Cracks in the cable business send media stocks tumbling

washingtoncompost ^ | August 7 2015 | Thad Moore

[867V309]

Media companies were slammed on Wall Street this week as investors grew increasingly fearful that even industry giants would be swamped by the rising tide of cord-cutting consumers and the ebb of traditional television viewing.

[867V309]

Cut my cable last Saturday, just in time to miss the FOX debate. No regrets.

I had to listen to it on foxnews radio on my ROKU. Frankly, you don't miss much by cutting.

[Leaning Right]

Aren’t the internet service providers the same as those that provide the cable TV services?

You raise an interesting question. But in my neck of the woods, I have exactly two choices for cable TV. But I have at least four choices for Internet. And there might even be more.

I'm not quite sure which Internet provider uses what cable system. But I'm guessing (hoping) Internet competition will keep prices down.

[adorno]

That’s a lot of ifs.

There are no 'ifs' about who owns the cable and internet services.

So, the 'ifs' lead to one conclusion, which I've already stated.

[Trailerpark Badass]

True, but cable companies lose ad revenue with fewer viewers. Also, cable providers create content, and bundle lefty garbage that no one would pay for if cable channels were bought a la carte. CNN, MSNBc, MTV would likely disappear if people weren't forced to buy them as part of cable channel packages.

for me, i just didn't find anything worth watching; certainly nothing worth $113/mo. I stopped caring about sports, got my news and weather on my phone, and didn't feel like funding the garbage like Real Housewives, Teen Mom, or Naked Dating. I just read books now.

[minnesota_bound]

Time Warmer cable cannot justify raising the cable rates of near 35% in 2 and a half years. $101 to 137 and no movie channels.

Switch to Netflix, ROKU and Sling TV and over the air tv.

[SeaHawkFan]

We have Direct TV. Like it, but it is expensive. Haven’t done much research on how to cut ties with them.

What should I know and do?

[867V309]

So, the 'ifs' lead to one conclusion, which I've already stated.

Not really.

IP bandwidth and cable tv are two different services. Your assumption that an IP can just jack-up prices to make up for lost cable tv revenue is wrong.

[867V309]

We have Direct TV. Like it, but it is expensive. Haven’t done much research on how to cut ties with them.

What should I know and do?

If you know someone who has cut the cable or owns ROKU or similar device, ask them. Google "cut the cable." then when you have questions, come back here.

[lapsus calami]

 

 

BREAKING NEWS

 

 

 

 

[napscoordinator]

Yes.....we will not win this though. They will next limit how much streaming we can do a month and they will raise the internet rates. I decided not to get a landline when I moved into a new house last year and just got cable and internet and the price is more then what it was with all 3.......the companies will always find ways to charge us. Don’t underestimate them. If you think we will win in the end then you are wrong.

[napscoordinator]

Those kids go with Internet streaming.

Yeah until they cap how much streaming we can do a month.....it is coming.

[napscoordinator]

Bingo.....I CAN’T believe that people think they are going to beat the cable companies.....lol. naive beyond belief.

[Balding_Eagle]

Don’t do what I did.

I called them to cancel. I could have gotten out scott free.

They sweetened the deal, said that I could try xxx amount of other channels for free for a month.

I said yes, and the channels were immediately added.

A couple days later a new subscriber agreement arrives in the mail, I now have a new deal with DirecTv.

Long story short, $150, and two weeks later, I was out.

[VerySadAmerican]

I cancelled cable more than a year ago and it didn’t take long to get used to it. I get more channels than I have time to watch. Granted, I live in Houston so there are lots of free channels. I’ve also discovered that some of the best dramas are on PBS from England. And I’ve yet to see any that make political statements.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was Comcast kept raising the rates. I still have their internet and they’re charging me $52 a month. I’ve checked and can’t find any that’s cheaper for my neighborhood. They seem to have a monopoly. If they start raising the rate I will simple start using my Consumer Cellular phone for my internet.

[867V309]

I still have their internet and they’re charging me $52 a month.

I pay 58 for internet only with "Bright"house. It's a monopoly for sure, how politicians get rich.

[infowarrior]

No television since March of 1995. I’m a pioneer.

No TV since 1980. What does that make me?

the infowarrior

[DAC21]

Everyone have a look at the Kobi app. Slip stream that into a Amazon Fire TV box. Add high speed internet and I understand you will get all cable programming. A bit technical to get it up and running (I haven’t tried it yet) but sounds worth the effort.

[edzo4]

Adorno is correct you even have providers like dish now offering TV streaming 20 channels for $20 a month. You will still pay for content you will just subsidise less crap content like MSNBC but pay a premium for what you actually want to see.

[adorno]

IP bandwidth and cable tv are two different services. Your assumption that an IP can just jack-up prices to make up for lost cable tv revenue is wrong.

The signals come in on the same 'wire', no, they are not separate services.

Plus, an ISP has a right to charge a customer, depending on amount of bandwidth used. So, if a person's internet activity goes up, while his TV usage drops, it's only 'fair' that an ISP might charge more for the additional internet 'traffic' arriving at a person's end. It will happen once the cable companies start taking major hits to their revenue.

[867V309]

The signals come in on the same 'wire', no, they are not separate services.

If they weren't separate services you wouldn't be able to buy them separately.