Irvine, CA based Hard Drive Recovery Group (HDRG) has published a new blog post that explores whether the advent and growing popularity of streaming services will mean the end of cable television. Given the size of the industries involved, the company hopes that their insight will help their readers understand what their options will look like in the future, whether they prefer newer streaming services or their traditional cable networks.
“The proliferation of streaming services has been on the upswing with the introduction of apps and devices that allow people to watch television programs, movies and even live events in real-time, wherever they are, and even without a TV!” says the post. It continues, “But this surge in streaming’s popularity has adversely affected the cable TV industry. With subscribers suddenly presented with the option that markets itself as having more advantages over having your TV corded, droves have switched loyalties, spelling a slow death to cable TV providers. Or are we counting out cable too soon? Let’s look at some factors and determine who the ultimate victor is in the showdown between cable TV and streaming services.”
Through the post, HDRG takes note of the fact that merely having more choice does not necessarily incentivise audiences to check out every new channel they have at their disposal on a streaming service. For instance, many still prefer the comfort of the familiar, which inevitably tends to mean that they will select local channels more often than not. This includes the latest news, weather forecasts, event calendars and so on that simply cannot be covered by other sources since they are not native to the viewer’s region. However, the post also observes the fact that, “there are cable TV channels that cannot transition into providing streaming services primarily because of cost considerations.”
Furthermore, the sheer age of the cable companies that are currently in existence has given them time to formulate exclusivity agreements that prevent them from being ported over to new channels, even online ones. Certain sports networks, for example, can only be broadcast via predetermined channels, and new types of broadcast via streaming services are likely to be negotiated such that these emerging services are also supported by the same companies.
On the other hand, cable companies can still boast much higher quality broadcast capabilities, due in part to their existing infrastructure. Despite the fact that several streaming services are taking measures to compete with this quality, albeit with mixed results, the tried-and-tested nature of cable may mean that audiences will continue to associate the platform with greater fidelity for the near future. HDRG does note in their post that this may not last long, given that streaming services are attempting to take advantage of existing as well as emerging home theater solutions. Only time will tell how successful this enterprise will be.
“When it comes to price, cable, with its necessity for physical devices like boxes, dongles, cables (obviously) and other implements, is at a disadvantage,” the post continues, “which may prompt the marketing departments of these companies to offer packages at seemingly low prices, if you don’t look at them closely. But upon closer inspection, you will realize that cable is really more expensive because, aside from having to pay for the packages (that, as mentioned above, cannot be separated from expensive channels, even those that are advertised as “basic packages”), you have to pay rent of all those devices mentioned above (the cable TV box, for example). If you go streaming, you may have to pay a subscription fee or a one-time purchase of a device like the Apple TV or Google Chromecast. Once you have the device, it pretty much employs the plug and play mechanism, and you won’t have to pay for it again!”
This attractive pricing scheme may be what draws customers the most about streaming services, especially since they have long thought that cable was their only option. HDRG believes that the hassle of interpreting and budgeting the charges that arrive with cable bills may also lead audiences to switch to a more simplified format in the form of a streaming service.
More blog entries of this nature can be found on HDRG’s website, and this particular article, titled ‘Will Streaming Kill Cable?’ can be found there as well. The company, which specializes in hard drive recovery, welcomes all inquiries regarding their posts as well as their services. Maureen Davies of Hard Drive Recovery Group may be reached for further details, and the company can also be reached via their social media platforms.
from Hard Drive Recovery Group
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