NYT Confirms Drop in Cable Subscriptions

I cut my cable TV subscription with Time Warner Cable close to six months ago (link) and haven’t missed it for one second.  Not only was the service an increasing burden on my finances but I was realizing what many others are starting to see – nearly everything is online now and for free or a nominal charge.

Like the millions of Americans who are ditching their landlines and relying solely on cellphones, these cable cutters are using new technology to redefine what is necessary and what is accessory, watching television when they want as opposed to when it is broadcast, and saving a few dollars.

“So many of my friends treated cable as a utility, that it wasn’t a home until it was set up,” said Nick Jackson, 24, who lives on the Lower East Side and works in publishing. “I basically chose Internet over the cable.” (link)

While I am sure the cable companies will try to find ways to “force” viewers back by trying to limit what gets online, we all know that this is a losing battle.  Cable companies will likely find they have to significantly drop their rates and add things like ala carte channel selection if they want to have any chance of competing with the internet, especially when it comes to new subscribers.

This is the true challenge with cable companies.  Most current subscribers are used to the ease and simplicity of cable and might not think they are savvy enough online to replace cable with pure internet but for new potential subscribers who are perhaps just out of college or their family home are well-versed in online options and likely to be short on cash.  It will be a pretty easy choice when faced with cable or internet.

It doesn’t help that cable companies like Time Warner, Comcast and CableVision often have near-monopolies in their given zone and have become lazy or inept when it comes to responsive customer service.

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