Comcast: Cord Cutting Press Hype 'Doesn't Quite Match Reality' Most people realize that while cord cutting is a slow and small phenomenon, it's very real. Comcast knows this as well as anyone, the company has been slowly hemorrhaging basic video subscribers for quite some time now (-8,000 users last quarter) as users try to avoid the cable giant's often bi-annual programming rate hikes.

quote: "The way content is consumed is changing,” said Amy Banse, managing director of Comcast Ventures. “We’re all aware of that. But I personally believe, and also by looking at our own statistics, that the volume of press around cord cutting doesn’t quite match reality." Other cable industry folks agreed, declaring that cord cutting was "over reported": quote: George Kliavkoff, president of Hearst Ventures, agreed, and said the topic is low-hanging fruit for the media: “Cord-cutting is a great ‘story,’” he said. “But I think it’s over-reported." Right now, the cable industry says it's much more worried about "cord cheaters," or people that are cutting back on packages or bundles to save money. That's why companies like Comcast have been unveiling services like But speaking at a recent television industry conference, Comcast Ventures exec Amy Banse made it very clear Comcast still believes that cord cutting is by and large a phantom manufactured by the media:Other cable industry folks agreed, declaring that cord cutting was "over reported":Right now, the cable industry says it's much more worried about "cord cheaters," or people that are cutting back on packages or bundles to save money. That's why companies like Comcast have been unveiling services like its new Stream platform , which try to avoid customers leaving by offering them new streaming options. The problem is these platforms tend to be loaded with limitations and caveats, and don't really accomplish what the industry believes they do.Analysts think cord cutting's happening at around a 0.5% annual rate, though keep in mind 2015 is the first year we've seen so-called "skinny bundle" Internet video services like Sling TV and Sony's Playstation Vue. Whatever you think about TV cord cutting or cord cheating, it's clear that the cable industry's response to both is going to eventually need to be to compete on price, something the industry as a whole has tried to avoid like the bubonic plague.







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Most recommended from 44 comments

desarollo

join:2011-10-01

Monroe, MI 10 recommendations desarollo Member The Customer Contempt Continues Yes, people who look for value or refuse to buy more than what they need are cheaters, they are cheating Comcast out of its rightful stipend simply because the corporation exists. adam1991

join:2012-06-16

united state 10 recommendations adam1991 Member Nobody's cutting the cord We still need the cord. It's the pipe that provides broadband internet access to our lives. What we're cutting is the content cord, the pay TV and phone cords.



Where once it was a specialized roadway where only specific content can travel, now any content can travel down that roadway. By that standing, the pipe has become dumb--which means that the content I want to consume can come down ANY pipe that serves my content delivery needs.



And that content can come from anywhere.



Comcast et al. are simply trying to re-work the discussion. The fact remains that I don't need Comcast (for example). Their ONLY hope is not to be made obsolete by time and other technologies and even politics.



And in the meantime, they're putting forth, publicly, a stoic face that "Nobody's cutting the cord! We're stronger than ever!" when in fact the world that they built their business model around is crumbling, slowly but surely. Kuro

join:2014-10-01 5 recommendations Kuro Member How fudged are the numbers Really would be interesting to know the number of accounts that have cable but aren't in use. I know when I moved out on my own I only wanted an internet connection and Comcast was pricing the internet/tv bundle $15 less than internet alone. I get this bundle but figure when the cost turns I'll drop TV to save a few bucks, too bad when that time came Comcast didn't provide stand alone internet in the area anymore. I have a cable box that has never been used sitting in my closet adding to the numbers that they are probably looking at to assume cord cutters are not a thing.

davidc502

join:2002-03-06

Mount Juliet, TN 4 recommendations davidc502 Member a phantom manufactured by the media "Ventures exec Amy Banse made it very clear Comcast still believes that cord cutting is by and large a phantom manufactured by the media"



Comcast, please continue to believe the above quote. I save around 1k per year by cutting the cord, and don't want the big cable companies to start messing with the formula.



If they want to stick their heads in the sand... let them! We are all better for it because otherwise, they will start hijacking out wallets again!

sraz

join:2013-10-28

Tucson, AZ 4 recommendations sraz Member Not picking up any growth Sure they aren't technically hemorrhaging subscribers, but they should certainly be concerned by the obvious lack of growth in the market. Considering the average number of US households grows by about 1 million a year, they should be picking up on some of that growth. Since they aren't that means there is less importance placed on the traditional television bundle as there will probably be a large portion of "cable never" people who don't see it a worthwhile entertainment outlet.



Of course this only serves to entrench their position as they fight to combat eroding television revenues, so I wouldn't expect Comcast to come up with anything groundbreaking to try and fight the storm as they are perfectly happen with the current status quo.

Flyonthewall

@teksavvy.com 4 recommendations Flyonthewall Anon I am the great and powerful Oz Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.....



Yeah, I guess you have to say whatever will keep your stock value up.