The Average Cable Bill Has Increased More Than 50 Percent Since 2010 (streamingobserver.com)

According to new research, the average cost households pay for cable is now up to $107 a month -- that's a 50% increase since 2010 when cable bills were $71.24 a month. When compared to last year, it's only a 1% increase, "thanks in large part to increasing fees for things like regional sports licensing and taxes," reports Streaming Observer. From the report: Leichtman Research Group's data was gathered through a telephone survey of 1,152 households from throughout the United States. The research found that 78% of American households still subscribe to a paid TV subscription. That percentage is down from 86% in 2013, 87% in 2008, and 81% in 2004, but 78% is still a pretty high figure given how high cable costs continue to rise each year and how affordable streaming video services are in comparison.

Comments

Re:How Do Poor People Afford Internet?

[cervesaebraciator]

We don't get cable TV along with it.

Re:How Do Poor People Afford Internet?

[jshackney]

Precisely.

There's next to nothing on television I want to watch. Internet service is adequate (and has been since my 2009 DSL line) for my tele-viewing needs.

Re:How Do Poor People Afford Internet?

[nehumanuscrede]

Yet, my internet only package is ~$100 / month. ( My router, my cable modem )
What you pay differs VASTLY depending upon where you live and if any competition ( Fios, Google Fiber, AT&T Gigapower, etc ) exists in your neighborhood.

If Google rolled in here tomorrow, Comcast would probably cut my bill in HALF just to keep everyone from jumping ship.

Re:How Do Poor People Afford Internet?

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

There's next to nothing on television I want to watch. Internet service is adequate (and has been since my 2009 DSL line) for my tele-viewing needs.

^^^^^^^^^^^This this this

I was browsing at a friend's place who has a cable package of a bazillion channels...I went through about 100 channels and found nothing, literally nothing worth watching or paying for.

I have an Amazon Prime account, and between that and Youtube and PirateBay I don't see the need to buy cable. As Newton C. Minnow said waaaaaay back in 1961:

"But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite each of you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or a rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland."

And nothing has changed except the wasteland is far bigger. Yippee.