America's love affair with cable is officially over.
A new study shows that over half of cable subscribers now consider cord-cutting a real possibility in their near future. In fact, over 70 percent of subscribers consider cable companies slightly less despicable than Congress and cockroaches.
A survey done by Mohu and Public Policy Polling interviewed more than 1,200 American television viewers during the month of February to come up with these findings, which also discovered that antennas and streaming services have a higher favorability rating than traditional cable.
"With such an unfavorable view toward cable and satellite companies, it's clear that cable and satellite companies are out of touch with consumer demand," said Mohu CEO Mark Buff in a press release. "Americans are dissatisfied with cable and its high cost of viewing. This is a far cry from delivering a service that fits the needs of today's savvy, digitally-oriented consumers."
Why are people growing so fed up with cable subscriptions? The main reason is pricing, with nearly half of those surveyed admitting to paying more than $100 per month for their cable services. However, most keep their subscriptions because cable TV is often bundled with Internet and phone services, leaving those consumers feeling trapped. Considering that the study found that nearly 70 percent of respondents only watched about 10 channels per month with their current subscription plans, it seems that those bundles are the main reason that they're still signed up at all.
Perhaps most interesting about the survey's results, though, is that this is one of the few things that unites Americans: both Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on the issue, something that rarely happens in a country often polarized by politics.
Mohu expects the cable-cutting trend to continue, as consumers grow more fed up with cable providers, especially now that there are viable alternatives, as well as new technology that offers new options for watching TV.
"Since cord cutting is a reality for millions of Americans, we're now seeing a David versus Goliath type battle between companies who are standing up to cable and fighting to break down the traditional walls of paid TV and locked set-top boxes for consumers," said Buff. "These companies are not only creating huge momentum for cord cutting, but also driving significant innovation within the TV industry and real change for consumers."
Photo: Jason Eppink | Flickr
