After two decades of taking it on their collective chins, cable operators have satellite TV on the ropes and are beginning to reclaim a bit of lost pay-TV market share. Their advanced video services are beginning to surpass what Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) and DirecTV (NYSE: T) can offer, and the advantage is showing up in video subscriber numbers, which have not looked pretty of late on the satellite side.
Emboldened, cable companies are getting aggressive in their advertising. The latest Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR) TV spot, which showcases "Satellite TV" as an aging spaceship captained by a goofy former Saturday Night Live comedian Kevin Nealon, humorously illustrates this dynamic.
"Did you try turning it off and turning it back on again," commands Nealon, when his trusty first mate informs him of a service interruption.