Traditional/Streaming Live TV Providers Losses, 2nd Quarter 2026 Edition

[Bruce]

Here we go again-

Comcast lost another 280,000 TV Subscribers, along with 167,000 internet customers.

https://www.cmcsa.com/static-files/9ca0b7e1-e289-495a-8709-f6af42e173b2

 

[Bruce]

Charter-

Video customers decreased by 21,000 in the second quarter and 172,000 for Internet.

The broadband losses are actually quite bad for both Comcast/Charter, since that is the more profitable part of their business.

Charter Announces Second Quarter 2026 Results

/PRNewswire/ -- Charter Communications, Inc. (along with its subsidiaries, the "Company" or "Charter"), which operates the Spectrum brand, today reported...

www.prnewswire.com

 

[dishdude]

I wonder how much Starlink is impacting those internet customers, I know the 5G offerings definitely are.

 

[Bruce]

I wonder how much Starlink is impacting those internet customers, I know the 5G offerings definitely are.

Fiber also, Charter is/was really big here in Florida, Quantum (AT&T) and Frontier(Verizon) moved into their territory, has been really successful in getting customers to switch.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Maybe Cable companies should rethink their strategy to attract new customers and to keep them. The old plan of announcing new fees for things you never had before after you subscribe and hiking the price every 6 months to a year is not working. Or they could continue to circle down the drain till they go under. At this point I don't really care as long as there is competition that can provide you with their services at lower prices.

 

[dishdude]

Maybe Cable companies should rethink their strategy to attract new customers and to keep them. The old plan of announcing new fees for things you never had before after you subscribe and hiking the price every 6 months to a year is not working. Or they could continue to circle down the drain till they go under. At this point I don't really care as long as there is competition that can provide you with their services at lower prices.

A skinny bundle with minimal fees would probably get them a few more years, but the corporate conglomerates that own the networks won't allow it. They're going to milk every penny out of 3 FXs, 6 MTVs, 7 ESPNs...all playing content available on Pluto.

 

[ncted]

They're going to milk every penny out of 3 FXs, 6 MTVs, 7 ESPNs...all playing content available on Pluto.

ESPN is on Pluto?

 

[Bruce]

ESPN is on Pluto?

No, but the vast majority of content on Cable Channels, which is reruns, is on there, Tubi, Roku Channel, etc.

Which always makes me wonder, why people pay that average $140 a month to Satellite/Cable Providers.

When they can get the new programming that is on Network/Cable Channels, along with so much more new content (both scripted and sports), at a much reduced price on the streaming services, compared to Live TV Providers, along with the better video/sound quality.

Then use services like Pluto if they crave reruns, which are both live and on-demand.

 

[ncted]

No, but the vast majority of content on Cable Channels, which is reruns, is on there, Tubi, Roku Channel, etc.

Which always makes me wonder, why people pay that average $140 a month to Satellite/Cable Providers.

When they can get the new programming that is on Network/Cable Channels, along with so much more new content (both scripted and sports), at a much reduced price on the streaming services, compared to Live TV Providers, along with the better video/sound quality.

Then use services like Pluto if they crave reruns, which are both live and on-demand.

As I've posted before here, the only thing left is local news and a few random events. I'd really like a locals-only streaming package. I'd be willing to pay $20/month for that.

 

[MikeD-C05]

As I've posted before here, the only thing left is local news and a few random events. I'd really like a locals-only streaming package. I'd be willing to pay $20/month for that.

Wonder why DISH doesn't do that anymore. I remember they used to provide locals by themselves and then they added an $5.00 access fee to that. But back then it was like $9.00 for everything. Then they came out with the Welcome pack and did away with the locals only pack. I think that was in the early 2000s because I got my Aunt to take satellite TV for just locals, since she can't get them in her area due to a mountain. But that was over 25 years ago.

 

[dishdude]

Wonder why DISH doesn't do that anymore. I remember they used to provide locals by themselves and then they added an $5.00 access fee to that. But back then it was like $9.00 for everything. Then they came out with the Welcome pack and did away with the locals only pack. I think that was in the early 2000s because I got my Aunt to take satellite TV for just locals, since she can't get them in her area due to a mountain. But that was over 25 years ago.

My favorite was when you could subscribe to the east and west network feeds for $4.99 each. iirc, with the superstations package it was $12.99 for all 3. Coming from cable that was really cool.

 

[AZ.]

My favorite was when you could subscribe to the east and west network feeds for $4.99 each. iirc, with the superstations package it was $12.99 for all 3. Coming from cable that was really cool.

I remember that on C-band with my BUD.

 

[MikeD-C05]

My favorite was when you could subscribe to the east and west network feeds for $4.99 each. iirc, with the superstations package it was $12.99 for all 3. Coming from cable that was really cool.

That was why we went with DISH in 1997. The east/west locals + Super Stations. We were watching Star Trek Voyager on a regular channel in our area back in the 90s and then they quit showing it and the Supers had the show on UPN. Also we got the WB with Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So I loved this pack with all those stations back then.

When we had the WebTV/Dishplayer 7100 pvr we could record 2 locals off the east coast and 2 off the west coast and we could watch all 4 networks the next day. Now I have no use for even the CW since they gutted all the Super hero shows and Star trek has been gone for years.

 

[Bruce]

Dish/Sling lost 241,000 in the second quarter.

With just 3 companies reporting, 542,000 already gone for 2Q26.

DISH & Sling TV Had a Really Bad 2nd Quarter of 2026 | Cord Cutters News

EchoStar Corporation reported second-quarter 2026 financial results showing continued subscriber erosion across its core television businesses alongside a sharp swing into reported profitability driven largely by a one-time accounting gain. Total revenue for the three months ended June 30 came...

cordcuttersnews.com

 

[Bruce]

Dish/Sling lost 241,000 in the second quarter.

With just 3 companies reporting, 542,000 already gone for 2Q26.

Optimum Communications, formerly known as Altice USA, released its Q2 2026 earnings report today. The company reported a drop of 44,100 residential video customers for the quarter.

up to 586,100 that left during the current quarter.