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submitted 2 years ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

US pay-TV subscriber base eroding at record pace::undefined

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[-] orclev@lemmy.world 113 points 2 years ago

It's been over 20 years since I last paid for cable TV. I'm frankly shocked it's made it this long, but I guess they can milk the boomers for another decade or two. Certainly seems to be working for the GOP anyway.

[-] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 17 points 2 years ago

Most of my steaming services are threatening ads now, it's absolutely no difference.

I guess I'm dusting off the ol' pirate hat.

[-] skeezix@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Arrrr me laddies !!

[-] FinalRemix@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

My mom loves TV and for some reason really enjoys commercials. I can't explain it. There must be some inaudible frequency in commercials that's repuslive to me, but appetitive to her.

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[-] Zoboomafoo@slrpnk.net 102 points 2 years ago

Have they tried reducing their price or increasing the quality of their product?

No?

[-] ooterness@lemmy.world 25 points 2 years ago
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[-] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 63 points 2 years ago

It's alright. They're fucking over internet subscribers just as if we still had a cable TV package.

[-] highenergyphysics@lemmy.world 22 points 2 years ago

The day they try to bandwidth cap or piecemeal my internet service, I am becoming a Japanese terrorist

[-] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 5 points 2 years ago

Does that mean you're Japanese, or that you're going to become Japanese?

[-] Patches@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 years ago

It means they are going to destroy Nakatomi Tower.

[-] Silentiea@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

I hear that can attract stray NYPD cops, though, so be careful.

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[-] figjam@midwest.social 46 points 2 years ago

On a lark I hooked up an antenna to see what was on broadcast TV. There were like 5 pbs channels and a dedicated weather channel. For being free it was pretty good.

[-] Lesrid@lemm.ee 24 points 2 years ago

PBS is actually better than ever and I prefer it over most of what gets shoved in my face on my PC.

[-] LazaroFilm@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

PBS kids is awesome. Their shows are well made and educational and available for free on their app!

[-] FinalRemix@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

7 bucks a month for "passport" access, so PBS's streaming platform. It's damn good. NOVA episodes all over the place, news, new shows, etc. I gotta up my contribution.

[-] Roldyclark@literature.cafe 5 points 2 years ago

I love my antenna. I get like 20 channels. Local news, pbs, and old cartoons and sitcoms.

[-] WashedOver@lemmy.ca 42 points 2 years ago

Coming up to 16 years since I cut the cord and hardly anyone I know that is younger has cable. It's internet and then streaming.

My father when he passed in 2013 was paying $160/mth for old HD cable for his old 35" RCA tube set before I bought him a LCD TV that required a upgrade to modern HD channels. He didn't have internet with that either. So while they were scamming him for this old 480p HD packages he wasn't alone I'm sure.

I will say at new year's I was at someone's place that only had internet and for the group of us he brought out a HD Amazon antenna to watch the ball drop at midnight on local broadcast TV.

The amount of commercials was jarring. I'm not looking forward to when they bring those to streaming services that are currently hemorrhaging billions.

[-] teamevil@lemmy.world 28 points 2 years ago

I watched Fargo last week via broadcast. 5 min to 5 min of commercial time. It's insane.

[-] BeigeAgenda@lemmy.ca 17 points 2 years ago

I would watch about 16 minutes before giving up.

In the old days flow TV was max 25-30% ads, how can people live with 50% ads? At that rate it will be "Find the content" so in a few years with 90% ads watching a 45 minute show would take 7.5 hours.

[-] Peppycito@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 years ago

There won't be 45 minute shows. It'll be "Ow, my balls!" and cut to commercial.

[-] BeigeAgenda@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago

Looking forward to 50 seconds commercials and 10 seconds tik-tok videos, but that's just YouTube.

[-] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 years ago

Tiktok itself is the worst. I actually like the core of tiktok, but JFC does every other video literally have to be an ad? I actually think it's like 3 out of 5 videos to be honest.

[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Remember when broadcast TV showed commercials on the 15 minute mark, 2-3 at a time for 30 minutes each, maybe more between shows? Commercials seemed like a reasonable tradeoff, plus were predictable so you could fit it in with other things. They dug their own grave, making commercials more intrusive, harder to skip, more frequent. …. Pepperidge Farms remembers

[-] sronweb@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

The problem is that OTT services are going to the adv model too. They expect that we pay a minimum subscription cost and watch advertising.....this is crazy

[-] Restaldt@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

🏴‍☠️

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 years ago

I'd rather do anything else.

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[-] crsu@lemmy.world 39 points 2 years ago

I'd subscribe if there were anything worth watching. Occupational reality shows on every channel. Streaming has gotten so bad lately that I don't think we're going to have a culture in the future just people setting themselves on fire for TikTok clout

[-] Dkarma@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

Why would I pay $120-140 for cable every month and be forced to watch tons of ads when. I can pay <$20 for Hulu or NFLX a month and watch none?

[-] KinglyWeevil@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 years ago

Give it time, forced advertising is inevitable.

[-] Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 years ago

🏴‍☠️

[-] ikidd@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Because of every asshole I've seen say things like "it's only a couple ads, I don't mind that. Get over yourself."

[-] vulgarcynic@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 years ago

We'll line up in the online queue for "Ow My Balls 7" though. And like it.

[-] LWD@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)
[-] glowie@h4x0r.host 21 points 2 years ago

🏴‍☠😎

[-] LWD@lemm.ee 19 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)
[-] spyd3r@sh.itjust.works 22 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Its currently cheaper for me to collect used laserdiscs, dvds, and blurays.

People are dumping physical media, and its a firesale. For most discs its $1-5 if you know where to look.

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[-] Aggravationstation@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

But not as much as the high seas me heartie...

[-] Lauchs@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

I'd pay for cable for the one/two (please God, two) months my team is in the playoffs.

[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I think it will become that ..... cable TV will just become a live event channel for people .... sports, concerts, public events.

They'll stop using it to broadcast TV shows of any kind, including news programs because all of that can be streamed on the internet using modern systems and devices ..... why maintain old cable networks if people can just watch your programming when they want.

[-] ITypeWithMyDick@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

There are methods to watch to games live online, for free.

[-] Lauchs@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Yeah but not at the same quality. And my preferred game is hockey where high quality really makes a difference.

[-] gregorum@lemm.ee 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

May it end with a whimper not a shout

[-] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

I feel like I've read this exact headline 20 times over the past couple of years.

[-] AeonFelis@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Millennials are killing the pay TV industry.

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this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2024
294 points (100.0% liked)

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