--- title: Back to the Future...of TV description: We thought it was worthwhile to compare how today’s TV watching stacks up against Marty McFly’s future — by examining todays streaming behaviors. image: https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hubfs/BTTF%20Blog-1.jpg --- [![TVision Logo](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TVision%20Brand%20Guidelines/TVision_logo_color_rgb_whiteText.png?width=1804&height=202&name=TVision_logo_color_rgb_whiteText.png "TVision Logo")](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/) Insights # Back to the Future...of TV By Raman Sehgal, VP Marketing   |   October 25   |   Insights This week was a historic one - and not just because of [the final trailer of the Skywalker Saga](https://twitter.com/TVisionInsights/status/1186981208938504193). October 21st was* Back to the Future* Day ([yep, that’s actually a thing](https://nationaltoday.com/back-to-the-future-day/)). So at TVision, we thought it was worthwhile to compare how today’s TV watching stacks up against Marty McFly’s future (October 2015) — which, like us, is [kind of obsessed with how people really watch TV](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/back-future-movies-are-obsessed-television-rightfully-so-180955807/). But first, we had to end the debate once and for all - which *Back to the Future* movie got the most Attention... ![BTTF BLOG](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTTF%20BLOG.jpg?width=600&name=BTTF%20BLOG.jpg) So, the data makes it clear - *Back to the Future Part II* garnered the most Attention (sorry Clara). And while Marty McFly’s future of 2015 looks a bit different from our present of 2019, the way we’ve watched TV has definitely changed since 1985...   ![BTTF BLOG 2](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTTF%20BLOG%202.jpg?width=600&name=BTTF%20BLOG%202.jpg) In the movie, Marty Junior arrives home and turns the TV to SIX simultaneous channels. Today we’re not turning on multiple channels at once (picture-in-picture doesn’t quite do it) - but we are overwhelmed with choice. Be it something live and linear, or something “over the top” and streaming from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, or HBO Now (soon to be joined by Disney+, Apple TV+, and NBC's Peacock), there’s always something you’re behind on watching. [According to eMarketer](https://www.emarketer.com/content/q2-2019-digital-video-trends), Netflix and Amazon Prime Video alone have more subscribers than the Top 10 Pay TV services in the US - and they’re adding more subscribers every day. Later in the movie, Marty Senior actually walks into his house to get voice alerts on everything else going on in his world. This is not unlike today - where Alexa (or your Google Home) tells you about the weather, upcoming appointments, or simply answering random questions. At my house, we also have a Chromecast plugged into our TV, so we frequently ask Google to show pictures from a family vacation or play a Netflix show or YouTube clip on the big screen.   **IT’S NOT 1985 ANYMORE.** Yet somehow, marketers are still measuring their TV like it’s 1985. At TVision, we think TV watching needs to be measured person-by-person, second-by-second, across the variety of devices and applications. Since the way we watch TV is so much more than just linear, we recently launched TVision Streaming Analytics - our solution that brings our person-level TV measurement to streaming TV behavior - by show, application, or even device. Here’s a preview... It’s one thing to know what shows people are streaming the most, but what about what shows people are bingeing or co-viewing the most?   ![September Top New Streaming Shows by Co-Viewing and Bingeing](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTTF%20BLOG%203.jpg?width=600&name=BTTF%20BLOG%203.jpg)   And while you may think advertising is not welcome in streaming, for just Chromecast devices, more than 40% of time is spent with ad-supported streaming applications. ![Chromecast Ad-supported streaming ](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTTF%20BLOG%204.jpg?width=600&name=BTTF%20BLOG%204.jpg)   When it comes to WHO’s streaming, younger viewers, especially those with children, are driving device adoption. These coveted audiences are watching content, across dozens of apps and screens. ![Streaming behavior by age and device ](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTTF%20BLOG%205.jpg?width=600&name=BTTF%20BLOG%205.jpg)   When it comes to streaming - and measuring how people actually watch TV - we’ve definitely made it BACK to the future. But while we’ve got the sweet [self-lacing shoes](https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/21/18151379/nike-hyperadept-2-0-self-lacing-basketball-sneakers-2019), I’m still waiting on my flying cars and hoverboard. And sorry, [these still don’t count](https://www.lifewire.com/best-hoverboards-to-buy-4068650). *=* *Want to learn more about the current state of TV and Streaming Analytics? See more of of the above stats in [our keynote at the ARF’s OTTxSCIENCE](http://t.vision/OTT2019), or download [the 2019 TV Engagement Report](http://t.vision/H1Report).* [![TV and CTV Attention Report](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3023204/5eeec174-ffb8-4a4a-81d3-9e747704521a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3023204/5eeec174-ffb8-4a4a-81d3-9e747704521a) ![LinkedIn](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hubfs/Assets%202018%20-%20S2/illustrations-icons/linkedin-icon.png) ![Twitter](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hubfs/Assets%202018%20-%20S2/illustrations-icons/twitter-icon.png) ![Facebook](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/hubfs/Assets%202018%20-%20S2/illustrations-icons/fb-icon.png) ## More resources from TVision [blog](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tag/blog) [TVision's New TV Attention and Creative Impact Report](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvisions-new-tv-attention-and-creative-impact-report) Today TVision, the company measuring every second of TV and CTV viewer engagement, released the H2 2025 State of Streaming Report. The semi-annual State of Streaming Report is the industry's best resource for insight into attention and engagement with streaming apps, content and ads. [Read More](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvisions-new-tv-attention-and-creative-impact-report) [blog](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tag/blog) [TVision Insights Enters Definitive Agreement to Be Acquired by Viant Technology](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvision-insights-enters-definitive-agreement-to-be-acquired-by-viant-technology) Today TVision, the company measuring every second of TV and CTV viewer engagement, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Viant Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: DSP), a leader in CTV and AI-powered programmatic advertising, in a transaction valued at $40 million. The deal, expected to close in Q2 2026, brings TVision's second-by-second, person-level attention data, co-viewership signals, and in-room presence measurement directly into Viant's buying platform. [Read More](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvision-insights-enters-definitive-agreement-to-be-acquired-by-viant-technology) [blog](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tag/blog) [TVision's New State of Streaming Report Reveals How Context, Pod Position and More Impact Viewer Engagement](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvisions-new-state-of-streaming-report-h2-2025) Today TVision, the company measuring every second of TV and CTV viewer engagement, released the H2 2025 State of Streaming Report. The semi-annual State of Streaming Report is the industry's best resource for insight into attention and engagement with streaming apps, content and ads. [Read More](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/resources/tvisions-new-state-of-streaming-report-h2-2025) [![The TV and CTV Attention Report](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3023204/6b181378-6650-4289-8bad-aa2394689443.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3023204/6b181378-6650-4289-8bad-aa2394689443) ### Find Your Brand's TV Performance Or try these: [Geico](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=Geico), [Amazon](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=Amazon), [Progressive](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=Progressive), [State Farm](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=State%20Farm), [T-Mobile](https://www.tvisioninsights.com/search-results?brand=T-Mobile) ## Get in Touch Need more info, have a question or want a demo? Tell us a little bit more and we'll respond shortly. ## Stay Up to Date The TV landscape is changing quickly. 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