What else do you look at?

The perspective of a former producer, why Linear TV is still important.

“Are you still watching?”

Netflix’s too familiar question remains on the screen, and its simplicity, which exacerbates the deeper shift it represents. Autoplay has already decided what is coming next, one episode blows seamlessly into another. But somewhere between the endless recommendations of the scroll and the algorithm controlled recommendations, we have lost the art of discovering the cable, in which the unexpected way of the channel is waiting.

The notice From Comcast’s cable networks, another chapter marks the slow resolution of cable television. The independent entity is aptly referred to as “Spinco” and will accommodate networks such as MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, E!, And Syfy together with digital assets such as Fandango and Rotten tomatoes. It is expected that it is better to serve a variety of audiences and that the shareholders are driven by improved financial flexibility, well -capitalized balance sheet and increased operating focus.

On the surface, the spin-off is a solid business decision that a company reflects that re-calibrates in response to striking industry projections. PWC predicts that the income of cable television will decrease by $ 15 billion annually by 2027 Digital TV research expected that the number of pay TV households in the USA and Canada will fall below 60 million by 2029. By storing its cable goods, ComCast can concentrate on its nuclear growth areas, including broadband, wireless and its theme parks, while it is reduced at the same time and at the same time reduces Peacock, which despite the exponential subscription growth in the past four years is still unprofitable and by Netflix, Hulu and Max is overshadowed. In addition to the spreadsheet and strategies, however, there is a cultural change that not only the way we consume content, but also how we contact the world and people.

In his heyday, Cable transformed television into an adventure. Families gathered for their favorite shows, friends discussed controversial episodes and entire nations that were shared in live moments of the triumph and tragedy. The magic was not only on the way in the shows itself, but also in the surprises. A few minutes earlier, the spectators could prepare for their favorite show just to deal with the final scenes of a real documentary for crime or to discover a sitcom that they had never heard of. Cable was more than a source of entertainment – it was exploring that offered the window in worlds that went beyond the limits of individual preference.

Despite his spontaneity, Cable also influenced the observation habits with a discipline that is difficult to find these days. At that time because it was seen that it was broadcast during certain time windows, the lack of an episode meant that a repetition was waiting for a repetition or relying on friends to fill the gaps. The “Aquercooler moments” of the past – the game of the last night, broke the facts of a shocking news or humming after a cliffhanger episode with anticipation – were born from the collective experience of joint television. Today the on-demand nature of streaming fragmented these moments, with the audience consuming content at their own pace. A viral hit could monopolize the conversations briefly, but the common sense of time and the immediate that the cable provided is becoming increasingly rare.

Behind the scenes, Cable’s unpredictability also defined the work of those who bring stories to life. My years as a producer for CNBC were a master class in adaptability that taught me to accept imperfections and to result in the constantly changing tides of live messages. When the regional banking crisis broke out collapse The Silicon Valley Bank in 2023 became the newsroom into a battlefield with relentless updates. New details flew like a relentless wave, swept away carefully manufactured scripts and the plans in a matter of seconds. My team and I had no choice but to shoot in real time and to navigate with ingenuity and conviction by the chaos. Instead, what could have become one of our most unforgettable programs that can be filled with raw, not written moments.

Of course, the frenetic pace of news is not defined every day. Live television contains more than just the reaction to the development of crises, since every hour has to be filled even during slower news cycles. Paradoxically, the quieter moments often trigger the greatest creativity, which leads to segments overlooked questions or deep dives into economic, political and social affairs. The lack of time and content forces the producers to be innovative and uncover stories that may otherwise be buried. It was this pressure – the undiminished need to deliver – that performed some of the most convincing and most effective work in my team.

Streaming platforms, on the other hand, thrive with fullness and predictability. With endless options that are available at all times, the urgency fades to explore or innovate. Spectators can see what they want, whenever they want, but this convenience often breeds isolation in worn content. Instead of stumbling onto the unexpected, the audience are used as far as they are most likely to enjoy, reinforce their preferences and narrow their horizons.

Cable’s decline also raises important questions about accessibility. In contrast to streaming, which requires subscriptions, stable internet access and compatible devices, cable was once a uniform force that brought the same program to almost every household. Local news, main events and social phenomena were accessible to everyone with a television, regardless of place or socio -economic status. For rural areas, older population groups and families with lower incomes, Cable served as important lifeline for information and entertainment. While the dominance of streaming continues to grow, the digital gap will expand and threatens to leave millions without access to critical news or cultural test stones. This shift forces us to ask: What happens when the development of the media begins to exclude those who are unable to keep up with the progressive technology?

The long -term consequences still have to be seen, but cracks are already forming. The audience is always simulated and withdraws into niches that are curated by algorithms that prioritize the commitment before diversity. News consumption is increasingly fragmented, as is reflected in the results from the Pew Research CenterThey show that 58% of the Americans now prefer to receive their news from digital devices compared to only 32% that prefer television. With these digital users, 23% indicate a preference for news websites or apps that are presumably limited to familiar or preferred sources. In a world in which the viewers can adapt their media diets to reinforce their own perspectives, the prospect of polarization is great. Without the universal experiences that the cable once proven, we may not only lose the ability to discover new ideas, but also the empathy that results from dealing with stories outside of our own realities.

With a view to the future, the entertainment risks become tailor-made and yet less adventurous and more information-driven and yet less surprising. Live television not only to react to a unique moment. It is also about using the uncertainty of the world in which it exists. The value lies in its imperfections – the non -written answers, technical hiccups and real connections that arise from the observation of something in real time. These elements promote a feeling of authenticity that is lost in an increasingly produced world – a kind of loss that cuts deeper than any statistics can reveal.

So maybe the real question is not: “Do you still watch?” But “What else do we look for?” Without the friction of restrictions and surprise power associated with cables, do we risk stretching our creative edges? Maybe there is still hope for serendipity, but it requires effort – click on unknown titles, sit in discomfort and resist the train of the autoplay. We have to think about what we leave behind and whether we will recognize what is missing before it is too late.

If cable fades black, it leaves lessons that should not be forgotten. It taught us to wait, hike and be surprised. In an area of ​​the infinite decision, the biggest adventure may be looking for the surprises that we did not search for.

Sometimes the best stories are not the ones we choose. You are the ones who find us.

Michelle Yu (mba ’26) is passionate for all things that media with experience in business news, documentary film, broadcast journalism and television. She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in film and media science and worked in front of HBS for CNBC, NBC News and CNN as well as for HBO, show time, oxygen and spectrum.