The Generation That Doesn’t Watch TV Anymore

    If you ask young Indonesians today what they watch after school or work, the answer is rarely “TV.” Instead, responses such as “TikTok,” “YouTube,” “Instagram Reels,” or “Netflix” dominate. Over the past decade, the way people consume entertainment and information has shifted drastically, driven by digital technology, changing lifestyles, and the global rise of streaming culture. Traditional television, once the center of family entertainment, is no longer the main stage for the younger generation.

A.    TV Feels Outdated for Gen Z and Millennials

For many young viewers, television feels old-fashioned and rigid. They dislike having to wait for a show at a specific time, endure long commercial breaks, or follow fixed schedules created by TV stations. Researchers from Deloitte (2023) report that more than 70% of Gen Z audiences globally prefer on-demand streaming over linear TV.

Streaming platforms provide what young people value most: control and flexibility. They can choose exactly what to watch, skip what they dislike, and consume content at their own pace. A teenager can binge-watch an entire Korean drama or anime series in a single weekend—something that was impossible back in the era of scheduled TV programming.

This preference aligns with the concept of “instant gratification culture”, where individuals expect quick access to entertainment and information due to the influence of digital technology (Rosen et al., 2014). Traditional TV, with its slow pacing and fixed timing, simply does not fit this new consumption pattern.

B.     Smartphones Become the New Television

Another major reason for the decline of TV is the dominance of smartphones. According to the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association (APJII, 2023), more than 210 million Indonesians use the internet, and the majority access content through mobile devices. Smartphones are personal, portable, and always within reach.

People watch short TikTok clips during lunch breaks, music videos while commuting, or YouTube vlogs before bed. This creates what media scholars call a “micro-entertainment culture”—a form of quick, bite-sized content that fits into the busy, fragmented schedules of modern life (Jenkins, Ford & Green, 2013).

Compared to this, traditional TV feels slow, distant, and less personal. It requires people to sit in a fixed place, often with content that cannot be tailored to individual preferences.

C.    TV Still Survives—But With a Different Audience

Despite the massive shift, traditional TV has not completely disappeared. Many Indonesian families still turn on the television for news, sports events, national celebrations, or long-running soap operas (sinetron). Older generations, in particular, maintain the habit of watching TV as a family activity in the living room.

This mirrors findings from Nielsen Indonesia (2022), which shows that TV viewership remains strong among viewers above age 40, especially for live content like football matches, religious events, and breaking news—content that streaming platforms do not always replicate in real time.

However, the cultural shift is undeniable. TV is not the “default” medium anymore. It is competing against global digital giants, and it is losing its relevance among younger audiences who prefer personalized and interactive content.

D.    Entertainment Is No Longer Passive

The new generation doesn’t just watch content—they interact with it. They comment, share, remixed, react to, and even create content themselves. This interactive culture aligns with participatory media theory, where audiences are no longer passive consumers but active participants in s            haping cultural trends (Jenkins, 2006).

For example:

·         TikTok users create duets, stitches, and challenges.

·         YouTube viewers become creators by uploading vlogs, gaming streams, or educational content.

·         Instagram and TikTok allow viewers to directly engage with creators through likes, comments, and DMs.

This interactive environment gives young people a sense of agency that traditional TV cannot offer. Instead of waiting for content, they co-create it.

E.     Will Television Survive?

This shift raises an intriguing question: will television survive, or will it follow the path of radio—still present but no longer central?

Most media scholars predict that TV will remain, but its role will change. It may continue to serve older audiences, live broadcasts, and large national events. However, it will not regain the dominant position it once had, especially when streaming platforms keep evolving with personalized algorithms, user participation, and global content.

One thing is certain: the new generation experiences entertainment in ways previous generations never imagined. It is fast, interactive, personalized, and always one click away. Television must adapt—or accept that its golden age has passed.

References

• APJII. (2023). Laporan Survei Internet Indonesia.
• Deloitte. (2023). Digital Media Trends Survey.
• Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide.
• Jenkins, H., Ford, S., & Green, J. (2013). Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture.
• Nielsen Indonesia. (2022). TV Audience Measurement Report.
• Rosen, L. D., Lim, A., Carrier, L. M., & Cheever, N. A. (2014). “An Empirical Examination of the Use of Technology and Its Impact on Well-Being.” Computers in Human Behavior.