How Broadcasters Thrive In an OTT World

Streaming dominates television but can local stations adapt quickly enough?

Rather than being an industry killer, OTT (over the top) streaming media is boosting viewership for broadcast television, with the biggest benefits being enjoyed by local TV stations and their ownership groups. The reason? Free advertiser-supported streaming TV (FAST) platforms such as VUit are attracting more viewers to local stations both within their Designated Market Areas (DMA) and outside of them.

“We have plenty of examples of TV stations that are getting 30–40% of their total viewership from outside their DMAs,” said Kevin Dunaway, VUit’s vice president of affiliate relations and content development at VUit, an OTT platform for local TV broadcast stations.