WHY THE TV SET COULD BECOME OBSOLETE BY 2019

With technology and the Internet changing more rapidly than ever, the fate of the traditional TV set is arguably in limbo. 

Once upon a time, Tuesday nights were known nationally (or at least in this neck of the woods) as "OC Night." Week-on-week, 8:30pm until 9:30pm was blocked out for the most sacred of viewing parties.

Apart from being a good excuse to study Marissa Cooperand Summer Roberts' revolving wardrobe of spaghetti strap dresses and Chanel bags, it was also a flake-proof weekly catch up with friends.

The fact that this weekly diary date was orchestrated around a television network's airing time now seems archaic, and almost absurd, given the way that Netflix/Apple TV/Stan/the Internet in general have revolutionised the way we consume television content. 

Even traditional free to air networks like ABC, SBS and Ten are pushing their digital channels for viewers to "catch-up online."

Larger mobile devices (hello, iPhone XS), tablet devices and lighter laptops are making marathon sessions of The Handmaid's Tale, Game of Thrones or even Keeping Up With The Kardashians a far more pleasurable experience—a fact that is rendering the traditional television set obsolete.

This begs the question—will traditional TV sets be around for much longer?

In fact, when The New York Times interviewed TuffsUniversity student Abigail McFee on the subject, she said she found it "weird" when she spotted a TV set in a friend's room.

McFee said: "When I walk into a dorm room and see [a TV], my first thought is, it's unnecessary. Almost a waste of space." She is 19 and has never owned a television, and probably never will.

Last year, Domain also interviewed three people who've ditched televisions for good in 2018. 28-year-old Tom Sheahan is just one of the growing number of Australians who've decided to forego a conventional TV, telling Domain that it's made his home life significantly better.

"Often when I go home to visit my parents the TV is on, but no one is watching it. It's like a member of the family. A family member that mostly spouts inane, irrelevant crap—though occasionally some gems."

Don't think this means that the now-generation don't love TV any less than before.

HBO hits like Game of Thrones, True Detective, Orange is the New Black and True Bloodaredrawing more viewers than ever. People are still talking about the Bachelorette finale by the water cooler—they're just not sitting down to watch it at a prescribed time, on an old fashioned idiot box.

The only caveat to all of this is football, or a Royal Wedding, both of which should always be experienced on a colossal TV. 

Source: Elle

https://www.msn.com/en-au/entertainment/tv/why-the-tv-set-could-become-obsolete-by-2019/ar-BBPR5uL?ocid=spartanntp