How things have changed

[navychop]

Has anyone tried the Roku Smart TV remote app for smartphones?

I'm wondering if it offers anything for HT use.

 

[Bruce]

Great article-

The traditional pay-TV sector saw a decline in subscriptions for the ninth consecutive year according to a new report from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The decline was largely due to cord cutting, with penetration dropping from over 80% in 2011 to 34.4% by the end of 2024. This shift reflects a broader consumer preference for streaming services over traditional cable, S&P said.

"Basic cable networks in the US shed subscribers in 2024 at an average rate of 7.1% as the pay TV universe continues to contract. This marks the ninth consecutive year of the declining subscribers for the industry as consumers trade in their traditional pay TV subscriptions for streaming services and other digital options."

S&P: Pay-TV Subscriptions Decline for Ninth Straight Year

No sign of relief for industry that saw subscriber loss of 7.1% in 2024

www.tvtechnology.com

 

[Bruce]

More issues for Broadcast/Cable Channels-

Broadcast and cable ad spending in the U.S. will fall 15.5% this year to $49.94 billion, according to research firm eMarketer. U.S. connected-TV ad spending, by comparison, will grow 13.2% to $31.91 billion, and will surpass traditional TV ad spending by 2028, eMarketer said.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/tv-industry-bets-ai-can-peel-ad-dollars-away-from-big-tech-67446ea4?mod=media_news_article_pos1

Advertisers Are Leaving Cable TV Networks Putting Disney, Paramount, Comcast, & Warner Bros. Discovery in a Tough Spot | Cord Cutters News

In a significant shift within the U.S. advertising industry, broadcast and cable television ad spending is projected to decline sharply in 2025, while connected TV (CTV) advertising continues its rapid ascent. According to a recent report from research firm eMarketer, traditional TV ad spending...

cordcuttersnews.com

 

[telstar_1]

So cable is unconnected TV and streaming is connected TV (CTV)....

 

[Bruce]

And it continues-

The Gauge

Navigate the TV landscape with precision. Examine audience viewing behaviors across key TV delivery platforms in a monthly macroanalysis.

www.nielsen.com

 

[savarese04]

And it continues-

View attachment 185485

The Gauge

Navigate the TV landscape with precision. Examine audience viewing behaviors across key TV delivery platforms in a monthly macroanalysis.

www.nielsen.com

vs your last graph, streaming actually took a hit at the expense of broadcast (+.7%) and cable (+.3%). i wonder if this is cable clawing some users back with recent slim bundles and broadcast getting those NFL viewers.

 

[Bruce]

vs your last graph, streaming actually took a hit at the expense of broadcast (+.7%) and cable (+.3%). i wonder if this is cable clawing some users back with recent slim bundles and broadcast getting those NFL viewers.

While true, but for a better perspective, compare August 2024 to 2025 to truly show how it has changed-

2024-
Broadcast/Cable 48.3%
Streaming 41%

2025
Streaming 46.4%
Broadcast/Cable 41.6%

While I do expect Broadcast/Cable to gain back some, might even pull ahead for a few months, I expect Streaming will take the lead for good sometime in 2026, based on the 6-8 million that are leaving paid Live TV every year, while the on demand streaming services continues to gain subscribers.

More and more are understanding that the same new content that is on paid Live TV, is also available on the streaming services ( for one example, CBS on Paramount+), along with all the streaming only shows, for a much less expensive price.