The once-dominant network TV era is officially over, as streaming and social media have reshaped the media landscape. Here's a breakdown of how the decline of network TV's influence is playing out, using three stark charts to illustrate the shift.
The Morning Show Decline
The network morning shows, once a staple of American households, have seen their audiences plummet. NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America," and CBS's "CBS Mornings" have all lost nearly half their viewers in the last decade. In 2024-2025, "Good Morning America" averaged 2.6 million viewers, a 46% drop from 2015-2016. "Today" saw a 45% decline, and "CBS Mornings" a staggering 47% drop. This trend highlights the power of streaming and social media in fragmenting audiences and offering personalized content.
Late Night Shows Face Competition
Late-night TV, once a surefire ratings draw, is also feeling the heat. NBC's "Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon has seen a 64% audience decline, falling from 3.6 million viewers to just 1.3 million. ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" lost 13% of its audience, and CBS's "Late Show" under Stephen Colbert saw a 9% drop. These numbers suggest that while late-night shows still have a dedicated following, they are struggling to keep up with the evolving media habits of viewers.
Evening News: A Slight Resilience
Network nightly news shows have managed to fare slightly better than their morning and late-night counterparts. However, even ABC's "World News Tonight," anchored by David Muir, has seen a 9% decline in viewers since 2015. CBS's "Evening News" and NBC's "Nightly News" have experienced dramatic viewership drops of 41% and 30%, respectively. This indicates that while evening news still holds some relevance, it is not immune to the broader shift towards on-demand, personalized content.
The End of Monoculture
The Hollywood Reporter declared 2014 as the year the monoculture died, marking a shift in shared cultural experiences. The 2014 Oscars selfie, shared by host Ellen DeGeneres with A-listers like Brad Pitt and Meryl Streep, is seen as the last truly shared pop culture moment. Today, linear TV viewing is in decline, and audiences are splintering across various platforms. This shift has empowered viewers with more choices but also presents a challenge for traditional media outlets to maintain their once-dominant grip on the cultural narrative.
In conclusion, the decline of network TV's influence is a multifaceted phenomenon. While some shows like "World News Tonight" have managed to hold onto their audiences, the overall trend is clear: streaming and social media have reshaped media consumption, fragmenting audiences and challenging the traditional power dynamics of network TV.
