Providing Market Intelligence for 40 Years

In The News

Parks: Nearly Half of U.S. Broadband Homes Have Cut Pay-TV Cord

Parks Associates’ latest data finds that 56 million (46%) of U.S. internet households have severed ties with their premium television provider, underscoring the dominance of streaming video services. Another 12% of U.S. broadband households have never subscribed to any sort of traditional pay-TV.

Parks says service providers are adapting to the secular changes by offering competitive pricing, bundling options, and hybrid monetization strategies. The rise of ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) and free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services underscores the demand for lower-cost alternatives, and subscription-based platforms continue to experiment with tiered pricing and content exclusivity to retain customers, according to Parks.

“Cord Nevers represent a unique opportunity for streaming providers,” Jennifer Kent, VP of research at Parks, said in a statement. “By definition, this segment of the market has not paid for traditional TV, but streaming services have found a way to monetize a segment that has not previously valued subscription video or has grown up in a streaming-first market, with different conceptions of what subscription video should be.”

Parks reports that 59% of subscriptions across the eight leading SVOD services — Max, Netflix, Disney+, Discovery+, Paramount+, Prime Video, Hulu and Peacock — are basic with ads.

To achieve profitability and strike a balance for consumers, Parks said the most-popular streaming services now operate under a hybrid model, offering both ad-free and ad-supported plans to viewers. Ad-based tiers are cheaper for consumers and more profitable for businesses, making them a win-win for both parties.

“Consumers are worn down from continued spending increases in streaming, while years of high inflation are driving consumers to pare down accordingly,” Kent said in a statement. “This only intensifies the competition among streaming vendors and will fuel more growth of subscription tiers with ads and free ad-based services.”

From the article, "Parks: Nearly Half of U.S. Broadband Homes Have Cut Pay-TV Cord" by Erik Gruenwedel

Previously In The News

10 Things To Know About Online-To-Offline Marketing From 2017

A majority of consumers already perform ‘connected activities’ while driving, like making voice calls through a built-in interface, according to research from Parks Associates. From the article "10...

Apple Looks To Expand Healthcare Presence

“Apple has been enormously successful with its technology and brand power among consumers, so Apple’s entry into the healthcare industry is at least beneficial in raising consumer awareness of excitin...

Hulu CEO Plots A Way To Stand Out From The Crowd

Hulu isn't the only company to recognize that trend. A host of live-TV streaming services are cropping up online, and the marketplace is growing crowded. Dish Network Corp.'s Sling TV and Sony Corp.'s...

Report: Broadband Users Will Drive Solar In 2017

That news comes out of a new report from research firm Parks Associates in its 360 View Update: Energy Management, Smart Home, & Utility Programs. In further good news for the solar industry, the repo...