I've said for a few years now that eventually the traditional linear channel/cable bundle business will collapse into DTC. It only makes sense. Why should these studios/network owners try to create content for two different pipelines, traditional and DTC? They should just take their linear channels and sell them DTC, MVPDs be damned. The DTC app's UI would prioritize on-demand but it could easily include a live linear guide too. All current season shows should be available on-demand as soon as they air on linear. And of course there would be a lot of current shows' past seasons, as well as completed shows and classic movies too, since the studio owns that stuff in their library catalog.
I think a couple of factors are pushing the studios toward this realization. One is the economic pinch you're pointing out, i.e. save money by producing one set of shows that run on both platforms. (And, let's be honest, they're already quite a ways down that road anyhow, e.g. CBS next-day on Paramount+, NBC next-day on Peacock, Discovery nets' shows same-day on Max.)
The other factor is that the cornerstone of the cable bundle -- live sports -- is about to be yanked out from its foundation. This fall we'll see the "Hulu Sports" joint venture including ESPN, Fox and WBD hit the market (to the dismay of certain MVPDs like Fubo, DirecTV, etc.) And fall '25 will see the advent of standalone ESPN as a DTC app. ESPN is *the* original killer app of the basic cable bundle. Once that thing goes DTC, it's every man for himself.
But, as I keep saying, if these traditional studios are smart, they'll seek to work together and re-create the core of the old bundle via a couple affordable DTC mini-bundles: a sports-free service to compete against Netflix and Disney+Hulu (with a starting price well under $20) and a sports-focused one to compete against ESPN (probably priced around $25-$30).
