1 in 5 Consumers Could Ditch Cable TV in 2016 About 20% of current traditional cable customers may cut the cord in 2016 according to new research by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC). The continued trend rises as consumers increasingly find themselves frustrated by the steep price tag and inflexibility of traditional cable options, notes the firm. The survey of 1,200 US consumers found that the average subscriber receives 194 channels, but regularly watches only 17 .

And while a few companies have paid lip service toward necessary adaptation in the form of "skinny bundles," these offerings still remain relatively expensive and limited in availability. The PWC study found: • 79% of US consumers subscribe to some form of traditional pay-TV • Of those who subscribe, 23% said they engaged in cord-trimming (cutting back on the number of channels or services) in the past year • 16% said they had unsubscribed from pay-TV services in the past year • 5% identified as “cord-nevers” and have never subscribed to pay-TV services "In 2014, 91% of consumers said they could see themselves subscribing to cable in the following year," notes the firm. "In 2015, that figure dropped to 79%, implying more than one-fifth of consumers could ditch their cable subscription in the next year. Consumers’ relationship with video content is fundamentally changing – and the shift shows no signs abating." In short the cable industry desperately needs to start competing on price, but it's clear the industry only wants to do that only after the numbers reach critical pass. A slow realization bloomed this year, with several instances where cable stocks lost tens of billions in value due to Wall Street investors only just beginning to understand where the market is headed. With Internet video options accelerating, expect much more of the same in 2016. »youtu.be/dpZ5koIaENc







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Most recommended from 82 comments



karlmarx

join:2006-09-18

Moscow, ID 7 recommendations karlmarx Member The bigger question They didn't really answer the bigger question, which is WHY would customers cut the cord? For me, it was two-fold. For one, it was TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE. Period. I REFUSE to pay $100 a month for 200 channels when I watch at most 10 of them. Second, advertisements. Now, this can be offset a bit by the use of DVR, but it's not available on CBS.com or other network streaming services, so I will NEVER subscribe to them.

Having said that, the fundamental reason I see most people ditching cable tv is they now have options. Netflix and amazon prime are both commercial free. BUT, more importantly, you have the ability to watch tv on YOUR schedule, not the network schedule.

Broadcast networks, and to some extent cable networks, are STILL stuck in the past thinking that people are going to be entertained on the content owners schedule. Guess what, that's no longer true. The same networks think the VALUE of what they provide is MUCH higher than most people are willing to pay. Put the two together, and yes, I can see 20% of all people cancelling their cable tv in the next year. Granted, the 'old people' (50+) are probably not that crowd, but the younger, more tech savy generations after them have zero problem being entertained the way THEY want to be entertained. Families no longer gather around the TV at prime time to watch a show.

That.. is the death of the existing cable model. etaadmin

join:2002-01-17

united state 5 recommendations etaadmin Member Traditional TV changed over the years 'Traditional' channels have become crap.



The Science channel is no longer about science, the learning channel is no longer about learning, the weather channel is no longer about weather, comedy channels have become the fart joke channel, sitcoms follow the 10 second phrase followed by a 5 second recorded laughs loop, at night endless paid advertised infomercials, spiritual crap channels...etc.



Its not only cable but DirecTV/Dish too I'm surprised they have lived this long.

gmercator

join:2004-11-12

Los Angeles, CA 4 recommendations gmercator Member My Own Terms & Conditions..... It's simple.... I refuse to pay for sports and I refuse to watch commercials



2 years ago this month I cut the cord with Time Warner and just kept the high-speed internet at about $45.00/mo



I had been paying $125.00/mo including internet, a modem, expanded basic cable with a couple of included add-on tiers but no paid premium channels, and NO added sports, and one DVR on one TV set... nothing else



After the cut, my bill was reduced by approx $80.00/mo...



Since then, I have saved $1,920.00 (24mos x $80.00)



With the savings, I purchased a new 32" HDTV, a Roku3 streaming box, my own cable modem, a chromebox, a new computer monitor, a 10 inch Android tablet, and a Kindle Paperwhite ereader



I have Amazon Prime for approx $8.25/mo but that includes shipping and free ebook rentals and access to Amazon Prime music stations, among the many other extras... so maybe the Prime Video is about $5.00-$6.00 of that $8.25



Now, every month or two I go out with friends to a real movie theater to watch it on a really big screen! (imagine that)



I still have about $600 in savings from simply cutting the cord, and I am not missing anything at all



I used to stare at the blank TV screen if I didn't want to watch TV and I would feel guilty because I was truly paying for something I wasn't using all the time... not any more



The free programming choices and possibilities on the Roku3 have gotten so much better in the last 2 years, and almost all of it is on-demand so it runs on my schedule, and no commercials as I will uninstall apps that play commercials...



The cable industry must realize that cord-cutting is now a runaway train, and if they manage to block me on watching what I want, when I want, then I will happily read books and websurf and not worry about their shenanigans



And I am not ever giving any more money to feed ESPN or the crooked, overpriced sports leagues and teams



Times have changed

Treegravy

Premium Member

join:2011-04-21

Canada 3 recommendations Treegravy Premium Member It's been a long time for us. We cut the cord, um, 6-8 years ago now. Primarily for the reasons that most give for doing so: expense, advert density, content quality. At the time we weren't set up for streaming and we may subscribe to a single service in the near future.



At over fifty years old now, back then when we dropped cable the weirdest thing was the feeling of withdrawal. It actually pained us for a couple of weeks before we could orient ourselves into this new state of being where a screen wasn't taking up our attention for the majority of our days.



We engaged more in our hobbies and each other and found ourselves to be happier and more content than I suspect we would have been had we just kept on paying this near extortionary fee. It's turned out for us to be decidedly cheaper to purchase or borrow (from the library) content we are interested in and have built up a small but decent little collection over the years.



The thing that I now find the most gratifying after watching a show, is the little frisson of power I get from turning the television...off.