VARIETY ASKS: Is cable TV dying? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 07-22-2020, 12:29 AM

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/cab...ng-1234710007/

As streaming increasingly becomes the future of television, the model for cable TV is falling apart. That could be seen in MTV, which earlier this year seemed to be giving up by devoting 113 of its 168 weekly hours to showing reruns of Ridiculousness. "Pundits had long predicted the death of broadcast TV, while basic cable feasted on a dual revenue stream of subscriber fees and advertising revenue," explain Variety's Michael Schneider and Kate Aurthur. "But that gravy train started going off the rails when the streaming services arrived. At first, Netflix was a friend, supplying yet another source of revenue and even acting as a marketing tool — helping to turn AMC’s Breaking Bad into a much bigger hit during its final season of originals on AMC, for example. But as AMC soon learned, consumers began thinking of Breaking Bad as a Netflix show — and Netflix was using acquired library content to quickly change viewer habits. Last year, the streamer launched more original programming than the entire cable TV industry had a decade earlier. Meanwhile, 'cord cutting,' once pooh-poohed by the cable industry as a myth, has become a real threat: The number of pay-TV households peaked in 2010 at 105 million; now it’s down to approximately 82.9 million. And a study last year by eMarketer forecast that number to dip to 72.7 million by 2023. Now, it’s cable that’s on the ropes — and struggling for survival...While a handful of lifestyle and older-skewing networks have managed to buck industry-wide declines, most general entertainment channels have suffered double-digit drops in ratings in recent years. According to Variety’s tally of the most-watched networks in 2019, Nick at Nite was down 24% among total viewers; AMC, down 22%; FX, down 21%; USA, down 19%; TBS, down 16%; and TNT, down 14%." FX Networks CEO John Landgraf says the rise of streaming and the decline of cable led to the creation of FX on Hulu. “You’re just doing everything you can to run in place as a basic cable network,” he says. “It allows us to maintain — even increase a little bit — our investment in our programming for our linear channels … but where all the growth from investment in the television industry is, is in streaming.”

Charley Knox · 07-22-2020, 09:27 AM

I don't think multiple streaming services will be the future either. Personally, I'm lazy and don't fill like having to hunt down a specific streaming service to find a certain show after a hard day of work. Would have preferred cable, but they took off all the classic shows and mainly due to Disney ESPN, started way over-pricing the service.
Right now, I will stick with the diginets and just grin and bear the awful commercials, because it is free. If they start altering or taking them away, I will just go back to my DVD collection.

Due to inflation and working wages remaining stagnet, money is limited so eventually the streaming service bubble will have to burst.

Too2muchtv · 07-23-2020, 03:03 AM

I cut the cord in 2015 and should have done it a lot earlier than that. The only real tough loss for me was hgtv, but otherwise there’s plenty enough programming on ota tv to keep me satisfied. I’m very old school, I never got too much into the streaming stuff, I have an Apple TV but haven’t watched it in years.

Charley Knox · 07-23-2020, 09:46 AM

The only streaming service I watch on a fairly regular basis is Youtube. Right now, I have the opportunity to piggyback Disney+ from my sister, but just not that interested.

My really bold prediction, is that multiple streaming services are just a passing fad. Without the ability to constantly keep supplying fresh daily programming content, the younger generations will quickly lose interest and cancel. If they all wouldn't have got greedy and stayed under Netflix's protective umbrella, streaming would have probably thrived.

*edit* I also stream RetroTV during the weekend to watch Offbeat Cinema and Horror Hotel.

Merry24 · 07-23-2020, 10:00 AM

Every year in the last few years an article comes out asking the question about cable being deceased. Yet no changes and no cable channels Returns back to its original format.

GentlemanJim · 07-23-2020, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/cab...ng-1234710007/

. Now, it’s cable that’s on the ropes — and struggling for survival...While a handful of lifestyle and older-skewing networks have managed to buck industry-wide declines, most general entertainment channels have suffered double-digit drops in ratings in recent years.

Cable, IMO, is killing itself. One of the big draws used to be the the additional tiers, that expanded the range of options. You paid extra, to get more.

With the typical commercial loading frequently 10 minutes out of each half hour now, the incentive to pay more to watch more commercials, just isn't there. I feel that I'm getting ripped off already, and and buying more channels would be sending good money after bad.

And, just look at the viewing choices after 3 AM, who do they think they are screwing?

On top of all that, consider the thousands of movies out there available to watch. So why is it that the same movies are being shown over and over, just rotating from one channel to the next? The Bournes, the Expendables, Spiderman, Batman, Dwayne Johnson ad nauseum, John Wick, Creed, Teds, Reds, Joe Dirt, Ricky Bobby.... just rotating from one channel to the next, over and over..etc etc etc

Basically, the overall package they are offering appears to be shrinking, while the price continues to rise....not really the kind of product that inspires the customer to want more...

Ashes to ashes...

Charley Knox · 07-23-2020, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GentlemanJim

Basically, the overall package they are offering appears to be shrinking, while the price continues to rise....not really the kind of product that inspires the customer to want more...
Ashes to ashes...

The rising cost, is mostly due to Disney/ESPN and their college football contracts. They recently renegotiated the SEC contract for an unholy amount of money. A chunk of this contract renewal, will be passed on to the cable and streaming consumer over the next few years.

GentlemanJim · 07-23-2020, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charley Knox

The rising cost, is mostly due to Disney/ESPN and their college football contracts. They recently renegotiated the SEC contract for an unholy amount of money. A chunk of this contract renewal, will be passed on to the cable and streaming consumer over the next few years.

When Comcast moved TCM to a pay tier last year, I took that as a "rate hike", because the basic offering was reduced, but kept at the same price.

If I wasn't getting the basic tier for free, I'd be really upset.

Duster76 · 07-23-2020, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charley Knox

The rising cost, is mostly due to Disney/ESPN and their college football contracts. They recently renegotiated the SEC contract for an unholy amount of money. A chunk of this contract renewal, will be passed on to the cable and streaming consumer over the next few years.

Sports is definitely the 800 pound gorilla in the room. ESPN is the most expensive basic tier channel at over six dollars a subscriber. But it's even worst than that, if you live in a city with a major league team you are getting additionally ripped off by regional sports networks, and additional surcharges on the monthly cable bill. Washington has done absolutely nothing to protect the interests of the consumer, allowing major league sports leagues to rape the American cable subscriber. It's a disgrace. Cord-cutting will continue and in fact accelerate unless the cable companies begin to deal with price, it matters, a good product at a reasonable cost is a must. Sports must be moved to a la carte or separate tiers, the cost is out of line and consumer interest is not there.

TSMIV · 07-23-2020, 11:53 PM

Paying the sports fees for the last 5 months has been a complete ripoff. They should have given us a Covid-19 discount until there are actual sports to watch.

Duster76 · 07-24-2020, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSMIV

Paying the sports fees for the last 5 months has been a complete ripoff. They should have given us a Covid-19 discount until there are actual sports to watch.

Outstanding point. You get all this WOKE and social justice stuff from them, in the meantime ripping off all consumers, sports fans and people who could care less by charging them for no product. Again, our so called representatives in Washington are silent, this is a massive scam happening right in front of us.

broadmoor · 07-24-2020, 04:07 PM

It was always quite galling that the high cable fees and never-ending increases in my monthly bill were almost exclusively due to sports networks and sportsclub outlets demanding larger and larger pieces of the pie. Here I was, subsidizing a whole host of channels and teams I didn't watch. Glad I finally cut the cord several years back, and never regretted it. And if these sports teams hadn't already left a bad taste in my mouth, this recent spate of bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves makes me absolutely loathe them all the more. Really have nothing but white-hot contempt for the modern world of sports entertainment.

I don't entirely see streaming as a great, unsullied alternative, although it seems to be of some help around the edges for some folks. But I do expect it to go down a bad garden path of its own, in due time. I'm steering clear of it as much as possible. Which means I'm relying on local sub-channels and my mountainous collection of discs.

Duster76 · 07-24-2020, 04:45 PM

Broadmoor said:

"It was always quite galling that the high cable fees and never-ending increases in my monthly bill were almost exclusively due to sports networks and sportsclub outlets demanding larger and larger pieces of the pie. Here I was, subsidizing a whole host of channels and teams I didn't watch. Glad I finally cut the cord several years back, and never regretted it. And if these sports teams hadn't already left a bad taste in my mouth, this recent spate of bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves makes me absolutely loathe them all the more. Really have nothing but white-hot contempt for the modern world of sports entertainment."

AMEN! Couldn't agree with you more. Everyone should stop subsidizing the sports monopoly, it's a complete ripoff.

favoriteshow · 07-24-2020, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merry24

Every year in the last few years an article comes out asking the question about cable being deceased. Yet no changes and no cable channels Returns back to its original format.

I agree.

As an example, look at how many cable channels ViacomCBS has now. At least 16 or more channels. All had declines in viewership, but there has been no talk about consolidation or reduction of these networks. An example otherwise would be to consolidate Pop and Paramount to just Paramount and make it more solid of a cable network.

But, it won't because keeping more channels = more real estate it can sell for ads, and more revenue from more channels distributed.

It recently struck a deal with YouTube TV where YouTube TV is now be required to carry those lesser watched Viacom channels, since it's tied to carrying CBS. YouTube TV sent a rate increase over its subscribers, from $49.99 to $64.99/monthly and likely a part of it was increased programming costs from ViacomCBS. And, we can like see ViacomCBS being able to pressure Hulu Live TV to carry those Viacom channels in the future too.

So, ViacomCBS continues to be successful tying those weak cable channels to CBS.

And even then, it has multiple avenues to bring in revenue elsewhere besides the traditional cable networks that are in decline in ratings.
-Pluto TV (free streaming that includes watered down version of those networks)
-CBS All Access (semi-premium) and it eventually will incorporate Viacom content as well
-Smithsonian Channel (semi premium, although a JV with Smithsonian)
-Showtime (premium)

Duster76 · 07-25-2020, 06:56 PM

favoriteshowsaid:

"YouTube TV sent a rate increase over its subscribers, from $49.99 to $64.99/monthly and likely a part of it was increased programming costs from ViacomCBS".

Here's what's being added:

BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, TV Land, and VH1.

If I was a customer I would be more inclined to pay the increase if nothing was added rather than being informed I was going to be paying $15 more for this collection of channels, this is an insult.

07-22-2020, 12:29 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,403	VARIETY ASKS: Is cable TV dying? https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/cab...ng-1234710007/ As streaming increasingly becomes the future of television, the model for cable TV is falling apart. That could be seen in MTV, which earlier this year seemed to be giving up by devoting 113 of its 168 weekly hours to showing reruns of Ridiculousness. "Pundits had long predicted the death of broadcast TV, while basic cable feasted on a dual revenue stream of subscriber fees and advertising revenue," explain Variety's Michael Schneider and Kate Aurthur. "But that gravy train started going off the rails when the streaming services arrived. At first, Netflix was a friend, supplying yet another source of revenue and even acting as a marketing tool — helping to turn AMC’s Breaking Bad into a much bigger hit during its final season of originals on AMC, for example. But as AMC soon learned, consumers began thinking of Breaking Bad as a Netflix show — and Netflix was using acquired library content to quickly change viewer habits. Last year, the streamer launched more original programming than the entire cable TV industry had a decade earlier. Meanwhile, 'cord cutting,' once pooh-poohed by the cable industry as a myth, has become a real threat: The number of pay-TV households peaked in 2010 at 105 million; now it’s down to approximately 82.9 million. And a study last year by eMarketer forecast that number to dip to 72.7 million by 2023. Now, it’s cable that’s on the ropes — and struggling for survival...While a handful of lifestyle and older-skewing networks have managed to buck industry-wide declines, most general entertainment channels have suffered double-digit drops in ratings in recent years. According to Variety’s tally of the most-watched networks in 2019, Nick at Nite was down 24% among total viewers; AMC, down 22%; FX, down 21%; USA, down 19%; TBS, down 16%; and TNT, down 14%." FX Networks CEO John Landgraf says the rise of streaming and the decline of cable led to the creation of FX on Hulu. “You’re just doing everything you can to run in place as a basic cable network,” he says. “It allows us to maintain — even increase a little bit — our investment in our programming for our linear channels … but where all the growth from investment in the television industry is, is in streaming.”

07-23-2020, 09:46 AM	#4
Charley Knox Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 09, 2019 Location: Tn Posts: 634	The only streaming service I watch on a fairly regular basis is Youtube. Right now, I have the opportunity to piggyback Disney+ from my sister, but just not that interested. My really bold prediction, is that multiple streaming services are just a passing fad. Without the ability to constantly keep supplying fresh daily programming content, the younger generations will quickly lose interest and cancel. If they all wouldn't have got greedy and stayed under Netflix's protective umbrella, streaming would have probably thrived. edit I also stream RetroTV during the weekend to watch Offbeat Cinema and Horror Hotel.
	Last edited by Charley Knox; 07-23-2020 at 10:50 AM.

07-22-2020, 09:27 AM	#2
Charley Knox Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 09, 2019 Location: Tn Posts: 634	I don't think multiple streaming services will be the future either. Personally, I'm lazy and don't fill like having to hunt down a specific streaming service to find a certain show after a hard day of work. Would have preferred cable, but they took off all the classic shows and mainly due to Disney ESPN, started way over-pricing the service. Right now, I will stick with the diginets and just grin and bear the awful commercials, because it is free. If they start altering or taking them away, I will just go back to my DVD collection. Due to inflation and working wages remaining stagnet, money is limited so eventually the streaming service bubble will have to burst.

07-23-2020, 03:03 AM	#3
Too2muchtv Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 13, 2018 Location: TX Posts: 123	I cut the cord in 2015 and should have done it a lot earlier than that. The only real tough loss for me was hgtv, but otherwise there’s plenty enough programming on ota tv to keep me satisfied. I’m very old school, I never got too much into the streaming stuff, I have an Apple TV but haven’t watched it in years.

07-23-2020, 10:00 AM	#5
Merry24 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 10, 2017 Location: beach Posts: 2,040	Every year in the last few years an article comes out asking the question about cable being deceased. Yet no changes and no cable channels Returns back to its original format.

07-23-2020, 11:53 PM	#10
TSMIV Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 29, 2018 Location: Arkansas Posts: 696	Paying the sports fees for the last 5 months has been a complete ripoff. They should have given us a Covid-19 discount until there are actual sports to watch.

07-24-2020, 04:07 PM	#12
broadmoor Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 10, 2010 Location: texas Posts: 489	It was always quite galling that the high cable fees and never-ending increases in my monthly bill were almost exclusively due to sports networks and sportsclub outlets demanding larger and larger pieces of the pie. Here I was, subsidizing a whole host of channels and teams I didn't watch. Glad I finally cut the cord several years back, and never regretted it. And if these sports teams hadn't already left a bad taste in my mouth, this recent spate of bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves makes me absolutely loathe them all the more. Really have nothing but white-hot contempt for the modern world of sports entertainment. I don't entirely see streaming as a great, unsullied alternative, although it seems to be of some help around the edges for some folks. But I do expect it to go down a bad garden path of its own, in due time. I'm steering clear of it as much as possible. Which means I'm relying on local sub-channels and my mountainous collection of discs.

07-24-2020, 04:45 PM	#13
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,644	Broadmoor said: "It was always quite galling that the high cable fees and never-ending increases in my monthly bill were almost exclusively due to sports networks and sportsclub outlets demanding larger and larger pieces of the pie. Here I was, subsidizing a whole host of channels and teams I didn't watch. Glad I finally cut the cord several years back, and never regretted it. And if these sports teams hadn't already left a bad taste in my mouth, this recent spate of bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves makes me absolutely loathe them all the more. Really have nothing but white-hot contempt for the modern world of sports entertainment." AMEN! Couldn't agree with you more. Everyone should stop subsidizing the sports monopoly, it's a complete ripoff.

07-25-2020, 06:56 PM	#15
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,644	favoriteshowsaid: "YouTube TV sent a rate increase over its subscribers, from $49.99 to $64.99/monthly and likely a part of it was increased programming costs from ViacomCBS". Here's what's being added: BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, TV Land, and VH1. If I was a customer I would be more inclined to pay the increase if nothing was added rather than being informed I was going to be paying $15 more for this collection of channels, this is an insult.