An Internet Minute

[dennishoddy]

From what I'm hearing, dramatic, no, but shift, yes.

I'm not sure how much of that "dramatic, no" is because of the cabletown retention schemes. I listen to a podcast that covers this subject, and they used to have a "chicken challenge," where you'd call to cancel your cable/satellite subscription to see what kind of a deal you could get. For a long time, people were reporting that they were actually getting better Internet service rates if they'd take the basic cable TV package than if they just got the Internet service by itself...

As for myself, I quit DirecTV several years ago when I realized that it was May and I hadn't even turned on my receiver since March Madness. The gal I talked to when I canceled was completely nonplussed when I told her I was replacing the satellite with broadcast TV; she couldn't figure out what it was.

Saved me $170/month, and I don't miss it a bit.

We live too far out in the sticks for broadcast TV even with a 150 mile antenna. We get about 5 channels that speak in the english language.
Wife is a TV junkie so we have unlimited data internet, Netflix, Direct TV, jailbroken Amazon Fire stick, Crackle from Sony, and Google cast available and it never leaves the kardashian channel unless I'm watching something which is pretty rare.

 

[Dumpstick]

The Kardshian channel alone would be enough for me to throw the TV out the door, shoot it, then burn it.

The TV, not the door.

 

[dennishoddy]

The Kardshian channel alone would be enough for me to throw the TV out the door, shoot it, then burn it.

The TV, not the door.

Trust me, I want to at times. If it's not the kardashians is the housewives of wherever. Good grief I don't understand why those programs are so popular.

 

[inactive]

Nothing earth-shattering - 2018 saw more use of the various services offered than in 2017, which is what I would expect. No dramatic leaps.

But what happened to the listings for Spotify and LinkedIn?

They’re still quite popular so I don’t think they were supplanted per se. But just removed to show other trending activities. WhatsApp and Twitch are what took their place on the infographic and they’re definitely growing.

 

[okierider]

I noticed that as well. I’m wondering if there is a dramatic shift occurring away from cable / satellite TV.

Yes!! Sat /cable refuse to charge by channel instead of package, I no longer have either and do not miss the 400 channels of worthless crap channels they force you to pay for to get the actual channel you want.

 

[SoonerP226]

They’re still quite popular so I don’t think they were supplanted per se.

I meant supplanted on the infographic, not in reality. Neither of the new entries are direct replacements for what they replaced on the chart.

 

[Dave70968]

Yes!! Sat /cable refuse to charge by channel instead of package, I no longer have either and do not miss the 400 channels of worthless crap channels they force you to pay for to get the actual channel you want.

I'm told--though I'm not in a position to confirm or deny--that many of those "worthless crap channels" (particularly shopping-type channels) actually pay to be included in the package lineup, effectively subsidizing the other channels. Allowing you to exclude them would increase your bill, not decrease it.

 

[TerryMiller]

^^^^^Troofs^^^^^

At least, that's what I've heard as well.

 

[SoonerP226]

I'm told--though I'm not in a position to confirm or deny--that many of those "worthless crap channels" (particularly shopping-type channels) actually pay to be included in the package lineup, effectively subsidizing the other channels. Allowing you to exclude them would increase your bill, not decrease it.

I've heard that from reliable sources. Also, a fair percentage of your basic cable/satellite bill goes to sports channels, and most of that goes to the Mouse for its ESPN properties.