TV antenna use surges amid coronavirus outbreak

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

TV antenna use in U.S. broadband households has been growing quickly over the past few years, and with the coronavirus outbreak it could surge even more.

That’s according to Parks Associates, which said that 25% of U.S. broadband households use an antenna to watch local broadcast TV channels, up from 15% in 2018. The firm said those figures could increase as more people look to local broadcast news sources for updates about the coronavirus.

"Local news matters to most households—local broadcast channels are the most preferred channel types, and news is the most preferred broadcast content," said Steve Nason, director of research at Parks Associates, in a statement. "These content preferences shape the access habits of consumers, so antenna usage is increasing as households look to meet these needs, and we will see these trends increase as more shelter-in-place orders take effect and households look for inexpensive content options to offset lost wages."

The study also found that roughly half of antenna users do not subscribe to any pay TV services.

https://www.fiercevideo.com/broadcasting/tv-antenna-use-surges-amid-coronavirus-outbreak

A new study is out on OTA-TV in the era of COVID-19

 

[Dondd]

Not surprising. Paid TV continues its dramatic decline, falling to 63% of households, its lowest level in decades.

Traditional Pay TV In “Death Spiral,” Analyst Says, With Penetration At 1995 Levels
https://deadline.com/2020/05/pay-tv-risk-penetration-falls-vmvpd-collapsed-1202929737/

 

[TVCOOL]

When Pay-TV has most channels airing the same things as broadcast TV, of course they will lose subscribers.

 

[Don CT]

When Pay-TV has most channels airing the same things as broadcast TV, of course they will lose subscribers.

Explain. What is airing on cable that is also on broadcast.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Explain. What is airing on cable that is also on broadcast.

It sounds far more cliche than reality, bolstered by a relative scarcity of examples. The devil is in the details: how one defines “pay TV.” What one includes and excludes can make a world of difference.

 

[Don CT]

It sounds far more cliche than reality, bolstered by a relative scarcity of examples. The devil is in the details: how one defines “pay TV.” What one includes and excludes can make a world of difference.

If we are calling streaming services as pay tv then yes. But I considerer those separate.

 

[Kelly A]

When Pay-TV has most channels airing the same things as broadcast TV, of course they will lose subscribers.

Something like this happened during the 2008 Recession. Unemployed cable and satellite subscribers opted to save money by receiving local OTA vs. paying to get local TV via Cable/Satellite. There was a slight uptick of OTA viewing in top 50 markets; 19% OTA to 23% OTA. Trends are similar in this Recession so far, with a slight uptick in OTA top 50 markets; 22%-25%. What is changing, are homes are keeping their streaming subscriptions, (Disney+, Peacock, Hulu, Netflix, etc.) and instead of cable/satellite too, more households are going with combinations of VOD-streaming and local OTA.

Cable providers are gradually moving to being relied upon as ISP's to provide the streams.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

If we are calling streaming services as pay tv then yes. But I considerer those separate.

But it needs to be viewed as an average user. Are they paying for Hulu? YouTube TV? Other summit services. If I’m paying for that, or Netflix, or Disney Plus or whatever, I’m paying for TV. It may ride on someone else’s internet pipe, but the net effect is the same.

 

[Dondd]

Lo

Explain. What is airing on cable that is also on broadcast.

Lots of channels, like Decades, METV, Antenna TV, Cozi, etc., all are OTA digital subchannels that are carried on many cable systems.
I canned the $95 we paid a month for cable (including DVR) and switched to OTA as well as Amazon.

 

[Don CT]

Lo

Lots of channels, like Decades, METV, Antenna TV, Cozi, etc., all are OTA digital subchannels that are carried on many cable systems.
I canned the $95 we paid a month for cable (including DVR) and switched to OTA as well as Amazon.

Those are broadcast channels. Those are not considered cable channels. ESPN, HBO, those are cable channels.

 

[Prescott Joe]

Shockingly, the vast majority of tv antenna manufacturers, still sell antennas
designed for Rf channels 2-69 or 2-51. The vast majority of antennas made
in china or elsewhere, are pure garbage. The only exception I know of is
TELEVES. Designed, engineered and manufactured in SPAIN, TELEVES
continues to update, refine and improve their product line.......

 

[Mikey Radio]

Shockingly, the vast majority of tv antenna manufacturers, still sell antennas
designed for Rf channels 2-69 or 2-51. The vast majority of antennas made
in china or elsewhere, are pure garbage. The only exception I know of is
TELEVES. Designed, engineered and manufactured in SPAIN, TELEVES
continues to update, refine and improve their product line.......

So Radio Shack / Archer still makes a good antenna, complete with the rotor control with the BIG white knob in the middle and the backlit compass that sits on your console TV? (remember those?? We didn't get cable until around 1985...Until then my parents and grandparents had the same setup, with marks on the rotor control so you could rotate the antenna into the correct position, depending on the channel).

 

[vchimpanzee]

Regardless of who makes good antennas, who is going to install them? I'm too far from the towers not to have an outdoor antenna, but the last time I tried to get Best Buy to do it, they wouldn't.

They were willing before but I turned them down when they wouldn't come back and get it if I decided it didn't work.

 

[MarioMania]

I remember back in the 80's, My Mom's Best Friend that lived in Campbell, CA

She had a big router Antenna on the Roof that had the San Jose, San Francisco, Salinas/Monterey Stations as well as the Sacramento Stations

At the time I didn't even know about DXing at all, Only seeing Long Distant TV Stations

 

[Dondd]

dupe

 

[MarioMania]

Did you not read "Campbell, CA"

 

[anotherguyTN]

So Radio Shack / Archer still makes a good antenna, complete with the rotor control with the BIG white knob in the middle and the backlit compass that sits on your console TV? (remember those?? We didn't get cable until around 1985...Until then my parents and grandparents had the same setup, with marks on the rotor control so you could rotate the antenna into the correct position, depending on the channel).

Radio Shack is mainly online and franchise stores now. I checked their website and there was nothing listed that was any better than what is available at Walmart of Best Buy. There was nothing like the big old style antennas they used to sell. You ought to check Antenna Man's website and You Tube channel. He does reviews of antennas and a lot is available through Amazon.

 

[Dondd]

Did you not read "Campbell, CA"

Many wouldn't know where Campbell is without looking it up on a map (like many towns). Simple question. Sorry I missed seeing that and asking.

 

[Prescott Joe]

Antenna Man PA just tested the TELEVES DAT BOSS MIX LR available at Lowe's or Lowe's.com.
For Rf 7-Rf 36, it compared very favorably to the biggest and best from Winegard and Channel
Master. It comes with it's own self adjusting preamp and the price is very, very competitive!

Radio Shack is mainly online and franchise stores now. I checked their website and there was nothing listed that was any better than what is available at Walmart of Best Buy. There was nothing like the big old style antennas they used to sell. You ought to check Antenna Man's website and You Tube channel. He does reviews of antennas and a lot is available through Amazon.