Cutting to the Chase

Cable+ subscribers hold steady at 98 million households; broadcast and broadband-only homes are additive, driving up the total U.S. TV households.

While there is no denying the rise in broadband and broadcast only homes, when we cut through the hype and plug into the facts, we uncover the truth about Cord Cutting:

• Perception: Cord Cutters/Nevers are making a significant impact on the number of Cable+ HHs.
  • Reality: Cable+ households have remained relatively unchanged over the last 15 years.
    
    
• Perception: Cord Cutters/Nevers are millennials, who are ushering in a new mindset of media/video consumption.
  • Reality: The majority of video consumed by millennials is on TV. Many millennials re-engage with their subscriptions as their lifestage and income mature.
    
    
• Perception: The lure of original streaming content is what’s driving cord cutting.
  •  Reality: It is clearly cost, not content, that motivates households to cancel their Cable+ subscriptions. In fact, 80% of Cord Cutters/Nevers would actually prefer a Cable+ subscription if cost were not a factor. Only 11% of Cord Cutters cite original streaming programming as a driving factor in their cord cutting.