New Optimum TV Study Uncovers Need to Prioritize Bundling Linear and Streaming Content

More than half of American households have both traditional TV and streaming services to satisfy their viewing needs 

NEW YORK (June 10, 2025) – Optimum, a leading provider of fiber internet, mobile, and TV services, recently surveyed the U.S. TV landscape and uncovered key insights into what viewership looks like for the average consumer today [1]. As the industry continues to evolve, one takeaway stood out among the rest – only one quarter of American households have streaming services alone. In fact, more than half of consumers have a combination of traditional TV and streaming services to satisfy their viewing needs. Additional trends found in the study include: 

• Two-thirds of Americans say they watch TV all or most of the time. On average, consumers spend 24 hours watching TV in a typical week.
• Almost all consumers typically do something else while watching TV. Eating is the number one behavior, while browsing the phone and internet, texting or talking on the phone, and looking at social media ranked in the top five most common behaviors.
• Word of mouth remains the strongest influence when it comes to choosing content, with nearly 40% of consumers relying on suggestions from family members and friends to decide what to watch.
• Nearly three-quarters of Americans use Amazon Prime and Netflix over any other streaming service. And 77% of consumers who use both traditional TV and streaming prefer to use a streaming service when watching movies and shows, more than when watching sports or political news. 

For additional insights into Optimum’s TV viewership study, click here. 

In line with consumer sentiment, Optimum has been on a journey to transform and evolve its video experience to provide customers with more choice, flexibility and value when it comes to the content they want to watch and how. 

“When it comes to distributing TV content, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and our latest survey reaffirms this. We know that our customers want more choice, flexibility and value in their TV packages and that’s why we’ve taken steps to lean into the future of TV viewership and evolve our offerings to better serve consumer needs,” said Eric Bruno, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Optimum. “Between traditional cable and the endless number of streaming services, apps, and platforms, today’s TV landscape is more fragmented than ever. At Optimum, the solution for our customers is clear – combine linear content and streaming content together in one place, so they can choose what they want to watch and how they watch it.” 

Optimum’s Modernized Video Experience 

Through Optimum, customers can enjoy a seamless entertainment experience on Optimum Stream, which brings together live TV alongside access to thousands of other streaming apps available for download through the Google Play Store, all accessible through a customer-friendly interface and compact, sleek device. Optimum Stream offers endless content optionality, especially when coupled with any of Optimum’s three main TV offerings: Entertainment TV, Extra TV or Everything TV, which help break conventional all-or-nothing cable options and deliver content tailored toward consumers’ unique viewing preferences. Optimum customers can choose the package that best suits their taste and family’s needs, add à la carte content for more of what they love, and enjoy their perfect lineup of live TV and apps – all in one place through Optimum Stream [2]. 

Recently, the company launched a new bundled streaming offer for eligible Optimum TV and Internet customers, which provides access to six complimentary months of two popular SVOD services – giving customers a new way to manage their subscriptions through their Optimum bill. The offer is the first of many that the company plans to bring to customers, with more streaming partners and subscription services to become available for purchase through Optimum on the horizon.

Get Total Connectivity with Optimum 

Optimum’s study revealed that almost all consumers typically do something else while watching TV including browsing the internet, social media, or texting and calling on their phone, which is why having a strong, fast and reliable connection for every device in the household is paramount. 

Optimum Internet provides customers with WiFi coverage for seamless streaming, working, gaming, and more, and built-in security, as well as 24/7 tech support. The company’s Optimum Mobile service is delivered over America’s largest 5G network and offers plans starting as low as $15 per month per line. Optimum customers can unlock additional savings when bundling Optimum Internet with Optimum Mobile and Optimum TV services, available at a variety of service levels and price points to meet the bandwidth and data needs of every consumer. 

For more on Optimum’s TV offerings and packages, visit optimum.com/tv or call 866.9.OPTIMUM. 

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[1] All data cited in this piece was taken from a survey with respondents sourced from a third party on behalf of Optimum between February 26 – March 13, 2025. Over 2,000 U.S. adult TV service decision-makers were surveyed. 

[2] Optimum Stream remains available to all Optimum Internet customers across the company’s service areas in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The company is continuing to expand the offering to nearly 1.5 million homes across markets in its West footprint, including Arkansas, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia.