TV Cord-Cutters Have No Regrets

by Wayne Friedman , May 28, 2014

A majority of “cord-cutters” are clearly happier -- largely due to less expensive TV alternatives versus traditional pay TV providers.

A new study from nScreenMedia says 47% of those interviewed are “pretty happy with the decision” and 37% are “extremely happy.” Just 8% say they are “pretty unhappy” and 9% say “hate it and wish I had service again.”

The study quotes media researcher Craig Moffett, a principal of MoffettNathanson Research: "We have always argued that cord-cutting is an economic phenomenon, not a technological one. ... Pay-TV revenue growth reflects rapid pay-TV pricing growth and that is precisely the problem. Rapidly rising prices are squeezing lower-income consumers out of the ecosystem.”

Pay-TV subscription costs continue to climb well ahead of inflation.

For example, the study cites that DirecTV’s average price per home grew 3.8% in 2013, while the median U.S. household income increased just 2.1%. Since 2002, DirecTV has increased its average TV price package 2.4% a year while median household income has fallen 0.4% a year.

What do cord-cutters miss the most? The study says it’s “TV shows I can’t find anywhere else,” like AMC’s “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men” and HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” But almost the same level of respondents -- 29% -- say they miss “absolutely nothing.”

This second-quarter 2014 research came from an nScreenMedia partnership with Troubadour Research and Consulting which surveyed 1000 consumers with access to high-speed Internet, either through at-home broadband internet or mobile smartphone connectivity.

"Scissors cutting cable" photo from Shutterstock.

cable tv, media, trends, tv

3 comments about "TV Cord-Cutters Have No Regrets".

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Anne Peterson from Idaho Public Televsion, May 28, 2014 at 5:43 p.m.
For some cord-cutters I know, it is that the value received does not equal the expenditure. For myself, I find I can buy or rent a season of the shows I want to see for less than the cost of paid TV.
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Dave Frey from Evansville Courier & Press, May 29, 2014 at 9:52 a.m.

When DVR was invented, people thought it was so convenient to be able to record all the shows you want to watch. Then it evolved into yet another task to try to keep up with. "Oh honey, we've got to try to get through 3 hours of Breaking Bad tonight so we can get caught up on Modern Family." I'd rather not pay obscene amounts of money to be a slave to my DVR.

Edmund Singleton from Winstion Communications, May 30, 2014 at 7:23 a.m.

As a recent DirecTV cord cutter, I am hoping for a stand alone HBO and Turner Classic Movie option, that I would jump to in a second...