Commentary

Consumer Interest In Cord-Cutting Rises

Interest in cutting the cable cord is on the rise, according to a new study. The number of new cable customers who ask for broadband service only is 26%, now exceeding the 22% who want only cable TV, according to ad tech firm Marchex, in an analysis of consumer phone calls to cable providers.

When customers want only cable TV, they’re usually making that request for access to premium channels, such as Showtime, Starz and HBO, with 47% of cable-only customers requesting premium channels, Marchex said. HBO has said this fall that it plans to offer a direct-to-consumer service, and all signs suggest some consumers would opt for this service, bypassing cable companies. 

With the biggest cable providers losing subscribers this year, these data points are worth paying attention to. They underscore that the consumer mindset is shifting. If given viable alternatives, customers seem poised to make changes.

But on the flip side, TV Everywhere is increasing its reach, and nearly 80% of pay-TV subscribers can access the service, a 30% bump in reach from 2013, according to TDG Research. About 74 million homes now have access to TV Everywhere.  A Freewheel report found that TV Everywhere use is growing -- 46% of long-form and live video ad views came from authenticated users in the third quarter, an increase of more than four times year over year.

These various reports suggest that cablers should be concerned, but also that they have the weapons ready to fight back against loss.

Next story loading loading..