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How Many Depend On Over-the-Air? | |
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By Dale Cripps Founder & Co-Publisher Posted on December 30, 2005 Category: Politics & Policy |
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The New York Post ran a story today claiming that "22% of all viewers rely exclusively on over-the-air broadcasting for their television viewing". The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) said that those figures jive with their tally as do those of the Government Accountability Office and the Consumers Union. The NAB has long complained about the "grossly inaccurate figures that have been repeatedly supplied by the Consumer Electronics Association" (CEA). CEA CEO, Gary Shapiro, has taken a hostile and accusing attitude towards the NAB over many issues raised in the HDTV movement, often to the bewilderment of the NAB.
The New York Post article cited an Associated Press poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. The poll, with a margin of error of ± 3.1% was conducted December 13-15 and asked 1,006 adults nationwide, "Does your household currently subscribe to cable TV or a satellite dish service like DirecTV or the Dish network?"
Responses were as follows:
Cable TV......................... 51%
Satellite TV..................... 26%
Both.............................. 1%
Neither........................... 22%
Not sure......................... -
The New York Post Article...
CABLE IS NOW HALF DIGITAL
By DON KAPLAN
December 27, 2005 -- DIGITAL cable is finally catching up.
Roughly as many people are digital cable subscribers as are old-fashioned analog subscribers, according to a new AP study.
Digital - which lets subscribers get more channels and allows cable companies to turn set-top boxes into computers capable of recording, fast forwarding, freezing live TV and offering scores of on-demand options - has, until now, lagged far behind analog cable.
Now there are nearly as many digital cable boxes as analog, the survey says - about 46 percent are digital, 52 percent are analog.
Overall, about 51 percent of those asked have cable TV. Twenty-six percent have satellite service, while 22 percent of TV owners get by on regular over-the-air television.
All this new technology means that people are spending more money on their cable bills, which now sometimes include telephone and internet service.
Overall, the majority of those asked said they are paying more than $200 a month on these communications services.
Posted by Dale Cripps, December 30, 2005 02:36 PM
Reader Commentary Dec 30, 3:46pm I'm one of those who still rely on most of my TV viewing via C/Ku band "big dish". As for HDTV I use both the BUD and OTA. At present my HDTV is 95% OTA. While BUD HDTV is limited I still find the picture quality beats DirecTV and Dish by far. I'll be Dec 31, 12:16am It is hard to believe that the "average" person pays more than $200/mo. for cable or DBS + phone + internet combined. Even if you pay top dollar to the phone company for unlimited local/LD calling, that's only $50. You can get virtually everything DISH Jan 2, 9:04am Hi, Fortunately I subscribed to an LD package from my Cable provider (Rogers) in Toronto that provides for a 1000 min anywhere in Canada and continental US for $5.00 because the remainder of my Cable bill which includes HI-Speed Internet and the SA8300 Jan 7, 7:29pm Our all in one bill (cable TV, cable internet, and telephone) from Insight in Louisville, Ky is $138.00. That includes an HD DVR but no movie channels. Unfortunately Cable and Sat are now the standard. If you want anything interesting or entertaining More on Politics & Policy
More from Dale Cripps
About Dale CrippsDale Cripps is a professional journalist who has focused two thirds of his career on the subject of high-definition television. Upon completing his education in business and service in the military he formed Cripps and Associates, South Pasadena, California, in 1964, which operated as a market-development company for aerospace services. In 1983 he turned to television and began what has become a 20 year campaign to pioneer HDTV. For fifteen of those years he published the well-regarded HDTV Newsletter (an international monthly written for television professionals). During much of this same time he also served as the HDTV-Technical Editor for "Widescreen Review Magazine." On November 16, 1998 he launched the Internet distributed HDTV Magazine, which remains the only consumer publication devoted exclusively to high-definition television. In April of 2002 he co-founded with Tedson Meyers of Coudert Bros, the High-definition Television Association of America, which is presently based in Washington DC. Cripps is the president of this organization. Mr. Cripps is a charter member of the Academy of Digital Television Pioneers and honored by that organization with the DTV Press Leadership Award of 2002. He makes his home in Oregon. |
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