US linear TV orders holding up better than streaming, Ampere finds

Commissioning for linear television has proven more resilient in recent years than for VoD in the US, according to a new report from Ampere Analysis.

Between 2022 and 2025, US-produced linear orders fell 26%, from 1,773 to 1,304, compared with a 41% decline in streaming orders from 1,144 to 678.

Linear scripted series orders rose 11% between 2023 and 2025, from 236 in 2023 to 262 in 2025, with a particular focus on renewing reliable franchise comedies such as The Simpsons and American Dad.

Free-to-air channels have fared better than pay TV, with the latter’s subscriber numbers declining by 56% since 2016 as consumers switched to streaming. This drove a 33% fall in series orders between 2022 and 2025, down from 1,295 to 877. In contrast, FTA broadcasters such as NBC, ABC and CBS saw series orders drop 13% over the same period, from 408 to 352.

George Evans, senior researcher at Ampere Analysis, said: “In the post-Peak TV era, the traditional seasonal development cycle from linear broadcasters in the US is evolving.

“With streaming players now accounting for a greater share of content spend globally, free-to-air linear commissioners in the US have adopted a more flexible approach to ordering, putting fewer titles through the development and pilot process and instead working more responsively year-round.

“By responding more dynamically to audience appetite and leaning on scripted franchises with established fanbases, broadcast TV can continue to prove its worth in the seemingly streamer-dominated US market.”

The report also shows traditional TV development cycles are evolving. US commercial FTA providers are shifting away from the traditional seasonal development cycle of fourth-quarter script commissions and Q1 pilot orders towards year-round development and ‘straight-to-series’ orders, committing to an entire season without first testing a pilot.

US broadcast networks, meanwhile, have shifted towards more disciplined primetime commissioning strategies. Since 2024, 52% of new scripted series orders have been franchise-based, reflecting a more disciplined approach to primetime commissioning.