The ongoing debate whether subscribers are running away from pay TV services faster than Cyber Monday shoppers ducking inquisitive bosses has been enriched by yet another source. TV researcher Frank Magid Associates' annual look at the business says that over-the-top services are "additive" not subtractive (if that's a word) for pay TV service providers.
"As new video viewing platforms, such as instant streaming and mobile apps proliferate, consumers are simply adding them to their portfolio of video viewing options," Maryann Baldwin, vice president of Magid Media Futures said. "At least at this point, it appears traditional subscription services and alternative viewing platforms can coexist with services like TV Everywhere locking in revenues for traditional providers."
Of course, there is the little matter of all that recent data that shows cable operators losing basic subscribers, but the Magid report said its research is "suggesting a relatively stable subscriber base for traditional providers."
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