Study: Viewers Feel Streaming Series Are Of Higher Quality Than Those On Cable And Broadcast

New York-based research firm Miner & Co. Studio has sought to study consumer attitudes around the term ‘Peak TV’ — a concept coined by FX Network president and general manager John Landgraf to describe a saturation of popular and critically-acclaimed series, as well as a proliferation of distribution outlets. “There is simply too much television,” Landgraf notably said last August.

But Miner’s latest study, dubbed ‘The Summer of Peak TV‘, found that consumers feel this summer represents a climactic moment in original programming — and there are no signs that this sentiment is waning anytime soon. 73% of respondents stated that there is more quality original content being released today than ever before, 77% said that there was no such thing as “too much” good TV, and 78% said that having a vast array of options “doesn’t stress them out.” (Miner conducted the survey earlier this month among 801 TV viewers aged 18 to 59).

And many respondents attribute this rise in quality to digital distribution models. Miner reports that 76% of respondents believe that there are better series available now than before streaming services existed. If they had to choose, viewers say content on streaming platforms is higher quality than programming on cable or broadcast networks.

This isn’t to say, however, that viewers are abandoning traditional TV. “For the past few years, streaming has drowned out conversations about broadcast and cable — and it continues to gain strength as a preferred platform for viewing,” Miner president Robert Miner said in a statement. “But investment in quality scripted content has, at least for now, captured viewers’ attention across all options – broadcast, cable and streaming.” 87% of respondents, for instance, said that cable networks, as well as streaming services, were reliable outlets for unearthing great TV.

Finally, it turns out that a surge in TV viewing is cutting into other forms of entertainment this summer. Nearly 66% of those surveyed say they intend to go to the movies less often this summer, given that TV stars are more of a draw than movie stars, and that series have better writers and directors than feature films. Most respondents also reported that they are reading less as a result of a growing abundance of programming options.

For additional findings, check out a graphic compiled by Miner (below), as well as the firm’s ‘Summer of Peak TV’ study right here.