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

Video Protection Requirements Are Evolving as Streaming Services Reach Mainstream Audiences

In the early streaming era, distributors often accepted lighter security requirements from emerging platforms hungry for content. That leverage has reversed. Major studios now mandate specific protect...

New Homes Save Homeowners Money, But Builders Face Rising Defect Claims

According to new research from Parks Associates, the connected home market is moving beyond gadget obsession and into something more practical. Consumers increasingly want smart systems that deliver e...

Best 4K Streaming Device: What Consumer Reports Really Scores

Streaming devices now reach roughly 68% of U.S. internet-connected homes, according to Parks Associates data cited by Consumer Reports. At that penetration, this is a mature market. Most buyers aren't...

The Smart Money: FCC Router Ban Leaves 109 Million Homes at Risk

According to Parks Associates, ISP-issued routers account for approximately 70% of home internet households in the U.S., with the remaining 30% represented by retail brands including NETGEAR, Eero...