In 2010, streaming was a secondary "proof of concept". By 2026, it has become the primary way people access television, with roughly 49% of U.S. adults relying on streaming compared to 44% for cable/satellite. The "Streaming Wars":

For the modern 16-year-old consumer (Gen Z and Gen Alpha), the hierarchy of media is as follows:

There is a growing fatigue with over-polished, AI-generated content. Trends like "cozy aesthetics" "human-made authenticity"