Social Platforms Are Moving Onto TV Screens—Industry Experts Explain Why

Social Media's Rise on the Big Screen: A Shift in Entertainment Consumption

The traditional TV landscape is changing as social media platforms begin to shift towards television screens. With cable and linear TV viewing on the decline, studios and streaming services are experimenting with uploading content to social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

One notable example of this trend is Disney's recent announcement that it will be releasing microcontent on its platform, designed for mobile viewing. However, with the emergence of microdramas – short, bite-sized video series meant for mobile consumption – networks are now launching original content specifically tailored for traditional TV screens.

Instagram has recently tested an "Instagram for TV" app, allowing users to watch Reels on their televisions. TikTok previously made a similar push but was met with regulatory compliance issues. Pinterest's acquisition of connected TV ad-buying platform tvScientific signals that the company believes advertising dollars may shift towards living room viewing.

Research from Parks Associates shows that social video is now the second-most-watched video type on TVs, blurring the lines between traditional video media and social strategies. Analyst Jennifer Kent notes that this trend correlates with the growth of the creator economy, as traditional media companies partner with creators or launch initiatives dedicated to creator content.

The lines are indeed blurring, according to Kent, who says everyone wants to mimic what's happening on social media and vice versa. This shift is expected to raise expectations for more interactive, creative formats, and engaging new creators that can speak to audiences in different ways.

However, this trend also comes with growing pains for social media platforms. The $15 billion decline of the US linear TV market has accelerated experimentation, but competition has made growth slower and more challenging. Time spent on social media is flatlining, and some analysts predict a gentle decline starting next year.

As the competition intensifies, social platforms are under pressure to establish themselves on television screens. Analyst Max Willens notes that moving into living rooms isn't a new idea – YouTube, for example, launched as a desktop platform, became mobile-first, and is now a major force in TV viewing.

While it's likely that the balance between TV viewing and social media consumption will persist, Willens predicts that both media companies and social platforms will need to adjust their strategies as viewing habits continue to shift. Advertisers and media companies must figure out what's different about traditional TV consumption and adapt accordingly – the big screen is not just a dusty box of the past but a central hub of leisure time for consumers of all ages.

I'm low-key excited for this trend, but also kinda worried that it'll all blow up in our faces. Like, can social media really handle being on TV? It's gonna be super awkward watching Reels on my sofa with my friends. And don't even get me started on the ads – will they be as annoyingly targeted as they are online? On the other hand, I love that creators are getting more recognition and can reach audiences directly. Maybe this is a good thing for them? But have you seen how slow growth has been for social media lately? Like, $15 billion decline in US linear TV market? That's crazy. I'm not sure if they're ready to take on the living room just yet...

I think it's pretty cool that social media platforms are getting into the TV game! Imagine watching your fave TikTok creator on the big screen . But at the same time, I'm also thinking about how this is gonna change the way we watch vids... do we just wanna chill on our couches or scroll through Instagram all day?

I made a quick sketch of what this might look like:
```
+---------------+
| Social Media |
| (mobile) |
+---------------+
| |
| TV |
| Screen |
| |
v v
+---------------+ +---------------+
| Microcontent | | Traditional |
| (Disney, etc.)| | TV (TV shows)|
+---------------+ +---------------+

```
It's all about finding that balance between the two!

"TVs gonna be like phone screens, and phone screens are gonna be like TVs - who knows?"

social media is literally taking over our lives i mean think about it, we're already spending way too much time on tiktok and instagram, now they want us to watch their content on tv? it's like, what's next? eating our food on snapchat? but seriously, this trend is kinda cool. having all that short-form content at our fingertips is so convenient. i can just grab my remote and binge-watch some tiktok series or whatever

Ugh, I'm getting so tired of these social media platforms trying to be everything to everyone . First, they're on TikTok, then Instagram, now YouTube... can't they just stick to what they're good at? I mean, I love a good Reel as much as the next person, but come on! And don't even get me started on this "Instagram for TV" thing - it's just a fancy way of saying "we're trying to be cable TV, but with ads and fewer channels".

And have you noticed how all these social media platforms are now partnering up with creators? It feels like they're trying to replace the traditional TV network model, which is exactly what I don't want - more algorithm-driven noise and less real people having real conversations. Can we just stick to our favorite shows and leave the creators alone?

And let's talk about the creator economy for a second... if everyone wants to be a "creator" now, doesn't that mean there's going to be more crap out there? I'm all for giving talented people a platform, but when does quality become quantity?

I'm so done with this whole social media thing... I mean, I guess it's cool that they're taking over the big screen now . It feels like just yesterday we were watching our favorite shows on TV, and now Instagram is trying to watch Reels on the telly? What's next, will we be able to order pizza with our eyes closed in VR?

I love how Disney is experimenting with microcontent though - it's like they're playing catch-up. And can we talk about the creator economy for a sec? I feel like those creators are killing the game right now... it's just so much more personal when you're watching someone on TikTok or YouTube, you know?

But seriously, this trend is going to change everything. Advertisers and media companies need to step up their game if they want to keep up with the younger crowd. I mean, remember when we used to watch music videos on MTV? Now it's all about social media influencers... time sure flies, right?

I think this shift to social media on the big screen is actually a bit of a good thing... we're gonna see some sick content that wasn't meant for traditional TV , like those microdramas and Reels. It's also dope that creators are getting more recognition and opportunities. But at the same time, I'm worried about the ads on social media getting all over our TVs . Like, can we please keep them separate? And what's gonna happen to the creator economy? Is it just gonna be a bunch of mini-series or is there something bigger going on here?

idk how social media is gonna fit into the picture when it comes to TV, feels like they're trying too hard to bring their style to the "big screen" it's already getting kinda hard to watch tv without feeling like you're in a tiktok ad break lol

anyway, i think its cool that creators are getting more recognition and power, but at the same time, social media platforms gotta step up their game if they wanna compete with traditional TV. i mean, $15 billion decline of the linear TV market is no joke and if social media keeps struggling to grow, it might be hard for them to make a comeback.

but hey, who knows? maybe this is all part of some bigger plan and we'll see some crazy new formats emerge that blur the lines between TV and social even more. one thing's for sure tho: tv ain't just for couch potatoes no more

I'm telling ya, this shift to social media on the big screen is gonna be huge ! It's like, we've already seen YouTube do it with its mobile-first approach, so why can't other platforms follow suit? TikTok and Instagram are already experimenting with video content, and now Pinterest's getting in on the action too . The creator economy is killing it, btw - those creators are raking it in ! But, yeah, there are some growing pains for social media platforms... I mean, who wants to watch a 10-minute Reel on their TV when you could just scroll through TikTok? . Advertisers need to adjust their strategies 'cause traditional TV consumption is not what it used to be . The big screen's still the go-to for some stuff, but it's all about interactive formats and engaging creators now !

️ this is getting crazy! social media on tv is like a whole new beast, but honestly who doesn't want to watch tiktok vids on their lappie? i mean, its not like they're going to replace the real thing or anything . but seriously tho, think about it, if you're scrolling thru instagram during your lunch break and then you come home and just keep watching those same creators on tv... that's some clever marketing right there

I think it's pretty cool that social media platforms are experimenting with video content on TV screens, right? Like, who wouldn't want to watch their fave TikTok creator in an actual TV show or something? But at the same time, I'm a bit worried about how this is gonna affect traditional TV. Are we really gonna lose all our favorite channels and shows because of these new formats? What do you guys think - are social media vids and TV gonna coexist, or is one just gonna take over the other?

I mean, can you believe it? Social media on our living rooms... feels like something from a sci-fi movie, right . Remember when YouTube used to be desktop-only? Now they're like "Hey, we've got TVs too!" And TikTok's trying again after that regulatory thingy. It's wild how fast everything is changing.

I'm not sure if I love it or hate it... kinda like when VHS came out and replaced Betamax . But seriously, this shift in entertainment consumption has me thinking. What happens to the magic of a good ol' TV show? Will we just binge-watch Reels on Instagram instead? It's gonna be interesting to see how creators adapt and studios respond.

And oh man, $15 billion gone from linear TV market... that's like, a whole lotta cash . It'll be fascinating to watch this play out in the coming year. Will we still have our beloved TV shows, or will it all become social media-based? Only time (and ad budgets) will tell

Ugh, can we talk about this? So like, I know some people are saying that social media is going to change the TV game and stuff, but let's get real here... it's not like they're just copying each other or anything . It's all about adaptation, fam! Disney trying out microcontent on TikTok? Pinterest buying a connected TV ad-buying platform? That's some forward thinking right there!

But for real though, the creator economy is where it's at. These new creators are killing the game and traditional media companies need to step up their A-game if they wanna stay relevant . And don't even get me started on social video being the second-most-watched type on TVs... that's like, stats or whatever .

The thing is, though, growth is slower and more challenging when it comes to social media platforms competing with traditional TV. I mean, we all know time spent on social media is flatlining right now... not exactly what you want to see . But hey, at least the competition is good for us viewers, right? We get to see new creators and formats popping up left and right!

Oh, and one more thing... can we talk about how TV viewing isn't just for watching shows anymore? It's all about interactive, creative formats now. Like, that sounds like so much fun!

Social media on the big screen? Like, I'm not surprised, tbh It's like, we already have TikTok on our TVs at home . But for real though, it's gonna be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out. I mean, who needs traditional TV when you can get your fave creators' content right on your screen? But on the other hand, is social media really ready for primetime yet? I think they're gonna need to bring their A-game (or should I say, A- reel game?) if they wanna compete with actual TV shows . And what's up with this creator economy thing? Like, are we just gonna see more of the same ol' creators we already know and love or is it time for some new faces to step up? Either way, I'm excited to see where this all goes!

I think its pretty cool how social media is expanding into tv, like instagrams new app that lets you watch reels on your telly its nice to see them experimenting with different formats and making it more interactive for viewers. but at the same time, I'm a bit concerned about the impact on traditional TV viewing, I mean we've seen a decline in linear tv already, what if this trend just accelerates that? maybe we'll be watching more of our favorite shows on tiktok or instagram instead of my local network anyway, its an interesting development and Ill be watching to see how it all plays out

I'm still not convinced that social media is meant for the living room . I mean, don't get me wrong, it's cool to see creators getting more attention, but do we really need microdramas and Reels on TV? It just feels like an unnecessary step to me. And what about all the ads?! Can't they just stick to their algorithm-driven feeds on mobile devices? I've seen some research saying that people are already spending less time on social media, so why are they trying to force it into our homes?