patrick.net

Not Youtube but subscription based internet VOD will kill cable off as we know it today. Much like cheap cell phones killed of the $120 landline bill. The cable of the near future will be frivilous $10 or $20 fee, and will include everything they have to offer. Which wont be as comprehensive as it is today. HBO and most other premium channels will have their own streaming services. That is if Netflix and Hulu doesn't end up killing them off as well.
HBO used to have excelent Boxing, they haven't had a decent fight in almost 10 years or more, and their original programming is being bested by Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon prime original shows.

I can only watch Youtube when there's a certain clip I'm looking for, or if I'm listening to music that isn't redily available elsewhere.
Althogh I know people who can sit and watch Youtube for hours, I can only tolerate the result of my querry.

The kids are all on YouTube constantly. Or Netflix or amazon prime. Who has time for cable and all its commercials?

I decided to "cut the cord" after Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was taken over by Netflix from NBC.

That was the moment.

But I'm sure the decline of TV networks started a while ago. The writing was on the wall.

I do not blame TV executives. The quality of their audience is just too bad nowadays. They should stick with sports, news, and reality TV. None of which I care.

You tube is not real tv despite all the spin and positioning that new agers may want to convey. It is more of an "i report" format where it's up to the user what gets posted so there's that surprise element. But it never felt like real tv. A substitute for regular cable/sattelite is perhaps netflix/amazon/roku (assuming the viewer does not care about live sports) but it is definitely not You Tube.

YouTube can replace news, and it is reality TV central for regular folks.

Does Roku even have original content? Netflix is still ahead of Amazon. To me at least. Why won't Amazon video play on Chromecast?

How much live sports do we need? I want zero.

Peter P says

How much live sports do we need? I want zero.

Live sports is likely the only thing that's keeping cable/sattelite/iptv afloat. It's not just about premium packages such as nfl sunday ticket etc, it's also about fees generated by regular channels such as ESPN via tier subscriptions which are money maker for these companies.

dublin hillz says

Live sports is likely the only thing that's keeping cable/sattelite/iptv afloat. It's not just about premium packages such as nfl sunday ticket etc, it's also about fees generated by regular channels such as ESPN via tier subscriptions which are money maker for these companies.

Yeah. My friends are watching Fox News on the web site now. :-)

But companies like YouTube can also adapt to the real-time sports market. They may even be able to offer live local sports in the future.

Peter P says

But companies like YouTube can also adapt to the real-time sports market.
They may even be able to offer live local sports in the future.

I don't think the sports leagues would allow this, they are very vigilant about broadcast rights. If they can't make money of TV deals the leagues would collapse overnight.

dublin hillz says

I don't think the sports leagues would allow this, they are very vigilant about broadcast rights. If they can't make money of TV deals the leagues would collapse overnight.

The same had been sad about movie and music labels.

For example, what if the millennials lose interest in sports if they cannot watch on the phone? We are facing a tidal wave of change.

Sadly, people are also losing interest in golf. Perhaps more golf courses will be converted into cemeteries.