In the mid-20th century, entertainment was a communal ritual, often centered around a single television set broadcasting content from just three major over-the-air networks—ABC, CBS, and NBC—or the occasional outing to a movie theater for blockbusters like The Godfather. Programming was rigidly scheduled, with families gathering for prime-time shows such as I Love Lucy or special events, fostering shared cultural moments.

The way Americans receive television content has undergone a seismic transformation in the past 5 to 10 years. Traditional cable television is losing ground to the flexible, on-demand all of streaming services.