| Publication: | Forbes |
| Date: | 8/31/20 |
| Link: | Survey Confirms Streaming Is Our New TV Normal—Even If You Subtract Amazon |
Monthly Archives: August 2020
This week’s TV: Big streaming numbers
| Publication: | The Boston Globe |
| Date: | 8/31/20 |
| Link: | This week’s TV: Big streaming numbers |
More Than Half Of U.S. Households Now Subscribe To Multiple Streaming Services, Study Finds
| Publication: | Deadline |
| Date: | 8/28/20 |
| Link: | More Than Half Of U.S. Households Now Subscribe To Multiple Streaming Services, Study Finds |
78% of U.S. Households Have an SVOD Service
40% of all Adults Stream an SVOD Service Daily
Durham, NH — August 28, 2020 — New consumer research from Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) finds that 78% of all U.S. households have a subscription video on-Demand (SVOD) service from Netflix, Amazon Prime, and/or Hulu – up from 69% in 2018, and 52% in 2015. In addition, 55% of U.S. households now have more than one of these SVOD services, an increase from 43% in 2018, and 20% in 2015.
Usage of these SVOD services has also significantly increased in recent years. Daily, 40% of all adults stream an SVOD service – up from 30% in 2018, and 16% in 2015. Younger adults are the most active streamers, with ages 18-44 accounting for 63% of daily SVOD users.
These findings are based on a survey of about 1,990 households nationwide and are part of a new LRG study, Emerging Video Services 2020. This is LRG’s fourteenth annual study on this topic.
Other related findings include:
- 55% of ages 18-44 stream an SVOD service daily – compared to 27% of ages 45+
- 30% with Netflix agree that their subscription is shared with others outside their household – compared to 23% with Hulu, and 20% with Amazon Prime
- Including twelve additional streaming video services, 82% of all households have at least one SVOD or DTC service, and 49% have three or more services
- 55% of adults watch video on non-TV devices (including mobile phones, home computers, tablets, and eReaders) daily – up from 46% in 2018, and 33% in 2015
- 44% of adults watch video on a mobile phone daily – up from 35% in 2018, and 20% in 2015
“Nearly four-fifths of U.S. households now have a top SVOD service, and 40% of all adults stream an SVOD service daily, including over half of all ages 18-44,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. “The adoption and use of these established SVOD services along with newer direct-to-consumer streaming video options have increased over the past year, spurred more recently by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.”
About Leichtman Research Group, Inc.
Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) specializes in research and analysis on the broadband, media and entertainment industries. LRG combines ongoing consumer research studies with industry tracking and analysis to provide companies with a richer understanding of current market conditions, and the adoption and impact of new products and services. For more information about LRG, please call (603) 397-5400 or visit www.LeichtmanResearch.com.
Emerging Video Services 2020 is based on a survey of about 1,990 adults age 18+ from throughout the U.S. The random sample of respondents was distributed and weighted to best reflect the demographic and geographic make-up of the U.S. The survey, conducted in June-July 2020, included a sample of about 1,175 online and about 815 via telephone (including landline and cell phone calls). The overall sample has a statistical margin of error of +/- 2.2%.
 | Click here to download a printable version (in PDF format) |
How to Save on Streaming Services
| Publication: | Kiplinger |
| Date: | 8/26/20 |
| Link: | How to Save on Streaming Services |
US broadband market sees more net additions since 2012
| Publication: | Rapid TV News |
| Date: | 8/14/20 |
| Link: | US broadband market sees more net additions since 2012 |
About 1,245,000 Added Broadband in 2Q 2020
The Most Quarterly Broadband Additions Since 1Q 2012
Durham, NH — August 13, 2020 — Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) found that the largest cable and telephone providers in the U.S. – representing about 96% of the market – acquired about 1,245,000 net additional broadband Internet subscribers in 2Q 2020, compared to a pro forma gain of about 375,000 subscribers in 2Q 2019.
These top broadband providers now account for about 103.3 million subscribers, with top cable companies having 70.6 million broadband subscribers, and top wireline phone companies having 32.7 million subscribers.
Findings for the quarter include:
- Overall, broadband additions in 2Q 2020 were about 870,000 more than in 2Q 2019
- Broadband additions overall were the most in any quarter since 1Q 2012
- The top cable companies added about 1,400,000 subscribers in 2Q 2020 – compared to a net gain of about 530,000 subscribers in 2Q 2019
- Cable broadband net additions were the most in any quarter since 1Q 2007
- Charter’s 850,000 net adds in 2Q 2020 were more than for any provider in any previous quarter
- The top wireline phone companies had a net loss of about 155,000 subscribers in 2Q 2020 – compared to a net loss of about 160,000 subscribers in 2Q 2019
“With the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic, there were more quarterly net broadband additions in 2Q 2020 than in any quarter in eight years,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. “In the first half of 2020, there were over 2.4 million net broadband additions. This is the most net adds in the first half of any year since 2008.”
| Broadband Providers | Subscribers at end of 2Q 2020 | Net Adds in 2Q 2020 |
| Cable Companies | ||
| Comcast | 29,429,000 | 323,000 |
| Charter* | 28,096,000 | 850,000 |
| Cox** | 5,280,000 | 50,000 |
| Altice | 4,307,800 | 70,400 |
| Mediacom | 1,396,000 | 47,000 |
| Cable One | 838,000 | 45,000 |
| WOW (WideOpenWest) | 805,600 | 8,000 |
| Atlantic Broadband^ | 478,689 | 6,000 |
| Total Top Cable | 70,631,089 | 1,399,400 |
| Wireline Phone Companies | ||
| AT&T | 15,201,000 | (114,000) |
| Verizon | 6,959,000 | (23,000) |
| CenturyLink | 4,638,000 | (29,000) |
| Frontier^^ | 3,142,000 | (41,000) |
| Windstream | 1,089,400 | 22,100 |
| Consolidated | 791,203 | 5,078 |
| TDS | 479,500 | 19,500 |
| Cincinnati Bell | 432,000 | 4,500 |
| Total Top Telco | 32,732,103 | (155,822) |
| Total Top Broadband | 103,363,192 | 1,243,578 |
Sources: The Companies and Leichtman Research Group, Inc.
* Charter’s 2Q 2020 results include about 160,000 net adds with 60-day free service related to the impact of COVID-19
** LRG estimate
^ Includes LRG estimate of pro forma net adds from recent acquisition
^^ Frontier includes the sale of Northwest Operations in 2Q 2020
TDS includes 275,800 wireline broadband subscribers, and 203,700 cable broadband subscribers
Company subscriber counts may not solely represent residential households – about 6% of the total are non-residential
Top cable and telephone companies represent approximately 96% of all subscribers
Net additions reflect pro forma results from system sales and acquisitions, reporting adjustments, and the addition of new providers to the list – therefore, comparing totals in this release to prior releases will not produce accurate findings
About Leichtman Research Group, Inc.
Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) specializes in research and analysis on broadband, media and entertainment industries. LRG combines ongoing consumer surveys with industry tracking and analysis, to provide companies with a richer understanding of current market conditions, and the potential impact and adoption of new products and services. For more information about LRG, please call (603) 397-5400 or visit www.LeichtmanResearch.com.
| Click here to download a printable version (in PDF format) |
Major Pay-TV Providers Lost About 1,570,000 Subscribers in 2Q 2020
Pay-TV Net Losses Were Half a Million Fewer Than in 1Q 2020
Durham, NH — August 12, 2020 — Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) found that the largest pay-TV providers in the U.S. – representing about 95% of the market – lost about 1,570,000 net video subscribers in 2Q 2020, compared to a pro forma net loss of about 2,065,000 in 1Q 2020, and 1,330,000 subscribers in 2Q 2019.
The top pay-TV providers account for 82.4 million subscribers – with the top seven cable companies having 44.7 million video subscribers, satellite TV services 23.3 million subscribers, the top telephone companies 8.0 million subscribers, and the top publicly reporting Internet-delivered (vMVPD) pay-TV services 6.4 million subscribers.
Key findings for the quarter include:
- Satellite TV services lost about 885,000 subscribers in 2Q 2020 – compared to a loss of about 860,000 subscribers in 2Q 2019
- The top seven cable companies lost about 500,000 video subscribers in 2Q 2020 – compared to a loss of about 455,000 subscribers in 2Q 2019
- The top telephone providers lost about 160,000 video subscribers in 2Q 2020 – compared to a loss of about 95,000 subscribers in 2Q 2019
- The top publicly reporting Internet-delivered (vMVPD) services (Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and AT&T TV NOW) lost about 25,000 subscribers in 2Q 2020 – compared to about 80,000 net adds in 2Q 2019
“This quarter marked the sixth consecutive quarter with over one million pay-TV net losses; still these losses were about a half million fewer than in 1Q 2020,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. “The pay-TV industry as a whole continues to rapidly lose subscribers. However, the wide disparity in performance among top providers in the quarter demonstrates the significance of individual corporate strategies.”
| Pay-TV Providers | Subscribers at end of 2Q 2020 | Net Adds in 2Q 2020 |
| Cable Companies | ||
| Comcast | 20,367,000 | (478,000) |
| Charter | 16,168,000 | 94,000 |
| Cox* | 3,770,000 | (50,000) |
| Altice | 3,102,900 | (34,600) |
| Mediacom | 676,000 | (17,000) |
| Atlantic Broadband** | 311,845 | (2,800) |
| Cable One | 290,000 | (13,000) |
| Total Top Cable | 44,685,745 | (501,400) |
| Satellite Services (DBS) | ||
| DIRECTV^ | 14,290,000 | (846,000) |
| DISH TV^^ | 9,017,000 | (40,000) |
| Total DBS | 23,307,000 | (886,000) |
| Phone Companies | ||
| Verizon FiOS | 4,062,000 | (83,000) |
| AT&T U-verse^ | 3,400,000 | (40,000) |
| Frontier*** | 560,000 | (34,000) |
| Total Top Phone | 8,022,000 | (157,000) |
| Internet-Delivered (vMVPD) | ||
| Hulu + Live TV | 3,400,000 | 100,000 |
| Sling TV | 2,255,000 | (56,000) |
| AT&T TV NOW | 720,000 | (68,000) |
| Total Top vMVPD | 6,375,000 | (24,000) |
| Total Top Providers | 82,389,745 | (1,568,400) |
Sources: The Companies and Leichtman Research Group, Inc.
* LRG estimate
** Includes LRG estimate of pro forma net adds from recent acquisition
^ AT&T combines non-vMVPDs as “Premium TV” – separate results are LRG estimates with AT&T TV included with U-verse
^^ DISH TV removed 250,000 subs representing commercial accounts impacted by COVID-19 in 1Q 2020. In 2Q 2020, 45,000 resumed normal service. DISH includes these subs in the total, but excludes them from net add/loss calculations.
*** Frontier includes the sale of Northwest Operations in 2Q 2020
Company subscriber counts may not solely represent residential households
Top pay-TV providers represent approximately 95% of all subscribers
vMVPD does not include YouTube TV or others that do not regularly report quarterly subscriber totals
Top cable companies do not include overbuilder WOW with 351,700 subscribers
Net additions reflect pro forma results from system sales and acquisitions, reporting adjustments, and the addition of new providers to the list – therefore, comparing totals in this release to prior releases will not produce accurate findings
About Leichtman Research Group, Inc.
Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) specializes in research and analysis on broadband, media and entertainment industries. LRG combines ongoing consumer surveys with industry tracking and analysis, to provide companies with a richer understanding of current market conditions, and the potential impact and adoption of new products and services. For more information about LRG, please call (603) 397-5400 or visit www.LeichtmanResearch.com.
| Click here to download a printable version (in PDF format) |