In 2012 I cut the cord on cable TV and in my case, satellite TV. I mailed back my boxes to DIRECTV and plugged in my Roku 2 we got for Christmas to officially become a cord cutter. At that time, the average American household spent $123 a month on cable TV. Today, that number has grown to over $217 a month. But even that is likely to be an overestimate, as more and more people are cutting the cord altogether.
There are many reasons for the decline of cable TV. One is the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. These services offer a wide variety of content, often at a fraction of the cost of cable TV.
You can even now stream live TV from services like Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu, and more. Giving you access to cable programs without the contract and for a lot less.
Another reason is the increasing availability of free over-the-air TV. With a digital antenna, you can watch local channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox for free. At my house here in Michigan, I can get about 50 channels for free with my antenna.
Finally, many people are simply tired of paying for cable TV channels they never watch. If you only watch a few channels, it’s cheaper to subscribe to a streaming service or watch over-the-air TV. A recent breakdown of Comcast vs YouTube TV shows that YouTube TV, for example, can save you $1,379.88 a year vs cable TV.
The decline of cable TV is a major shift in the entertainment industry. Now over half of Americans no longer pay for cable TV. It’s also a major financial blow to cable companies, which are struggling to keep up with the changing landscape. Increasingly cable companies have been turning to home security, wireless phone services, and more to off set the losses.
But it’s also good news for consumers. With more options than ever, it’s never been easier to watch the TV you want, when you want it.
The Future of Cord Cutting
The future of cord cutting is uncertain. It’s possible that cable TV will eventually die out altogether. Though that is unlikely as cable companies struggle to adapt to the world of streaming with services like Peacock, Paramount+, and Disney+.
One way cable companies could adapt is by offering more affordable packages. They could also offer more specialized packages, such as packages that focus on sports or news.
Another way cable companies have been adapting is by partnering with streaming services. Recently several cable companies have stopped offering live TV and have instead partnered with services like YouTube TV.
The future of cord cutting is still up in the air. But one thing is for sure: the way we watch TV is changing, and cable companies are going to have to adapt if they want to survive. For now it seems like they see mobile phones and internet as the future instead of TV.