Kick those bundles to the curb and jump in the stream

Many young adults are chucking their cable bundles to the curb. Why? Well, one of the more obvious reasons is: COST. I know I have cut my cable more than once in the past few years just to save some money, but I always get drawn right back in with some, seemingly, amazing deal. Bundle today and get free HBO for the first 90 days for just $99 a month or something along those lines. The bundle usually includes cable TV, Internet, and a phone line. Let's not forget to mention the added cost for any other additional channels you may want like Showtime, STARZ, or even ESPN Sports. The cost adds up and you eventually end up spending way more a month for your bundle than you initially anticipated and most of us don't even use the landline phone. It's like trying to make the term "fetch" happen again. The only logical reason I have for not ditching my cable connection is to have access to the local TV news station in the mornings. Nowadays, however, there is an app for that.

Traditional media isn't dead but it is evolving in order to appeal to the younger generations. The digital age has brought along with it the need for instant gratification. People no longer have to wait for the evening or nightly news to get the latest update on a story they have been following. They need only pick up their phone or any other preferred device to read and/or stream the latest news. In fact, in 2014, the AmericanPress institute reported that a small percentage of adult American's view the news throughout the day via multiple formats and devices. Television was ranked as one of the most frequently used outlets for news at 87% at that time, while cellphones represented 56% of the group surveyed. It would be interesting to see what these percentages look like today.

Likewise, consumers no longer have to be restricted to catching their favorite movie or show to come on at its televised viewing time. Nor, do they have to endure ridiculously long commercial breaks. In some cases, like with Netflix, commercials can be avoided altogether. Through devices like Amazon Fire TV or Roku, television consumers have access to an endless number of streaming services and subscriptions. Streaming allows its viewer the option to watch the latest news and shows in real time during its usual viewing time or even the very next day. With cable, you are paying for channels whether you use them or not which is why I believe consumers are cutting their cords. With streaming, you can start and cancel paid subscriptions whenever you want. For instance, I will subscribe to HBO NOW when the newest season of Game of Thrones comes out and during that time take advantage of some of the movie selections. When the season ends, so will my subscription. That is, until I discover a new show that I just have to watch.

According to Pew Research Center, at least 61% of young adults ages are using online streaming services as their primary means of watching television. This trend will continue to rise over the next few years as more channels make the move to streaming. Digital media services are evolving at such an incredible rate which leads many to believe that traditional media is getting left behind or dying, but that just isn't so. In order to meet the needs of consumers, we must learn to adapt with the masses.

Thank you for reading and I hope you will stay tuned for next week's post!