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March 19, 2019 5:48 pm  #1


Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

The numbers are from the U.S., but they’re telling – according to a new survey, more people now subscribe to streaming services than cable and satellite. That spells a big worry for broadcasters and cablecasters, who up until recently have had the field pretty much to themselves.
  
It’s hard to compare the American numbers to Canada, since they have so much more choice. In addition to well known services like Netflix and Amazon, there’s Hulu, CBS All Access, Acorn, Britbox, HBO Go, Starz, YouTube and waiting in the wings, newcomers from Warner Brothers, Disney and NBC. And I’m sure I’m leaving out a slew of them.
 
Here in Canada, we only get a handful of those services and most complain the Canadian Netflix is far inferior to the one available down south. Outside of Bell’s CraveTV and some limited sports channels, there really aren’t all that many mainstream streamers for those north of the border. (I sometimes wonder whether Rogers regrets prematurely shutting down Shomi.)
 
What’s telling here is that streaming services are quickly overtaking cable. But that brings up the question: how many is too many? Some consumers are already complaining that it’s costing them big bucks to get all the shows they want and they’re spending a small fortune to receive everything.
 
So if we had that choice, I’m curious. How many would you pay for before you’d say enough is enough? Is there a point at which you’d say I’d like to see “Show X” but I just can’t justify laying out the bucks for one more service?
 
Many are already there in the States. I wonder how long before Canadians face the same dilemma. Because the way things are going, there’s no end to them in sight, as more program makers simply bypass the traditional providers and send their shows directly to your computer – for a price.

Remember the good old days when TV was free?

 

March 19, 2019 5:50 pm  #2


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

RadioActive wrote:

Remember the good old days when TV was free?

...and paid for by commercials?

 

 

March 19, 2019 5:51 pm  #3


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

Dial Twister wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

Remember the good old days when TV was free?

...and paid for by commercials?

I was OK with that. Back in the early days, that's what your bathroom and refrigerator were for!

     Thread Starter
 

March 19, 2019 6:07 pm  #4


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

Im still waiting for a stream link for CKNT because their signal isnt audible naturally.  

 

March 19, 2019 6:14 pm  #5


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

markow202 wrote:

Im still waiting for a stream link for CKNT because their signal isnt audible naturally.  

Your wish has come true!

Sauga960am.ca

     Thread Starter
 

March 19, 2019 6:44 pm  #6


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

It's getting excessive. Perhaps there will be a market for 3rd-party bundlers.

 

March 19, 2019 7:39 pm  #7


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

we still have cable, mostly for live news and sports, and stuff worthy of falling asleep to.... so we subscribe to netflix and shudder.  amazon video comes along with a prime sub.  anything else is available via "other" means.  if i want to watch letterkenny for example, bell makes me sub to crave for a month, rather than giving me an on demand option.  no thanks.  i'd like to support that particular production, however the entire crave experience ain't worth the price of admission.

 

March 19, 2019 7:55 pm  #8


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

My monocle subscribes to the Criterion Channel.

 

March 20, 2019 12:57 am  #9


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

RadioActive wrote:

   
(I sometimes wonder whether Rogers regrets prematurely shutting down Shomi.)
 

I think Rogers is happily avoiding the movie side of things.
With the elimination of Shomi, 
their desire seems to be a more current focus on Rogers anyplace TV
https://www.rogers.com/consumer/tv/anyplacetv

It suggests to me that Rogers intends to be a Television entertainment business first, and everything else second...then again, they also own Ignite TV now, so who knows...


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

March 20, 2019 11:57 am  #10


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

Compare what you pay for streaming services to what you pay or used to pay for cable or satellite service. Before I cut the cord, I was paying about $125 per month for the satellite portion of my $300 bill. Internet and a landline plus long-distance package made up the rest. Yep, the CRTC lets Bell and Rogers gouge us. But I digress.
Now I have a Roku and three streaming services. I pay about $160 per year in total for Netflix, Acorn and Britbox (my wife and I love British mysteries). So even if I add a much more expensive sports package I'm still paying way less per month.

 

March 20, 2019 3:40 pm  #11


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

Netflix $17/month for 4 screens in HD, Amazon Prime I don't really count as it's part of the order online and I want it yesterday, plus it includes their music.  Old grandfathered Google Play music.. $7.99/month.  Antenna in the mix hitting Toronto and Buffalo.  Wife still wants cable for HGTV... jeeeez.  Nordvpn ($33/yr) & Kodi for the rest

 

March 20, 2019 3:52 pm  #12


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

Netflix + Crave + Sportsnet (Spring and Summer only) + Antenna is working for me.

I still miss the mindless channel flipping on cable, but not enough to pay for it again.

 

March 20, 2019 3:58 pm  #13


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

OK, but at what point would you say "enough is enough?"

Say there were 10 streaming services and each had a few shows you really wanted to watch. Presuming you're too honest to download them illegally, where do you draw the line and say I just can't afford all of them and I'll have to give up my favourite show(s)?

I can see a day where that's coming, if it's not already here. In fact, it's a complaint TV Guide critic Matt Roush deals with regularly in his weekly column on TVInsider.com, where this kind of issue is already a problem for some American viewers who mightily resent, say, the new "Star Trek: Discovery" being available only on CBS All Access, a service for which they otherwise have no use.  

     Thread Starter
 

March 20, 2019 4:35 pm  #14


Re: Streaming TV Service Subscriptions: How Many Is Too Many?

RadioActive wrote:

. Presuming you're too honest to download them illegally, where do you draw the line and say I just can't afford all of them and I'll have to give up my favourite show(s)? 

To me it's that very sentence what speaks to the continued appeal of pirated material.  Someone above suggested an aggregation service...like cable for streaming.  not a bad idea... i can sell my corus stock and invest $12 right now!

I'm not gonna pay crave $6 or $8 a month, just to watch one show, because i know where to go find it for free.  There is literally nothing on crave that appeals to me beyond a 6x30 season of one program.

the same can be said by others for netflix/prime type content, but the sheer volume and breadth of available programming on those services do make them worthwhile for what my family watches.

to directly answer the question... if i'm paying more for subscription streaming content then i would for fibe/ignite cable, then it might be time to reconsider all options.  or go outside for a walk.