[mattyro7878]

I am usually a ray of sunshine around here but just saw this: SLING TV IN FREEFALL LOST 281,000 IN FIRST QUARTER. I am incapable of attaching a link but if you Google that phrase you will find the article. It is in NEXT TV. Maybe the stream 4k will help Sling do their thing!

 

[aaronwt]

Most services lost a bunch of subscribers. Especially Dish and DirecTV. Although YouTube TV gained a few hundred Thousand subscribers.

 

[trip1eX]

Traditional Pay TV Penetration At 1995 Levels: vMVPD At Risk - Analyst - Deadline

The analysts estimate that there are now just over 79 million remaining traditional pay TV households - meaning penetration of occupied households in the U.S. has fallen to about 63%, a level previously around 1995.

Equally key, the vMVPD category, which initially emerged as a cheap alternative to traditional cable bundles, has collapsed, they said, estimating losses of around 341,000 subscribers last quarter. Generally, on a net basis, none of the 2 million or so traditional distributor losses landed with vMVPDs.

Price is a factor. It's been rising for these services from unsustainably low levels at launch. But MoffettNathanson suggested that, "A whole generation of customers likely viewed vMVPDs quizzically, as a solution to a problem they didn't have. The real issue was the grid. Not the user interface grid, by the way, but instead the very idea of a schedule. Why would anyone want to view entertainment content on a schedule, much less someone else's schedule?"

 

[lparsons21]

Hulu+Live gained quite a few too. If you google live streaming, odds are that most articles will show Hulu+Live and YouTubeTV as the best choices.

Going foreward might be an issue for them though since a lot of new episodes of shows are done for this season, and many of the ones that would be coming out are either not going to, or will be delayed.

And of course, there’s always the issue of live sports. The longer there isn’t any, the less value the live streamers have.

 

[Ed Starfire]

I dumped Sling a while ago, I re-upped to test out the Stream 4k - but I'll be dropping it again. YouTubeTV or Hulu Live are superior choices in my opinion.

 

[ncbill]

In this economy moving to OTA & buying shows per episode (or per season if you can wait) is often the cheaper option over paying a monthly fee to your local cable company or streaming substitute (Sling, Youtube TV, etc.)

 

[vurbano]

Hulu+Live gained quite a few too. If you google live streaming, odds are that most articles will show Hulu+Live and YouTubeTV as the best choices.

Going foreward might be an issue for them though since a lot of new episodes of shows are done for this season, and many of the ones that would be coming out are either not going to, or will be delayed.

And of course, there's always the issue of live sports. The longer there isn't any, the less value the live streamers have.

I subbed to Hulu live for a month or two but how does one watch NFL network on Hulu live? SEC Network? it's just missing many channels IMO that I would gladly pay for. Sling is the only service I have found that can offer basically every channel that most cable networks offer except for locals. I haven't looked at youtubetv yet

 

[stuart628]

In this economy moving to OTA & buying shows per episode (or per season if you can wait) is often the cheaper option over paying a monthly fee to your local cable company or streaming substitute (Sling, Youtube TV, etc.)

Agreed OtA is having a big resurgence and I thought when they announced this that there was a reason they were partnering with the only streaming provider to NOT do locals...I know this is a a dead horse but man if they would integrate Tivo dvrs into this (heck make it bolt, or edge only sorry guys) and a couple more streaming services get the bugs worked out this really could be a big streamer.

 

[trip1eX]

I subbed to Hulu live for a month or two but how does one watch NFL network on Hulu live? SEC Network? it's just missing many channels IMO that I would gladly pay for. Sling is the only service I have found that can offer basically every channel that most cable networks offer except for locals. I haven't looked at youtubetv yet

Sling does let the customer add pretty much any channel for a price. The other guys don't do this.

I can't pay an extra $10 per month to get NFL Network on YTTV for example.

While on Sling, even though it's missing SEC in the base packages, you can add it by adding the $10/mo sports package. YTTV has SEC btw.

The add-on packages makes Sling the most flexible service. You have to pay for it but you can get what you want. I think Sling offers most every channel. Not sure about regional sports if every hole is covered there. And you have to add the networks via OTA.

 

[sicariis]

Sling does let the customer add pretty much any channel for a price. The other guys don't do this.

I can't pay an extra $5-$10 per month to get NFL Network on YTTV for example.

I agree with this, there are very few national channels that Sling doesn't offer (Animal Planet is the only one I've found missing).

Things they should improve, and charge people for:
1. DVR Capacity
2. Locals
3. RSNs
4. 5.1 support, they started rolling this out a couple of years ago and then stopped.

But I'm sure the networks would rather forego carriage than be in an add-on pack.

I also would like to see more TVE integration. I'm looking at you Showtime and Starz.

 

[trip1eX]

I agree with this, there are very few national channels that Sling doesn't offer (Animal Planet is the only one I've found missing).

Things they should improve, and charge people for:
1. DVR Capacity
2. Locals
3. RSNs
4. 5.1 support, they started rolling this out a couple of years ago and then stopped.

But I'm sure the networks would rather forego carriage than be in an add-on pack.

I also would like to see more TVE integration. I'm looking at you Showtime and Starz.

RSNs are a good point to bring up. Whether or not any of these services like Sling or YTTV carry your RSN seems like a big YMMV.

 

[mattyro7878]

RSNs are a good point to bring up. Whether or not any of these services like Sling or YTTV carry your RSN seems like a big YMMV.

I would agree except for this summer. No need to pay carriage for NCAA tourney I never saw; YES network and the Yankees I havent seen . NBA playoffs were dull this year. Insurance companires are rebating...car companies are at zero interest for 7 years. Nothing from the one industry we all have been leaning on ...heavily. Comcast and the rest would get a lot of good will with a $25 discount. I did appreciate the free channels last week. The high price for RSN's when theres nothing new on? Sh-t aint right!