The COVID-19 pandemic surged TV viewership across the country. With the majority of Americans confined to their homes, 5.4 trillion minutes* of streaming and cable television were consumed in 2020.
Television became essential to many, but at what cost? Cord-cutting leader, Antennas Direct, understands that affordability continues to be a major concern for TV viewers. As streaming and cable prices continue to rise, we wanted to understand how heightened TV demand impacted the average consumer’s wallet and how that will influence their choices in a post-COVID world.
How have higher prices impacted consumers’ wellbeing? Will consumers cut TV services post-COVID? What services will still be seen as critical or important? To answer these questions, Antennas Direct surveyed 1,200 consumers who regularly use cable or streaming service on subscription preferences, costs and viewing expectations. Our mission is to change the narrative around TV consumption to address the need for every American to have access, regardless of their financial situation.
Our findings show a surge in subscriptions during the pandemic, but the financial burden that has come with subscribing to high priced services simply won’t be tolerated in a post-COVID world:
- 40% have had to limit spending elsewhere to afford TV subscriptions
- 82% admit they’ll cut back on TV services post-COVID to pay bills
- 33% are already planning to cut TV services post-COVID
- 39% already plan to cut more than one type of service
Click here to read our full report.