A lot of folks are tired of spending too much for cable. The average cable bill is now well over $100 per month, and that’s too much for some people. Hey, if you’re the sort of person who gets a lot of value out of TV, if you watch a lot of sports or premium programs, that’s great. I’m that kind of person too. You’re going to pay a lot for that kind of TV if you want it.
I’m that kind of person, but I also appreciate a good value. I see people cutting their bills in half. I see some of them cutting even further. If you wanted to, you could cut your bill down to zero and still get a lot of content. Is that the right choice for you?
Often times the best value for you is going to be a live streaming TV service. These are basically like old-school cable systems but they come through your streaming box or phone. The cost for these systems is a lot less and if you choose wisely you’ll get all the channels you want. The key, though, is to choose wisely.
Personally, I’m a big fan of DIRECTV’s streaming service which is called… DIRECTV. It’s intended to be as similar as possible to the cable or satellite experience. You get a familiar-seeming remote, a channel guide with numbers, and a cloud-based DVR that works the way you would expect.
It’s very hard to compare broadcast TV’s reach to that of streaming. The Nielsen company isn’t perfect, but it’s become the agreed-upon way that we measure such things. They measure streaming programs in total minutes streamed, while they measure broadcast shows just as they always did: by audience. They do tell broadcasters how many watched live, how many watched after 3 days, and how many watched after 7 days. That’s an improvement over previous years.
Regardless of Nielsen’s rather opaque approach, we can see that local television still dominates the broadcast numbers. Take a look at the most watched series of 2023, courtesy of Nielsen:
You’re still looking at nine million people watching these shows. It’s nowhere near the 50 million or so that you saw in the 20th century, but it’s something to contend with. Note also that these numbers are much, much higher than those of “cable TV networks” like USA and AMC. The highest rated program on basic cable was Hallmark’s “When Calls the Heart,” with an average viewership of about 1.7 million people.
This should tell you something: local TV is important, and it’s still the way that most of us want to watch.
There are live streaming services out there that have no local channels at all. DIRECTV and DISH also offer no-local packages. In other words, You miss out on all ten of the top ten programs unless you pay for an additional streaming service. You also miss out on top rated live broadcasts like the Super Bowl, unless you pay to see it. When news happens in your area, there’s no guarantee you’ll know about it. I think a live streaming TV service without locals makes absolutely no sense. It’s just being a little too cheap.
There are two options for getting local channels with live streaming. You can choose a service that has a great complement of locals, like DIRECTV. They’ve been pushing hard to get local channel coverage and it shows. They’ve got all four major networks in more markets than any other service.
The second option is to put up a TV antenna like the ones available at Solid Signal and get dozens of channels. With antenna TV there’s nothing more to buy once you put up the antenna. You’ll get channels you never knew existed. Best of all with digital TV over 90% of people are covered by local TV and there’s never any snow or fade. You’ll never have to spin that pair of rabbit ears on the TV around.
Why not get the exact system you want? Call the experts at Signal Connect and we’ll help you choose the right package whether it’s satellite or streaming. We’ll help you find out what local channels are available with an antenna at your home, too. While you’re talking to us, ask about internet upgrades. We can generally help you save money by bundling your internet with other services. Why not let us help? Call 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you.
The post Live TV without local channels? Why? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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I’m that kind of person, but I also appreciate a good value. I see people cutting their bills in half. I see some of them cutting even further. If you wanted to, you could cut your bill down to zero and still get a lot of content. Is that the right choice for you?
What’s the best value for your money?
Often times the best value for you is going to be a live streaming TV service. These are basically like old-school cable systems but they come through your streaming box or phone. The cost for these systems is a lot less and if you choose wisely you’ll get all the channels you want. The key, though, is to choose wisely.
Personally, I’m a big fan of DIRECTV’s streaming service which is called… DIRECTV. It’s intended to be as similar as possible to the cable or satellite experience. You get a familiar-seeming remote, a channel guide with numbers, and a cloud-based DVR that works the way you would expect.
Don’t forget the top ten rated shows when you stream
It’s very hard to compare broadcast TV’s reach to that of streaming. The Nielsen company isn’t perfect, but it’s become the agreed-upon way that we measure such things. They measure streaming programs in total minutes streamed, while they measure broadcast shows just as they always did: by audience. They do tell broadcasters how many watched live, how many watched after 3 days, and how many watched after 7 days. That’s an improvement over previous years.
Regardless of Nielsen’s rather opaque approach, we can see that local television still dominates the broadcast numbers. Take a look at the most watched series of 2023, courtesy of Nielsen:
| Network | Program | No. of telecasts | Average audience (000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBS | NCIS | 13 | 9,951 |
| CBS | FBI | 14 | 9,412 |
| CBS | Young Sheldon | 13 | 9,391 |
| CBS | Young Sheldon Special | 1 | 9,349 |
| CBS | Blue Bloods | 13 | 9,340 |
| NBC | Night Court 1/17 | 1 | 9,125 |
| NBC | Chicago Fire | 13 | 9,114 |
| CBS | Ghosts | 12 | 9,031 |
| CBS | Young Sheldon Thanksgiving Special | 1 | 8,694 |
| CBS | Fire Country | 14 | 8,598 |
You’re still looking at nine million people watching these shows. It’s nowhere near the 50 million or so that you saw in the 20th century, but it’s something to contend with. Note also that these numbers are much, much higher than those of “cable TV networks” like USA and AMC. The highest rated program on basic cable was Hallmark’s “When Calls the Heart,” with an average viewership of about 1.7 million people.
This should tell you something: local TV is important, and it’s still the way that most of us want to watch.
Don’t be too cheap
There are live streaming services out there that have no local channels at all. DIRECTV and DISH also offer no-local packages. In other words, You miss out on all ten of the top ten programs unless you pay for an additional streaming service. You also miss out on top rated live broadcasts like the Super Bowl, unless you pay to see it. When news happens in your area, there’s no guarantee you’ll know about it. I think a live streaming TV service without locals makes absolutely no sense. It’s just being a little too cheap.
How to get the locals you (probably) want
There are two options for getting local channels with live streaming. You can choose a service that has a great complement of locals, like DIRECTV. They’ve been pushing hard to get local channel coverage and it shows. They’ve got all four major networks in more markets than any other service.
The second option is to put up a TV antenna like the ones available at Solid Signal and get dozens of channels. With antenna TV there’s nothing more to buy once you put up the antenna. You’ll get channels you never knew existed. Best of all with digital TV over 90% of people are covered by local TV and there’s never any snow or fade. You’ll never have to spin that pair of rabbit ears on the TV around.
The best option might be…
Why not get the exact system you want? Call the experts at Signal Connect and we’ll help you choose the right package whether it’s satellite or streaming. We’ll help you find out what local channels are available with an antenna at your home, too. While you’re talking to us, ask about internet upgrades. We can generally help you save money by bundling your internet with other services. Why not let us help? Call 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you.
The post Live TV without local channels? Why? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
