Television may be losing its monopoly on the screen, but it is far from disappearing, with Connected TV (CTV), streaming and digital platforms giving the medium a new phase, according to an analysis published by NDTV.

The article, titled ‘The Big Screen’s Second Act: Why The Premature Obituary Of Television Misses The Bigger Story’, was written by NDTV CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal and Creative Director for Strategic Brand Collaborations Subha Sankar Chatterjee.

The analysis, published on NDTV September 21, said that for more than a decade television has been facing predictions of decline as smartphones became widespread, streaming entered the mainstream, audiences fragmented and advertising shifted towards digital media.

However, the authors argue that the decline of one form of television should not be confused with the decline of television itself. In India, linear television continues to have significant reach, while the overall television universe is expanding and Connected TV is creating new ways to consume and monetise content on the large screen.

According to the data cited in the analysis, linear television reached around 745 million people every week in 2025, compared with 751 million in 2024, while weekly GRPs remained relatively stable at 3,215 against 3,246. Television also continues to deliver a monthly reach of around 831 million people, compared with roughly 491 million for YouTube.

The analysis noted that television subscriptions increased from approximately 186 million in 2023 to 190 million in 2024 and 193 million in 2025, while India now has 956 television channels, around 65 percent of them Free-to-Air.

The analysis also highlighted how the television set itself has changed. The same screen can now carry a linear news channel, YouTube, a streaming series, a live cricket match, an OTT film or a broadcaster’s own digital service.

Citing WPP Media and The Trade Desk data, the article said more than 80 percent of Connected TV viewing is shared with family or friends, while the average connected-TV household has 3.3 people.

India’s CTV universe is estimated at around 207 million viewers across 62-65 million households, with average daily consumption of around 2.9 hours. The report also noted that 68 percent of CTV households continue to maintain some relationship with linear TV.

Advertising, however, reflects a clear shift in the television ecosystem. Pitch Madison data cited in the analysis showed that linear TV advertising declined from Rs.34,453 crore in 2024 to Rs.32,855 crore in 2025, a fall of 4.6 percent.

At the same time, CTV advertising approximately doubled from Rs.3,000 crore to Rs.6,000 crore. When linear TV and CTV are combined under the ‘Large Screen’ category, advertising expenditure rose from around Rs.37,453 crore to Rs.38,855 crore, representing growth of about 3.7 percent.

The authors argued that the changing television landscape is not simply about replacing one platform with another.

Broadcasters are increasingly able to take their content, brands, talent, live programming, news, sport and entertainment formats across linear TV, CTV, OTT, YouTube and other digital platforms.

For events such as elections, major news developments, cricket matches and movie launches, linear TV can still deliver immediate scale and a shared viewing experience, while CTV adds search, recommendation, personalisation, addressability and measurement.

The analysis concludes that the television industry is undergoing a change in its distribution architecture rather than facing the disappearance of the medium.

Linear television may be losing its monopoly on the screen, but the growth of Connected TV is giving the large screen a second life and creating new opportunities for broadcasters, advertisers and content creators.