Is Cable TV Dying?

Streaming services available through Roku and other options, are slowly replacing traditional cable and network programming for many of us. Unfortunately, it can become confusing and expensive with so many different entertainment apps out there and companies constantly changing names and merging. (Photo by Julie Rae Rickard)

By Julie Rae Rickard

January is known for being a letdown, even though it is the beginning of a new year. Why? Well, it is snowy/cold and people, like me who have problems with long, dark days, dread it.

If it weren’t for the NFL playoffs, I think I would have problems surviving January. Luckily, the NFL extended the season so now we have football into February.

So what are we to do with our time until spring finally arrives? An injury to my foot has further limited my activities in late 2024 and early 2025, leaving me to the mercy of television. (Reading only makes me sleepy.)

While stuck at home, I realized something. Cable and network TV isn’t even trying any more. Reruns abound, and some stations just run endless marathons of the same shows. Seriously, I can find more things to watch on the free Pluto TV app or YouTube.

Even the networks seem more focused on their streaming services, often putting their most popular series there instead of on the traditional evening schedules.

For a few years I have subscribed to Hulu Live so I can I have access to stations such as the History Channel, Comedy Central, Syfy, ESPN and TCM, in addition to my local channels. Now, when I look for some entertainment, I rarely look to those sources.

Other than local news, late night talk shows, and football, of course, I find myself turning to one of the various streaming services, enjoying their content in place of the usual evening shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, or cable stations.

Instead of trying to tune into traditional TV at a certain time to watch a favorite program, at my own convenience I simply click on an app on my Roku TV and find the same show there. This is what my viewing habits have evolved into, thanks to the efforts of those same corporations.

Again football and other sports which must be watched live are the exception.

But even with sports, it seems the NFL is preparing us to watch their games only on streaming services.

There are weekly Thursday night games on Amazon Prime. Last year one of the playoff matches was only available on Peacock and this year, special Christmas games were only shown on Netflix. If you support a team out of your area, you will have to subscribe to these streaming services, plus have access to the networks, ESPN, the NFL Network and YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket.

If you want to watch ESPN’s popular Prime Time recap of NFL games, you have to subscribe to ESPN+. All of this adds up.

Most of the cable networks also have their content available through some streaming service or other because they are owned by one of the big media corporations.

So, how long will it be before the old fashioned idea of cable TV disappears completely?

When it does, it will be hardest on the elderly who are so accustomed to flipping channels to find their favorite shows and may not have a Wi-Fi connection to handle streaming services.

Some already find it confusing that a new show is “only online” and they don’t understand how they can watch it. I think their options are going to continue to decline as cable TV becomes less and less important.

Meanwhile, we will (try to) share our passwords and continually switch from one service to another as our favorite shows are released. For instance, you have to wait until you finish watching all the shows you like on Apple TV before you cancel and subscribe to Max to watch House of the Dragon.

Paying one bill for TV to see all your favorite shows is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Other things are changing as well. Instead of asking, “did you watch that new show last night?” We ask “have you watched the new season of Squid Game yet?” If they haven’t, you can’t discuss the show at all because you may spoil the program for them.

All of this is a big change from how I grew up, pre-cable with access to only three channels. When I was stuck sick at home then, my choices were reruns or The Price Is Right on channel 10, game shows on channel 6, and various educational programs on channel 3.

At least, post-cable we will continue to have a wide variety of entertainment.