BLOG
The Evolution of News Consumption Through OTT Platforms

The Evolution of News Consumption Through OTT Platforms

February 18, 2026

News habits have changed more in the last 20 years than at any time in the previous century. Most people no longer wait for a paper to hit the doorstep or the evening broadcast to start: they check headlines on their phones during commutes, watch live updates on their tablets at lunch, and catch full reports on smart TVs after dinner or at any time they want to catch up. One major driver of this change has been the rise of streaming services that can deliver content straight over the internet. OTT platforms gives news organizations a direct line to viewers, and viewers gain control over what they watch, when they watch it, and on which device.

How News Consumption Has Changed With OTT Platforms

No More Fixed Schedules

Traditional television news (and before that, radio) always followed a strict schedule. Networks aired programs at set hours, and if you missed the 6 p.m. slot, you had to wait until the 11 p.m. replay. Digital websites broke that pattern by posting stories the moment they happened, and OTT takes the next step: it turns news into essentially a library viewers can browse at any time.

Even local stations have noticed the difference, and by 2025, the average viewership of local news apps on streaming devices had risen a whopping 69% year-over-year. Younger adults, especially those aged 35-49, make up a much larger share of these audiences than they do for linear TV.

Video Becomes the Default Format

People increasingly prefer video over written news, and short clips on social platforms already reach two-thirds of global audiences weekly. Longer formats attract roughly half of the traffic. OTT platforms give newsrooms the opportunity to repurpose a single video and its edits for dedicated channels and apps. With this freedom, a station can now create a 24/7 linear stream of headlines, weather, and traffic.

Personalization Changes the Experience

Algorithms can now learn what each viewer cares about, so one person might see more politics and business news while another gets sports and local crime, depending on preferences. This reduces some of the noise that once filled traditional newscasts and simultaneously keeps viewers more interested. And because this personalization makes it feel like a conversation rather than a lecture, engagement goes up.

Live Events Stay Immediate

Breaking news and live events still matter, and OTT platforms carry them, too, and without the limitations of over-the-air signals or cable lineups. A city council meeting, election results, or severe-weather coverage are all important to broadcast at the moment they happen. And with the analytics broadcasters have access to, which they never had before, like exact viewer counts, drop-off points, and geographic reach, coverage can be adjusted instantly.

If your organization delivers news, and you want to meet audiences where they actually watch, Lightcast.com offers you the tools you need to launch and manage a professional streaming presence, and do it quickly. Visit us now at Lightcast.com to learn more and see a demo.