People are about to start dumping cable faster than ever before

[kevindavis007]

It’s a bad time to be a cable TV executive. Streaming services are popping up faster than big cable companies can throttle them, and years of bad customer service mean that customers are chomping at the bit to switch to something else. Recent data has indicated that a steady trickle of customers have already started switching to streaming, but a new survey of 1,200 consumers hints that it could be more of a tidal wave than a drip.


RBC Capital Markets surveyed 1,200 US consumers to understand their attitude towards cable TV. Of the respondents, only 55% said that they’d continue to subscribe to cable or satellite TV. According to RBC’s analysis, that means only 68 million households are interested in keeping pay TV long-term.


Right now, there are 86 million households subscribed to pay TV. That means 18 million households that currently have cable subscriptions are open to leaving soon. Steven Cahall, the RBC analyst, described this as implying “subscriber declines still have lots of potential downside.”


In simpler words: get ready for a bloodbath.


The only saving grace for cable companies is that for now, streaming services are still relatively expensive. “Skinny” packages like Sling TV or YouTube TV cost around $40 per month, which when added to an internet subscription, is pretty close to the cost of cable and broadband anyway.


But going forwards, all that could change. The media industry is being shaken up, including a shift in content ownership towards companies like Netflix. That has the potential to undo some of the bundling restrictions currently put in place by content owners, which in turn could result in cheaper, a la carte TV options. With more competition as a result of streaming services, it’s just a matter of time.


Source: http://bgr.com/2017/09/24/best-cable-alternatives-streaming-service-youtube-tv-vs-hulu/

[ABX]

It’s a bad time to be a cable TV executive. Streaming services are popping up faster than big cable companies can throttle them, and years of bad customer service mean that customers are chomping at the bit to switch to something else. Recent data has indicated that a steady trickle of customers have already started switching to streaming, but a new survey of 1,200 consumers hints that it could be more of a tidal wave than a drip.


RBC Capital Markets surveyed 1,200 US consumers to understand their attitude towards cable TV. Of the respondents, only 55% said that they’d continue to subscribe to cable or satellite TV. According to RBC’s analysis, that means only 68 million households are interested in keeping pay TV long-term.


Right now, there are 86 million households subscribed to pay TV. That means 18 million households that currently have cable subscriptions are open to leaving soon. Steven Cahall, the RBC analyst, described this as implying “subscriber declines still have lots of potential downside.”


In simpler words: get ready for a bloodbath.


The only saving grace for cable companies is that for now, streaming services are still relatively expensive. “Skinny” packages like Sling TV or YouTube TV cost around $40 per month, which when added to an internet subscription, is pretty close to the cost of cable and broadband anyway.


But going forwards, all that could change. The media industry is being shaken up, including a shift in content ownership towards companies like Netflix. That has the potential to undo some of the bundling restrictions currently put in place by content owners, which in turn could result in cheaper, a la carte TV options. With more competition as a result of streaming services, it’s just a matter of time.


Source: http://bgr.com/2017/09/24/best-cable-alternatives-streaming-service-youtube-tv-vs-hulu/

I've scaled back to just the bare minimum package. Between Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, and all the free channels, I'm getting twice as much for half the price than I spent even a year ago. I finally got a digital antenna for the TV in my office and was shocked the number of clear, over the air channels that came in (over 30).  The OTA channels cover all the local networks great. Really, there is no need for me to keep Directtv, I just do out of habit (and I like to browse).

[dfwgator]

Death to the Liberal Media Complex.

[RAT Patrol]

I haven't had cable for 35 years.  Actually I have never had cable.  The man I married had cable.  We moved shortly after our marriage and never got cable again.  We were very angry at the creeps who wanted to overcharge us for their own mishandling of the cable box.

[kevindavis007]

I've scaled back to just the bare minimum package. Between Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, and all the free channels, I'm getting twice as much for half the price than I spent even a year ago. I finally got a digital antenna for the TV in my office and was shocked the number of clear, over the air channels that came in (over 30).  The OTA channels cover all the local networks great. Really, there is no need for me to keep Directtv, I just do out of habit (and I like to browse).

With DirecTV I was paying at least $100 for few channels that I actually liked. Most of the channels that was on DirecTv was some obscure channels or home shopping channels.

[RAT Patrol]

With DirecTV I was paying at least $100 for few channels that I actually liked. Most of the channels that was on DirecTv was some obscure channels or home shopping channels.

For a brief time we could get one home shopping channel on regular TV.  I'm better off without it.  Though I am still enjoying my tiffany style lamps and a nice room divider.  LOL.  Oh...and some jewelry.  The deals were good.  Too good.

[Smokin Joe]

We have it as part of a bundle that includes fiber optic internet and landline. It saved money over a dedicated provider, but the bandwidth in the package for the web is what makes streaming possible. We ditched our Cable company and saved 70 bucks a month in the process.

Cable companies are going to lose out on customers who are tired of paying to see paid advertising (about 2/3 of what is on after 2 AM), who have noticed that the same programming is getting passed around the groups of channels giving the impression there is something different on, but you have already seen it.
Buy DVDs and you own it. Store it on digital, ditto. Stream from a streaming service and pay for what you want to see, and pay less.

For a long time relative monopolies for cable providers have led them to treat their customers like the Republican Party has treated Conservatives, with the contempt brought of the impression there is no where else to go. That is changing for cable, now.

[ABX]

With DirecTV I was paying at least $100 for few channels that I actually liked. Most of the channels that was on DirecTv was some obscure channels or home shopping channels.

Same, I was on the everything pack for about $120 per month. I dropped it to the basic $50 package, added Netflix for 10, Hulu for 7, and my existing Amazon Prime.

The only channel I miss is Discovery but there are enough documentaries on the others I am fine with it.  I also keep it because a lot of the streaming channels like BBC you have to log in with your Directv account to watch.

[Smokin Joe]

Same, I was on the everything pack for about $120 per month. I dropped it to the basic $50 package, added Netflix for 10, Hulu for 7, and my existing Amazon Prime.

The only channel I miss is Discovery but there are enough documentaries on the others I am fine with it.  I also keep it because a lot of the streaming channels like BBC you have to log in with your Directv account to watch.

@kevindavis We bought Direct TV for my MIL until her death last year. It was about $100/month. She only watched a few channels but had no other options at her location.

[kevindavis007]

Same, I was on the everything pack for about $120 per month. I dropped it to the basic $50 package, added Netflix for 10, Hulu for 7, and my existing Amazon Prime.

The only channel I miss is Discovery but there are enough documentaries on the others I am fine with it.  I also keep it because a lot of the streaming channels like BBC you have to log in with your Directv account to watch.

I have Hulu, CBS All Access, and Sling along with my Amazon Prime


What I like about Hulu and CBS All Access is that there are prepaid cards.


So I have saved $80.00 per month by not having DirecTV.

[kevindavis007]

@kevindavis We bought Direct TV for my MIL until her death last year. It was about $100/month. She only watched a few channels but had no other options at her location.

@Smokin Joe


That is a problem. In some cases the OTA and the Internet is kinda weak


As for why there is a monopoly it has to do with a lot of reasons.


1. The old fashion local monopoly rules that was setup when cable companies were small and still have the old fashioned rules
2. A lot of mergers has happened

[Smokin Joe]

@Smokin Joe


That is a problem. In some cases the OTA and the Internet is kinda weak


As for why there is a monopoly it has to do with a lot of reasons.


1. The old fashion local monopoly rules that was setup when cable companies were small and still have the old fashioned rules
2. A lot of mergers has happened

None of that will matter when people have options. When the monopoly goes away by being able to get streaming channels, people will have no customer loyalty toward the provider and they'll change as soon as they see the benefit and can. Some will stay out of habit and the convenience of staying with known tech, but I think those will be in the minority. Change is the one sure thing.

[kevindavis007]

None of that will matter when people have options. When the monopoly goes away by being able to get streaming channels, people will have no customer loyalty toward the provider and they'll change as soon as they see the benefit and can. Some will stay out of habit and the convenience of staying with known tech, but I think those will be in the minority. Change is the one sure thing.

Yep.. Traditionally TV Viewing will be dead in five years.

[Fishrrman]

From the article:
"Right now, there are 86 million households subscribed to pay TV. That means 18 million households that currently have cable subscriptions are open to leaving soon. Steven Cahall, the RBC analyst, described this as implying “subscriber declines still have lots of potential downside.”"

There's an easy way to retain these subscribers:
LOWER PRICES.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Wonder how many will dump after all this NFL bullshit?

[DB]

They are going to have to face the reality that the tiered grouping of channels approach is a dead end. I don't want to pay for all the crap I don't watch just for that one or two channels I do like to watch. I'm down to basic cable now too.

I essentially have to have cable, cable Internet. I need the speed. But I have options regarding TV.

[kevindavis007]

From the article:
"Right now, there are 86 million households subscribed to pay TV. That means 18 million households that currently have cable subscriptions are open to leaving soon. Steven Cahall, the RBC analyst, described this as implying “subscriber declines still have lots of potential downside.”"

There's an easy way to retain these subscribers:
LOWER PRICES.

It won't happen.. Somehow the cable companies insist of us having to pay for the RFD channel.

[DB]

Wonder how many will dump after all this NFL bullshit?

I was thinking the same thing. That will just accelerate the trend.

[kevindavis007]

They are going to have to face the reality that the tiered grouping of channels approach is a dead end. I don't want to pay for all the crap I don't watch just for that one or two channels I do like to watch. I'm down to basic cable now too.

I essentially have to have cable, cable Internet. I need the speed. But I have options regarding TV.

They won't change.

[kevindavis007]

I was thinking the same thing. That will just accelerate the trend.

Well, ESPN is bleeding viewers.

[dfwgator]

Wonder how many will dump after all this NFL bullshit?

This is about more than the NFL now.   This is about finally starting to stand up to the Leftist infiltration of all of our institutions in the media and academia,  the NFL is just the beginning.

[Smokin Joe]

It won't happen.. Somehow the cable companies insist of us having to pay for the RFD channel.

I like the RFD channel. It's Fusion and Vice that I don't particularly care for, among others...

[kevindavis007]

I like the RFD channel. It's Fusion and Vice that I don't particularly care for, among others...

Well you get my point.

[Smokin Joe]

Well you get my point.

Actually, I do. Some things play better to some audiences.
The liberal arts crowd might say it expands our worldview, but I can't say I want some parts of my worldview necessarily expanded--at least at the point where I have to pay for it whether I watch it or not.

A la carte TV will change a lot of that, and it is coming. The competition will be fierce, and that, for the most part, will be a good thing, and I believe niche markets will survive for appropriately priced programming as well.

[kevindavis007]

Actually, I do. Some things play better to some audiences.
The liberal arts crowd might say it expands our worldview, but I can't say I want some parts of my worldview necessarily expanded--at least at the point where I have to pay for it whether I watch it or not.

A la carte TV will change a lot of that, and it is coming. The competition will be fierce, and that, for the most part, will be a good thing, and I believe niche markets will survive for appropriately priced programming as well.

A la carte TV is coming and I would welcome it. What is also great is that I don't have to sell my soul to the cable company just to cancel. With the streaming services, just cancel and keep your soul.