9% of consumers in the United States have already cut cable TV service from their monthly utility bills, the latest State of the Media Democracy survey from Deloitte indicates. The company also found that 11% of U.S. consumers are considering cutting cable TV. Younger generations are more likely to get rid of cable TV, too. Deloitte found that 19% of those aged 23-28 are thinking about canceling cable while 13% of Generation Xers and 7% of baby boomers said they are considering doing the same. “For the first time, less than half of all viewers say they have viewed their favorite shows live on their home TV,” Phil Asmundson, Deloitte’s U.S. Media & Telecommunications Sector Leader said. “In 2011, the number was only 49%. In 2008, it was 71%. That’s striking.” Read on for more.
Deloitte found that 35% of survey respondents are now using their DVR to watch shows at their convenience. In 2009, just 17% of viewers streamed their favorite television shows online for free, and that figure jumped to 22% last year. Just 6% of viewers said they watch their favorite show from a smartphone or mobile device, but 9% used a game console such as an Xbox or a PlayStation 3. “Cable providers should consider enhanced ways to leverage their current strengths before users flock to other options,” Asmundson said. “DVR would appear to be a strong starting point for waging that battle – but today it’s underused.”
[Via GigaOm]
