More TVs Are Web Connected

Whether you own a smart TV or not, you are likely already able to stream video to your TV set if you have a broadband connection in the home.  In fact, "63 percent of all U.S. broadband households now have a TV connected to the internet, according to a new report from the Diffusion Group (TDG). That number is up notably from last year, when 53 percent of broadband households had at least one of their TVs connected."  That is a big jump of 10 percent in just one year.  Whether it is a smart TV, Apple TV box, Roku, PS4, Xbox, blu-ray player or other box, broadband households have the means to connect their TV set to the web.  And they are taking advantage of these devices to stream Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, You Tube and more.

And I suspect that many homes have more than one device connected to more than one TV set.  According to the research, 42% are connected to multiple sets.  It certainly is true for us.  My son likes to watch Netflix on the HDTV set in the basement while my daughter likes the laptop.  Good news indeed for content creators but a challenge for broadcasters and cable concerned with the rise of cord cutting.  And with Aereo fighting for its right to stream broadcast channels, an opportunity as well.