australia. Peacock is a streaming service owned and operated by Peacock TV, which
15162-591: The television market after 2010 and continue to partner with new providers to bring streaming video to even more users. As of 2015, smart TVs are the only type of middle to high-end television being produced. Amazon's version of a digital media player, Amazon Fire TV , was not offered to the public until 2014. Access to television programming has evolved from computer and television access to include mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers . Corresponding apps for mobile devices started to become available via app stores in 2008, but they grew in popularity in
15295-522: The term t-commerce . Taken together, this bidirectional data flow means Smart TVs can be and are used for clandestine observation of the owners. Even in sets that are not configured off-the-shelf to do so, default security measures are often weak and will allow hackers to easily break into the TV. 2019 research, "Watching You Watch: The Tracking Ecosystem of Over-the-Top TV Streaming Devices", conducted at Princeton and University of Chicago , demonstrated that
15428-418: The time constraints of broadcasting, a single show might have two or three episodes in pre-production, one or two episodes in principal photography, and a few more in various stages of post-production. The task of directing is complex enough that a single director can usually not work on more than one episode or show at a time, hence the need for multiple directors. Principal photography is the actual filming of
15561-449: The time showed interest in HBO Now . Some Smart TV platforms come prepackaged or can be optionally extended, with social networking technology capabilities. The addition of social networking synchronization to Smart TV and HTPC platforms may provide an interaction both with on-screen content and with other viewers than is currently available to most televisions, while simultaneously providing
15694-474: The time they happen rather than at a later time or date—but the vast majority or programming is produced ahead of time. Originally, viewers had no practical way to record a show for later viewing; this changed with the advent of home video , first in the form of videotape recorded on VCRs and later in the form of digital video recorders . Cable television providers began offering certain programming "pay-per-view" or video on demand on-demand, with viewers paying
15827-493: The way that US television does; for example, there is no " fall season" or "fall schedule". For many years, popular night-time dramas in Australia would run for much of the year, and would only go into recess during the summer period (December to February, as Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere), when ratings are not taken. Therefore, popular dramas would usually run from February through November each year. This schedule
15960-495: The world is operating an Internet television platform. Examples include the BBC, which introduced the BBC iPlayer on 25 June 2008 as an extension to its "RadioPlayer" and already existing streamed video-clip content, and Channel 4 that launched 4oD ("4 on Demand") (now All 4) in November 2006 allowing users to watch recently shown content. Most Internet television services allow users to view content free of charge; however, some content
16093-404: Was $ 18 million for the first episode. In 2011, Game of Thrones was $ 5 to $ 10 million, Pan Am cost an estimated $ 10 million, while Terra Nova 's two-hour pilot was between $ 10 and $ 20 million. Many scripted network television shows in the United States are financed through deficit financing: a studio finances the production cost of a show and a network pays
16226-527: Was a radio live broadcast of a baseball game between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees streamed by ESPN SportsZone on September 5, 1995. During the mid-2000s, the streaming media was based on UDP, whereas the basis of the majority of the Internet was HTTP and content delivery networks (CDNs). In 2007, HTTP-based adaptive streaming was introduced by Move Networks. This new technology would be
16359-495: Was able to charge almost three times as much for a commercial as Murder, She Wrote , even though the two series had similar total viewer numbers at that time. Glee and The Office drew fewer total viewers than NCIS during the 2009–10 season, but earned an average of $ 272,694 and $ 213,617 respectively, compared to $ 150,708 for NCIS. After production, the show is handed over to the television network , which sends it out to its affiliate stations , which broadcast it in
16492-618: Was announced for the fall of 1965, during which over half of all network prime-time programming would be broadcast in color. The first all-color prime-time season came just one year later. In 1972, the last holdout among daytime network shows converted to color, resulting in the first completely all-color network season. Television shows are more varied than most other forms of media due to the wide variety of formats and genres that can be presented. A show may be fictional (as in comedies and dramas ), or non-fictional (as in documentary , news , and reality television ). It may be topical (as in
16625-465: Was announced, including subscribers to the HBO channel, it is expected that the actual population of Max alone will be much smaller. Netflix , founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph, is a media streaming and video rental in 1997. Two years later, Netflix was offering the audience the possibility of an online subscription service. Subscribers could select movies and TV shows on Netflix's website and receive
16758-546: Was cancelled. The revival of Doctor Who from 2005 has comprised thirteen 45‑minute installments. There are some series in the UK that have a larger number of episodes, for example Waterloo Road started with 8 to 12 episodes, but from series three onward it increased to twenty episodes and series seven will contain 30 episodes. Recently, US non-cable networks have also begun to experiment with shorter series for some programs, particularly reality shows, such as Survivor . They often air two series per year, resulting in roughly
16891-456: Was considered a negative activity. Broadcasting rights (also called Streaming rights in this case) vary from country to country and even within provinces of countries. These rights govern the distribution of copyrighted content and media and allow the sole distribution of that content at any one time. An example of content only being aired in certain countries is BBC iPlayer. The BBC checks a user's IP address to make sure that only users located in
17024-414: Was not broadcast on TV, therefore people looked for it on Google by typing "SNL rap video," "Lazy Sunday SNL," or "Chronicles of Narnia SNL." The first result of searches was a link video on YouTube, which was the beginning of sharing videos on YouTube. Because of its popularity, YouTube had some issues caused by its bandwidth expenses. In 2006, Google bought Youtube, and after some months the video platform
17157-399: Was reduced to twenty-five for 1970 to accommodate changes in production and significantly reducing the actors' workload) and continued to 1984. For 1985 fewer but longer episodes were shown, but even after a return to shorter episodes in 1986, lack of support within the BBC meant fewer episodes were commissioned leading to only fourteen 25‑minute episodes up to those in 1989 after which it
17290-681: Was the second-largest engine search in the world. In the 1990s, the practice of watching entire seasons in a short amount of time emerged with the introduction of the DVD box. Media-marathoning consists of watching at least one season of a TV show in a week or less, watching three or more films from the same series in a week or less, or reading three or more books from the same series in a month or less. The term "binge-watching" arrived with streaming TV, when Netflix launched its first original production, House of Cards, and started marketing this process of watching TV series episode after episode in 2013. COVID-19 gave another connotation to binge-watching, which
17423-402: Was transmitted over AT&T 's transcontinental cable and microwave radio relay system to broadcast stations in local markets. The first national color broadcast (the 1954 Tournament of Roses Parade ) in the US occurred on January 1, 1954. During the following ten years, most network broadcasts, and nearly all local programming, continued to be in black-and-white. The color transition
17556-640: Was unveiled in January 2015. DirecTV , another satellite television provider launched their own streaming service, DirecTV Stream , in 2016. Sky launched a similar streaming service in the UK called Now . In 2013, Video on demand website Netflix earned the first Primetime Emmy Award nominations for original streaming television at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards . Three of its series, House of Cards , Arrested Development , and Hemlock Grove , earned nominations that year. On July 13, 2015, cable company Comcast announced an HBO plus broadcast TV package at
17689-459: Was used in the 1970s for popular dramas, including Number 96 . Many drama series, such as McLeod's Daughters , have received between 22 and 32 episodes per season. Typically, soap operas , which have always run in season format in Australia, such as Home and Away , would usually begin a new season in late January, while the season finale would air in late November, as the show is off air for two months, or sometimes longer, depending on
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