Former Television Executive Predicts Endโฃ ofโฃ “Peak TV“
Losโข angeles, โคCalifornia – december 2, 2025 – Kevin Reilly, a veteran television executive formerlyโค with NBC and Fox, believes theโข era of โขunprecedented television production – often โขdubbed “Peak TV” โ- is โover and unlikely to return. reilly shared his assessment โขduringโข a recent appearance โขat the morgan Stanley Technology, Mediaโค &โค Telecom Conference, citing shifting โฃeconomic realities and evolving consumer habits โขas key factors.
The proliferation of streaming services โover the past decade ledโค to a dramatic increase in original content, โขas companies โขcompeted for subscribers. However, Reillyโฃ argues that the current focus on profitability and โthe consolidation ofโ media companies will inevitably lead โto โa reduction in overall output. Thisโ shift impacts not only the entertainment industry workforce,but also viewers who have grownโ accustomed to a vast and โขever-expanding library of programming options. The future, according to Reilly, will be characterized by more selective investment inโ content, prioritizing quality over quantity.
Reilly, who oversaw โฃprogramming for NBC from 2004 to 2007 and later served as President of Entertainmentโฃ at Fox, explained that the previous spending spree was unsustainable. “The business hasโ changed,” he stated. “Thereโฃ was a gold rushโข mentality, and โคnow people are realizingโค you can’t just keep spending money and expect it to come back.” He pointedโข to recent cost-cutting measures at major studios โคand the increasing emphasis on bundled offerings as evidence of this trend.
The executive’s comments โฃcome asโ the streaming landscape undergoes significant transformation, with companies like Netflix, Disney+, โand Warner Bros. Discovery adjusting their strategies to achieve profitability. Subscriber growth has slowed,and โmanny services are now raisingโค prices orโ introducing ad-supported โคtiers. This new environment demands a more disciplined approach to content creation, signaling a potential return to a more traditionalโค television model.