GoKawiilThe television industry continues to be in flux. As the streaming revolution continues to push viewers away from traditional cable broadcasts, consumers have more options than ever when looking to enjoy their favorite programming. In April 2026, for instance, Nielson found that streaming had risen to roughly 47.6% of US viewing habits, over double the combined total of broadcast and cable viewers. Gone are the days of analog television, when families would huddle around a massive console to enjoy a static-riddled broadcast of The Dick Van Dyke Show. And while over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts continue to be in roughly 20% of homes, the technology behind these broadcasts has progressed far beyond its predecessors.
For younger audiences, parsing the differences between television broadcast technologies can be difficult. Analog, for instance, seems something born of an imagined past. But the technology persisted beyond the era when television boxes were the size of small sedans, as America's broadcasting network hadn't fully transitioned from the technology until 2009. Incredibly, this means that some users likely watched an analog broadcast while texting on their iPhone.
The transition to digital, meanwhile, has brought a host of improvements, ranging from high definition television to more consistent feeds. As it stands, television broadcasts are undergoing a similar evolution with the introduction of NextGen Television, or ATSC 3.0, which adds internet protocols to digital television broadcasting. Promising 4k resolution, enhanced multicasts, better audio and expanded channels, the NextGen TV transition looks to mirror the analog-to-digital move nearly two decades earlier. However, accessibility concerns plague the transition, with many advocates worrying that a hasty transition could strip millions of free television services. To put these changes in context, let's take a look back at the rise and fall of television technology that started it all: analog.