Hbo ,Starz,Showtime has declined by 6 % over an 18month period-Netflix,Huluplus,Amazon to blame

[MikeD-C05]

I've been saying it all along that the premium movie channels are pricing themselves right out of business and it looks like there are some numbers to prove that subs are declining . Looks like a 6 % decrease in subs over the last 18 months, while there has been a 4 % increase in subs to Netflix,Huluplus,Amazon Prime Instant Video.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/21/netflix-hbo-subscriptions_n_4636684.html?utm_hp_ref=tv

 

[mike123abc]

They really should consider a standalone streaming service...

 

[Cold Irons]

Just had a free HBO weekend...looked for something worth recording, but there was nothing worth the time. HBO has never offered anything worth the price in my opinion. The stream whatever you want-when you want model of Netflix has too many advantages over HBO to make them worth the money.

 

[jrbdmb]

For a while now HBO and the other movie channels have become dependent on original programming. It's hard to justify $19 a month for movies that can be seen thru many other services. And now that all the cable channels are creating some decent original programming, HBO is losing market share.

 

[dont24]

I usually watch 1 movie a week. During the week it's sitcoms, dramas, reality shows, etc.. Pretty hard for me to justify $45 extra for all the movie packages, when I can get exactly what I want from Redbox for $1.50.

 

[satjay]

I guess some will continue to pay, but may the premium channels will look at this trend and see the decline (other then continuing to offer half off)

 

[Skytrooper]

My HBO Discount just ran out. Yes, 19$ a month is a little steep and I was barely watching it. I quit.

 

[Mochuf]

For a while now HBO and the other movie channels have become dependent on original programming. It's hard to justify $19 a month for movies that can be seen thru many other services. And now that all the cable channels are creating some decent original programming, HBO is losing market share.

All the movies my family is interested in have been watched long before they get to tv, thanks to Redbox and Family Video (and before that BB@H). So for me the premium channels are only worthwhile due to their original programming. And paying $14 - $19 per month isn't worth it just for a few series per year. I would rather wait a year and watch them on BD/DVD rental.

 

[JM42]

Netflix, etc is no doubt part of the reason, but I'd bet most of it is people reaching the breaking point with their bills.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Sadly, even though this trend is happening to premium channels like HBO/Showtime/Starz/Cinemax, they are still continuing to hike the price of their individual services by another $1.00 a month. There is nothing on these channels that I have to watch and that include their series tv shows. After True Blood ends next summer I will not watch any of these type tv shows on the premium channels so I won't have to get hooked. That is why they are creating individual series for these channels, in hopes of hooking people into paying these ridiculous monthly prices like $19.00 a month. For that price, I could sub to both Netflix and Hulu plus. I refuse to pay ever again full price for Premium movie channels ,so they better keep up with the 1/2 off for 6 months promos if they want to get any more of my money.

 

[old corps]

Sadly, even though this trend is happening to premium channels like HBO/Showtime/Starz/Cinemax, they are still continuing to hike the price of their individual services by another $1.00 a month. There is nothing on these channels that I have to watch and that include their series tv shows. After True Blood ends next summer I will not watch any of these type tv shows on the premium channels so I won't have to get hooked. That is why they are creating individual series for these channels, in hopes of hooking people into paying these ridiculous monthly prices like $19.00 a month. For that price, I could sub to both Netflix and Hulu plus. I refuse to pay ever again full price for Premium movie channels ,so they better keep up with the 1/2 off for 6 months promos if they want to get any more of my money.

+1!

My total Dish bill was $19.99 when I started with them (1998?)! $19 @ month for HBO is NUTS!

 

[bookworm370]

I agree, if it wasn't for the time delay in getting content to Netflix and Amazon streaming (which I both have) I'd drop everything but HBO and Showtime. I'm grandfathered into the Americas Everything Pack and also have 'ALL' the premium movie channels. With 2 hoppers (1 w/sling, 1 so) and 5 joeys, I'm paying about $165/month and guess what? The majority of the time when we want to sit down and see if there is a movie on we'd like to see, we either can't find one or it started 45 minutes ago!

Yes, I know I can set a timer to record it, but that's not the point. The point is that we have the time NOW not later. It's amazing that I have over 7-8 screens of movies (from HBO down to EPIX) and they all keep playing the same old sh*t.

The reason they are losing market share is that with Netflix or Amazon you can lookup what kind of genre you are in the mood for or even think of a show or movie you'd like to watch (right now I'm in a rerun reflux of Star Trek Deep Space 9). With Netflix I can just go upstairs, get into bed, turn on the Apple TV and watch 2 episodes until I'm tired and want to go to bed. I can even pause where I am and the next night pick up where I left off. That's the true benefit of realtime streaming.

I know, some of you will say Dish Anywhere will let you RTS, but take a look. It's not the current episode and you can only view the last 3 then they are gone.

So it's not surprise that Dish is losing market share to Netflix and Amazon. At the current amount I'm paying, I'm going to keep a log of just what Premiums I actually watch (HBO and Showtime for their original programming for sure). But the rest I might just drop, I can't remember the last time we watched anything on Encore or Epix.

 

[jagowar]

I only pay for the premiums every 6 months or so and only for a month to "catch up".... will again once got has aired. They really don't have more content than that to keep up. Netflix on the other hand I constantly subscribe to because they have a ton of stuff that I never fully clear out my queue. It's half the price for more content.

 

[patmurphey]

Check facts. The companies deny that the survey this is based on is accurate. They claim subscribers have increased. Go here:

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/21/showtime-hbo-starz-growing-not-shrinking/

 

[mitchflorida]

HBO is worth $8 a month, if that much. I like older classic movies so I use Netflix instead.

 

[orlyPR]

HBO have the obsession of COPY-ONCE /HDMI-HDCP always on. for the first is worthless if you like to record a movies, while HBO banned, the best way is to rent o watch via streaming. An about HDCP scheme, In free view my TV is blackout, needing to swap cable to RCA. I have Starz! and EPIX both package are EXCELLENT. not problem with my screen. Sometimes rented in Redbox some movie that not opportunity to show in Starz or EPIX.

 

[Tampa8]

And worth the cost to our household who watches it often. So there you go. That report is seriously flawed, just talked about Saturday on WFLA in consumer report.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Check facts. The companies deny that the survey this is based on is accurate. They claim subscribers have increased. Go here:

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/21/showtime-hbo-starz-growing-not-shrinking/

Yes I see they are all saying they are gaining not losing subs, but I think that if that were true then why all the 1/2 price 6month promos? IF they are doing so well I would think that they wouldn't need them at all.

www.tvpredictions.com/tvtv012214.htm

 

[fpembleton]

I have been curious to get a feel for how Dish subscribers think the new Encore service is with VOD. The jury is still out with me. A lot of you have been around longer than I have, any feedback on Encore would be appreciated. I trialed it, I don't have the AT250 but the AT200. I would have to purchase a la carte or either upgrade to AT250 if I am looking at options for subscribing to it would be. Thanks.

 

[Scherrman]

I have been curious to get a feel for how Dish subscribers think the new Encore service is with VOD. The jury is still out with me. A lot of you have been around longer than I have, any feedback on Encore would be appreciated. I trialed it, I don't have the AT250 but the AT200. I would have to purchase a la carte or either upgrade to AT250 if I am looking at options for subscribing to it would be. Thanks.

To me Encore is almost worthless. It doesn't have that many movies I care for and when it does it's on one of the SD channels. I think there is only on Encore channel Dish carries in HD. I know a lot of people like the Encore package for the Western movies though so it has some great value to Western fans, it's in SD though.