Hosted By: Andrea Varano On television, scrolling and the new world of entertainment

Are we still able to watch television? To really watch it, without doing anything else, without a phone in our hands? Today, most people scroll while the TV is on, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to understand whether this habit stems from our shrinking attention spans or from a content ecosystem that has grown progressively more mediocre. The streaming industry has noticed this shift, obviously. Netflix, for example, has reportedly started asking screenwriters for simpler storylines, where characters openly explain what they are doing, making it easier for viewers who are only half-paying attention to follow along. A small but telling glitch, one that has contributed to the emergence of a new content category known as casual viewing. Shows designed to be watched while doing something else.

As streaming platforms adjust to an audience that is increasingly distracted and accustomed to multitasking, Meta and TikTok are pushing in another direction, attempting to bring social media directly into the living room. As if carrying it in our pockets were no longer enough, the next step is to meet us on a larger screen, feeding us an endless stream of short-form videos.