Observed Signal · Oct 2, 2025 · Research Report · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
S&P: Cable TV Faces Ninth Year of Decline
A new S&P Global Market Intelligence report finds U.S. pay-TV subscriptions have declined for a ninth consecutive year as consumers shift to streaming and virtual bundles. Pay-TV penetration fell from over 80% in 2011 to about 34% today. In 2024, basic cable networks lost an average of roughly 7% of subscribers; S&P projects the average cable network will shrink by more than 5% annually through 2029. The analysis shows a widening audience gap—some channels still exceed 60 million subscribers while many have fewer than 10 million—and notes strategic responses such as cable channels listing on streaming bundle services. S&P also highlights that bundling TV, internet and wireless correlates with higher customer satisfaction for providers that pursue that strategy.
A major market-research finding that confirms multi-year cord-cutting trends, with direct implications for ad inventory, measurement, audience reach and the shift of advertising spend from linear cable to streaming/CTV platforms.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- S&P Global Market Intelligence reports pay-TV subscriptions declined for a ninth straight year.
- Pay-TV penetration fell from over 80% in 2011 to about 34% (reported by S&P).
- In 2024, basic cable networks saw subscriber numbers drop by an average of around 7%.
- S&P projects the average cable network will shrink by more than 5% annually through 2029.
- Some channels still reach over 60 million subscribers (examples cited: C-SPAN and Food Network) while many channels have fewer than 10 million.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Parks Associates: Streaming Drives U.S. Video Market
A Parks Associates forecast projects the U.S. video market will reach $190.7 billion by 2030, with that modest expansion driven primarily by streaming while traditional pay-TV continues to shrink. Total subscriptions are expected to rise to about 765 million, but average household monthly spending on video services will increase to nearly $123 by 2028 (from just over $101 in 2020). Parks Associates Research Director Michael Goodman says market maturity means growth depends on extracting more value from existing customers, with consumer behavior shifting toward service stacking and ad-supported tiers. Fewer than 35% of U.S. households are forecast to retain a traditional pay-TV package by 2027, prompting media companies to pursue churn-reduction tactics such as app rebundling and product restructuring.
Cable Declines as YouTube TV Surges; Spectrum Loses Subscribers
Cord Cutters News published a roundup on April 27, 2026, reporting that traditional cable TV continues to decline while streaming live-TV services gain ground. The piece highlights that Spectrum is again losing TV customers and that YouTube TV is on track in 2026 to surpass Comcast and Spectrum to become the largest provider of live TV in the U.S. The article also links to related industry items including Nexstar’s appeal of a court order blocking a large local‑station merger, FCC rule changes affecting cellphone connectivity, and content/offer updates from Pluto, Apple TV (via Walmart’s onn Google TV devices), and other operators.
Snapchat Launches First B2B Creator Campaign
Snapchat has launched its first-ever B2B creator campaign under its new 'Spend Smarter' platform, aiming to challenge inherited media planning habits and attract brand marketing budgets. This marks an unexpected move for the consumer-focused social app. Additionally, YouTube introduced new features for creators focused on building up live streaming. The newsletter also highlights an ASOS partnership with creator Farron Clark, and TikTok's upcoming AI Creator Search tool for filtering creators by audience and content performance.
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