In an era where social media often dictates cultural narratives, television’s relevance is constantly questioned. Yet, despite the rise of TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram as primary entertainment sources, television continues to evolve and adapt. Shows like The Traitors and Love Island demonstrate that traditional TV formats can still captivate mass audiences.
The Traitors: A Case Study in Television’s Staying Power
Reality competition show The Traitors has become a cultural phenomenon, proving that television remains a dominant force in entertainment. The BBC series, which combines psychological strategy with gripping human dynamics, has consistently drawn millions of viewers and generated significant online discourse. Unlike social media trends that come and go, The Traitors fosters an ongoing conversation, demonstrating television’s ability to create communal viewing experiences that resonate beyond a single viral moment.
The Traitors is a show that thrives on lies. But ironically, it is actually trust that is the key factor that separates television from short-form digital content. While social media often amplifies unverified information, television networks operate under stricter editorial guidelines, ensuring higher credibility. The high production value that TV offers has created a level of trust between it and its audience.
Television’s Trust Advantage Over Short-Form Content
Short-form content on platforms like TikTok and YouTube is designed for rapid consumption, often prioritising engagement over accuracy. Misinformation spreads easily on these platforms, with little to no regulatory oversight. In contrast, television maintains rigorous journalistic standards, making it a more reliable source for news, documentaries, and even entertainment programming.
For instance, the recent rise of YouTube documentary channels has drawn comparisons to traditional television, with many online creators mimicking professional TV production techniques. As highlighted in The Business of TV, major YouTube channels are now employing former TV producers to bring credibility and structure to their content. This shift underscores television’s lasting influence on storytelling and trustworthiness, even as digital platforms grow in prominence.
See this massive list of YouTube documentaries: https://businessoftv.substack.com/p/youtube-documentary-channels-tv-producers?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Television’s Adaptation to Digital Integration
Recognising the shift in viewing habits, traditional broadcasters have embraced digital platforms rather than resisting them. ITV, for example, has made hundreds of hours of its hit shows available on YouTube.
But TV maintains a hold on audiences: Love Island’s 2024 launch, despite a dip in linear TV ratings, still pulled in 2.2 million viewers across all devices, showcasing how TV content is evolving to meet changing consumption habits. While the way people watch has shifted, television remains a key player in defining pop culture and shared experiences.
Rather than fading into obscurity, television is evolving alongside social media, maintaining its relevance through high-quality content, credibility, and strategic digital integration. Programs like The Traitors prove that television can still unite audiences and spark nationwide conversations in ways that short-form content struggles to replicate. While social media may lead the charge in immediacy, television remains the gold standard for depth, reliability, and cultural impact.
The question isn’t whether television is still relevant—it’s how it will continue to adapt and thrive in an increasingly digital world.
At UNLEYEK, we firmly believe that there is still space for innovative and compelling television content despite the challenges of the current media landscape. That’s why we’re excited to be developing our own TV series—one that we can’t wait to bring to life. Television remains an essential medium for storytelling, and we’re thrilled to be part of its evolution.
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