**1. Introduction**

Television popularly known as "TV" can be defined as an electronic device that displays moving images accompanied by sounds as electromagnetic waves. It is used to broadcast objects, images, and sounds to its viewers. Television was conceived in the early 20th century as a medium for communicating and educating. However, in the mid-century, television became a model for broadcasting programmes to people all over the world.

However, in the mid-century, television became a model for broadcasting programmes to people all over the world. Now, with the improvement in technology, there are several ways TV can be delivered: "over the air" by terrestrial radio waves; along coaxial cables (cable TV); redirected satellites held in geostationary Earth orbit (direct broadcast satellite, or DBS, TV); streamed through the Internet; and recorded [1]. Therefore, with the rapid growth in technology, there have been some improvements in traditional television features and specifications. In some traditional television such as cable and satellite television with subscriptions to some packages like the DSTV Explorer and TiVo, audience members are able to rewind, record, and even pause programmes and movies. The viewer is able to watch their favourite movies or programs at a convenient time with the use of video-on-demand services.

Nonetheless, with the introduction of new digital technologies and the internet, traditional television started to share its audiences with a new technology called the OTT platforms. Over-the-top (OTT) platforms are digital technologies that are accessible through the Internet. OTT apps can stream content without the use of a cable box. This eliminates dependency on cable providers, geographical restrictions, time foundations, etc [2].

Non-television delivery systems such as the Internet, which enables viewers to download traditional TV shows onto a computer, laptop, iPod, or smartphone, are beginning to change people's behaviour towards watching television. They are platforms that distribute media content directly to audiences through the Internet. It is a streaming media service where all communications are charged through data. The service offers access to its viewers to watch films and television content. The term is similar to Subscription-based on video-on-demand which grants viewers the privilege to pick and view any content at their own convenience, examples include Netflix, HULU, YouTube, etc.

There is a general agreement among media and communication scholars that a monumental shift is occurring in the media and communication habits of young people [3]. This could be seen in the consumption of movies which is identified to be one of the major sources of entertainment. And with the improvement in technology, it can now be accessed via the internet to phones and computers. There is a lack of literature regarding or relating to OTT platforms from Nigeria's perspective.

In Nigeria, with the continuous improvement in technology, audience fragmentation becomes inevitable. Also, with youths at the forefront of the technology revolution, the battle for audience members between traditional television and OTT platforms keeps growing stronger. Therefore, this study comparatively analysed undergraduates' preference between traditional television and OTT platforms in watching movies in select universities in Edo State, Nigeria.
