The shifting sands of Dutch television viewership are raising fundamental questions about cultural cohesion. Once upon a time, families would gather around the television for their favorite shows, creating connections through shared experiences. Yet, as Walter Weyns, cultural sociologist from the University of Antwerp, reflects, "There was – not so long ago – a time when almost literally everyone watched the same television programs."
Yet today, with the explosive rise of streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO MAX, television viewership is splintering like never before.
A staggering transformation has taken place within viewers’ habits. According to Professor Alexander Dhoest of the University of Antwerp, changes are glaringly visible among his students: “When I occasionally ask my students what they’re watching, I immediately notice how diverse their choices are.” This disparity used to be rare; not long ago, anyone could confidently walk through the door at 8 PM and find everyone watching the same show. Now, it’s commonplace for each member of the household to be on their own screens, tuning in to different programs. "This fragmentation leads to the loss of our shared cultural heritage," says Weyns, emphasizing its broader societal impacts.
This fragmentation isn’t simply about entertainment; it spills over to the fundamental ways we understand each other and engage as communities. “A shared cultural heritage is important in our democratic society. It helps if we mutually recognize certain cultural touchstones,” explains Weyns. The erosion of these common conversations has resulted in increasingly challenging political discourse, making it harder for society to answer the basic question: What do we want?
The data also clarifies how financial willingness for streaming services remains limited. According to the 2022 Digimeter figures from IMEC, 56% of Flemish households have at least one paid streaming service, with merely 18% subscribing to two or more. This lack of widespread subscription means viewers frequently switch platforms, complicated by the multiple options available.
Tom Evens, professor of media policy and economics at Ghent University, highlights the significant role of Netflix as the primary driver of the current streaming model. “Netflix is the must-have service for most streaming subscribers,” Evens states. Other platforms like Disney+ and Streamz are increasingly seen as merely the “nice-to-have,” making it difficult to establish viable business models around them. Consequently, the quest for common ground — be it through group viewings at the coffee maker or casual conversations at family dinners — becomes challenging.
Despite these shifts, there remain certain cultural touchpoints capable of uniting audiences. Popular shows like ‘The White Lotus’ or historic sporting events still manage to catch the collective eye. They provide moments of joy, agreement, and conversation, helping lessen the fragmentation to some extent. Dhoest points out, “Even though it may be harder to reach broad audiences with fictional programming, there are still plenty of other shows generating common viewership.”
This trend has prompted several streaming services to recalibrate their strategies, as Evens predicts. “They will increasingly focus on blockbuster models — investing in franchised shows with proven success rather than riskily launching entirely new series.” We’ve already seen this shift with HBO MAX capitalizing on the success of ‘Game of Thrones’ through spin-offs, Disney leveraging Marvel’s superhero universe, and Amazon exploring their ‘Lord of the Rings’ brand.
Even back-to-back competitions, including sports and significant news events, continue to attract massive audiences, demonstrating the public's continued craving for shared experiences. “Even with the fragmentation, more immediate, event-driven programs still command attention, such as ‘De mol,’ ‘The Masked Singer,’ or major sports broadcasts,” Dhoest observes. The interest from streaming platforms to experiment with live sports, as seen with Netflix, reflects their responsiveness to these audience trends.
Although worries about cultural fragmentation are not new, nor were they unprompted. They surfaced prominently when commercial broadcasting first began, and they’ve re-emerged with renewed vigor as the streaming age dawned. Dhoest recognizes the resilience of certain shared viewing experiences, stating, “While there’s no denying the changes, we’re still finding programs capable of bringing people together, making ‘Thuis’ or ‘Familie’ topics of conversation at lunch.”
By constructing new frameworks where one can connect culturally, it subsists as integral groundwork for societal engagement. Just as it was during times of significant change before, the adaptability of these narratives informs both the industry and the audience about the direction of media consumption. “It allows us to discuss less tied political situations more easily, engaging us as participants rather than observers alone,” Weyns remarks.
Reflecting on both the transformations and the enduring nature of storytelling through television, it becomes undeniable: the medium has swiftly evolved, yet its inherent cultural significance remains steadfast. Will the future of television volunteering new pathways for connection emerge? Only time, shaped by viewer engagement and content interaction, will reveal the answers. For now, conversations can still spark at family gatherings, perhaps bolstered by some familiar show’s recent revival or breakthrough — bringing us back, if only for fleeting moments, to the cultural anchors we cherish.