[mythtv-users] US Pay-TV loses subscribers for the first time ever

[Brian Wood]

On Monday, August 23, 2010 01:47:25 pm Dan Wilga wrote:
> On 8/23/10 3:37 PM, Phil Bridges wrote:
> > On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 3:31 PM, Ross Campbell<ross.campbell at gmail.com>  wrote:
> >> "SNL Kagan, which tracks trends in the U.S. multichannel market --
> >> cable, telcos, satellite, etc. -- says the market had its "worst
> >> performance on record" in the second quarter of this year. Pay TV
> >> subscribers hit 100.1 million in Q2, down from 100.4 million in Q1."
> > 
> > Couldn't this have something to do with the number of unemployed
> > people that have realized that pay TV is not a necessity?
> 
> That, and the fact that lots of people are switching to Internet-only
> (Hulu et al) methods for receiving their entertainment.

I know many people who have moved to Netflix "Watch Instantly", it's probably the easiest way for non-technical people to 
get into some form of internet-delivered video. Many Blu-Ray players have this capability, and devices can be had for 
under $100 that will allow it. Getting Hulu into your TV set is not something most people want to, or can, get working.

When money gets tight pay-TV is one of the first things people get rid of, and Netflix is cheaper than going to the video 
rental store, and you also get unlimited network streaming.

Of course they will run up against the ISP's limits on downloads if they watch Netflix a lot.