• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, February 2, 2022

The idea is to re-create what you have, as closely as possible, from what your traditional pay TV provider (cable, satellite, telco or virtual) offers with just available streaming platforms.

It will roughly cost you $76.43. That's the package price for seven top ad-free streamers, and premium streamers that have advertising-free options.

This list includes Netflix ($15.49 a month), HBO Max ($14.99), Hulu ($12.99), Paramount+ ($9.99), Peacock ($9.99), Disney+ ($7.99), and Apple TV ($4.99).

Although it's a few years old now, according to the FCC's 2018 Report on Cable Industry Pricing, the average cost of expanded basic cable TV network services was $73.08 then. Other more recent estimates point to an monthly average of $95.08.

Although there are new and cheaper traditional-looking virtual pay TV packages now -- where pricing could be just $25 a month -- there are, of course, many programming limitations. You get what you pay for.

Buying up all major premium streamers offers perhaps the biggest access to entertainment programming -- scripted and unscripted.

And this can include sports. NFL, for example, is on Peacock and Paramount+ premium option plans. This includes TV's biggest single show: The Super Bowl. Premium streamers also have other sports.

But alas, here is the downside: Much live sports content, such as that on NFL, or on Peacock or Paramount+, does contain advertising because it is live TV. (As I told you, it's not a perfect ad-free dream).

What about news programming? Peacock has a few live newscasts -- but mostly news magazine news shows, which don't need real-time breaking news airings.

You can also get free streaming platforms such as NBC News Now and CBS News Streaming Platform, which come at no cost. But, again, you will have to watch some ad messages.

Fox Nation costs $5.99 and there are no advertising messages. That said, much of the content is magazine-focused news shows, with no breaking live news events.

That said, you can click on a Fox News Live tab -- as long as you provide your legacy TV provider information. (Wait -- doesn't that defeat the idea of all streaming? Yes!) And of course, it's live TV and -- as you might guess -- there is advertising!

Of course, many media companies want to have it both ways -- make that all ways -- when it comes to revenue.

Though subscription revenue can be a great equalizer, the foundation of direct-to-consumer business, business and consumer trends can change a whim. So adding advertising as a component makes sense.

We see the growth of advertising video on demand (AVOD) as a way to keep down the price to consumers. But that's not the only path you can take if you are in need of a pure -- mostly -- ad-free TV experience.