Study: Pandemic speeded trends away from live TV viewing

By DAVID BAUDER
AP Media Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated trends in how people are watching television differently. A study from Hub Entertainment Research found that the percentage of people who paid to watch a specific movie or television show at least once a week in June was essentially double what it was prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. Nearly two-thirds of people watched free video on demand content on their televisions. The finding further illustrates why ratings for traditional live television, as measured by the Nielsen company, have declined sharply. Hub says people had more time on their hands during the pandemic and, if they weren’t laid off, more money to spend on at-home entertainment.