Offering a fresh look at what’s driving the topsy-turvy world of pay TV, a study from Digitalsmiths found that 46.6% of respondents are ready to cut the cord or, at the very least, switch to another provider.
Digitalsmiths, the video search and discovery firm that is now part of TiVo, offered up those findings in its Q2 2015 Video Trends Report, based on a survey of 3,210 adults in the U.S. and Canada.
While the cost of service factors into this turbulence—61.6% of respondents said they pay more than $100 month—the group that is “unsatisfied” with service rose to 6.1% in the Q2 survey, while 76.6% claimed to be “very satisfied” or “satisfi ed.” Unsatisfied subscribers cited increased fees and poor customer service among their reasons.
The study also spotlighted the demand for a lacarte channel offerings, skinny bundles and the rising popularity of subscription over-the-top video services.
On the OTT front, the surveyed group was most familiar with Hulu (44.7%), followed by HBO Now (31.2%).
Digitalsmiths also found that 79.2% of respondents said they would like to pick only the channels they watch (down 2.2% in Q2 versus the first quarter), and said their ideal TV lineup would consist of a selection of 17 to 18 channels.
ABC was the top network selected by consumers seeking a lacarte channel options, followed by Discovery Channel, NBC, History, CBS, A&E Network, National Geographic Channel, the Fox broadcast network, HBO, PBS, Comedy Central and The Weather Channel.
