Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

That's right, my earlier link was about the US, and where they go, we will follow. I have never said we will see a mass reduction in pay tv channels this year, mine was a longer term prediction. However, we will be seeing the first signs of this future trend in the short to medium term, I believe.

Relevant paragraphs in that link were:


Main insights unveiled in the Yearbook which surveyed 41 countries were that the total number of households subscribing to pay-TV continues to increase with IPTV’s share of pay-TV subscribers up to 25%, yet with cable stagnating over the last five years, and satellite growth grinding to a halt.

Pay on-demand revenues in the region in the 2018 period grew on average by 45% per year between 2013 and 2017 and main was driver for growth was subscription VOD, with a 74% average annual growth rate. Subscription video-on-demand accounted for nearly three-quarters (72%) of revenues while transactional VOD retail was found to be growing faster than rental and accounts now for 42% of TVOD revenues.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Nice to see your definition of "mine was a long term prediction" when there were countless predictions by you before that encompass the last few years , now and the next few years as you seem to be moving the goalposts as to when it suits you..

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

None of that really supports your claims if cable and satellite are still in the background with huge numbers. There’s always been a gap in the market of people outside the cable network and not allowed a dish - IPTV closes that gap.

Pay on demand revenues presumably reflect the change by Sky (and I assume others using Sky/NDS based set top technology) moving from near VOD to genuine VOD in their hardware. This change has allowed them to show far more content on demand as well.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I think you have mis-spoken again, Den. Since when has 2035 been regarded as short to medium term?

I have said that we will notice the number of channels reducing over the next 5 or so years - is that what you are referring to? Otherwise, I'm not sure what you are talking about, to be honest.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I remember that article and that is a great find! :)

Like the V6's offerings today, the NTL VOD offering fell far short of its potential, hampered by the tech and limited choice.

Streaming, if done properly, blasts the old VOD systems out of the water and will lead to the decline, in my opinion, of the bulk of linear tv.

BTW: Has anyone mentioned here that Netflix posted their latest results the other day and they have added millions more customers? Streaming will lead to the death of most linear tv, although as that article shows, it is hard to predict when that will happen.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Developments in viewing preferences in the US are telling.

https://www.tvbeurope.com/tvbeverywh...uper-bowl-liii

68 per cent of respondents said they will use some other media platform to engage with Super Bowl content while watching. 78 per cent will use social media; 30 per cent will use group chats; 28 per cent will visit sports websites and 15 per cent will access online forums.61 per cent of respondents said they would not miss cable TV if forced to give it up forever.

Additionally, 64 per cent plan to cancel their cable subscriptions at some point in favour of streaming content; 41 per cent said they will do so this year.60 per cent said their reason for transitioning to streaming was to save money; 43 per cent was to watch on their own schedule; 43 per cent to binge watch TV; 36 per cent to avoid traditional TV commercials; and 27 per cent said to get to the content they prefer. (Respondents could choose more than one reason.)

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

As with any polling data the devil is often in the detail.

https://www.adtaxi.com/blog-roll/201...crease-year-45

We had a similar story last year. Clearly they’re using the event to drum up interest and clicks in their stories. They are also a digital marketing company so not exactly unbiased with regards to how they wish to portray reality (and the future).

Cable TV in the USA must be doing an excellent job if 61% of their user base essentially don’t want the product yet continue to pay every month.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

People get set in their ways and it takes a lot to jolt them out of complacency. I know a few people who constantly complain of not having anything to watch. But they don't record much, don't subscribe to a streaming service instead or do anything at all about it. They just continuoisly complain about having nothing to watch.

So it does not surprise me at all that there is that level of dissatisfaction amongst cable subscribers with scheduled pay tv services in the US. It is probably much the same over here, too, judging by the comments people make to me.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

"3 out of 4 respondents (75%) will be tuning in to this year’s Super Bowl."

Last year, 31.7% of the US population tuned in. So is something really compelling planned for this year, or is the poll suspect? :erm:

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

https://www.adtaxi.com/blog-roll?cat...ress%20Release

Oh dear...

It'd be more interesting to see a representative sample, or even just a sample less likely to use Survey Monkey.

Hugely suspect I'd imagine, given the above, but they're probably applying the same logic we hear when "1 billion people watch the Wimbledon final" and the figure is based on everyone they expect to see more than 30 seconds of it (such as in a news bulletin).

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

From my own experience of watching the Super Bowl over the last 42 years, its a once a year occasion that cannot be repeated, the draw is incredible and the fees advertisers pay are outrageous. The half time show is put on to draw non football fans, however, this year they have had trouble getting a big act for political reasons. It will be interesting to see if it effects viewing figures.

Over the years our viewing has changed, we still watch the Linear broadcast , but we both have computers we use during the game for social media and stats. We could go the streaming route ,but we have found the service unreliable at times.
Biggest night of the sporting calendar for us with the added bonus of my sons team the Rams being in the Game.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I think you will need to explain what these 'countless predictions' you are talking about were. It's not my goalposts that are moving, it's your powers of recollection!

I find it quite astounding that some of you on this thread can simply ignore all the evidence from various sources in the media press and the industry itself and stick rigidly to your theories that the status quo is here to stay, with no supporting evidence whatsoever!

Just to be clear, studies are showing that linear viewing of ad-supported TV is not going to grow. As audiences shift to on demand viewing, advertising revenue on our conventional broadcast channels will reduce until ultimately they will no longer be profitable to run in this way. The number of viewers watching OTT services is increasing substantially year on year. The number of SVOD services is also increasing, providing even more viewer choice and showing more starkly the lack of good content on our conventional channels. There are countless links on this and other threads on Cable Forum that demonstrate this.

And your evidence is...?

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

It’s not for me, or anyone else on this thread, to prove that tried and tested profitable business models for free to air, or pay tv, will stand up.

Millions of households consume their television this way, including the vast majority of those who additionally subscribe to streaming services.

Advertising models have survived Sky+ and TiVo based products becoming the standard. The burden is on streaming to challenge the market, not the other way round. Sky are the best placed company to provide any such services in the future and at present have no intention of moving beyond a combination of both.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

There is obviously no compulsion to corroborate your views, but if you keep challenging people who do, without adding links or anything else to justify your position, then I am sure that readers of this forum will make their own judgements on negative contributions.

Nobody is challenging what is happening right now, and indeed millions are still watching linear TV, but the trends are already beginning to confirm predictions being made in respect of the future.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I think the problem is you simply aren't being objective about the subject matter any longer.

Of 29 threads you've started on this forum five have been pretty much pushing the same subject.

2015: https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33699901
https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33700639

2017: https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33705428 - it's not exactly the same but cord cutting gets a link from Rapidtvnews of all places.

(this thread - 2017) https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33705051

2018: https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33707196
which was closed because you keep opening threads on the same thing.
https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...8&postcount=27

Your previous link which referenced the Superbowl was discredited because the number of people intending to view the game was in no way comparable with the proportion of the US population who actually do.

However, it presented a further problem, which favours the continued existence of traditional TV. Those who watch events (not just sporting events) and interact with social media, WhatsApp, friends rely on doing so simultaneously which only broadcast linear television can supply. That's gold to advertisers seeking a demographic during programming like I'm a Celebrity, X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, etc.

Your own example from NBC I have demonstrated as Comcast selling their content end to end via other Comcast companies. You haven't demonstrated how it is distinguishable from an existing Comcast product - Now TV - or that it doesn't favour Sky remaining the market leader in this country.