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

SSI Introduces Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2026 at ISC West

SSI will induct five new members into its Industry Hall of Fame on Thursday afternoon at ISC West in conjunction with PSA Network, honoring five industry legends who have left their marks on the secur...

Microsoft Pledges Quality Improvements for Windows 11

Despite its deficiencies, Copilot has been gaining adherents. “Use is growing,” said Jennifer Kent, senior vice president and a principal analyst at Parks Associates, a market research and consulting...

Generative AI: Growth Surge Meets Trust Issues

Generative AI's infiltrated 58% of US internet households as of February 2026, according to Parks Associates. Parks' survey revealed only 16% of these households forked out cash for a paid AI appli...

Will a Smart Toilet Turn the Home Into a Diagnostic Center?

One of the hot products showcased at the recent Consumer Electronic Show (CES) was the smart toilet. In its analyst report on CES highlights, research firm Parks Associates wrote, “Smart toilets are e...