Most US viewers stream video, either in lieu of or in addition to broadcast or cable according to a Multichannel News analysis of data from the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA).
"Americans increasingly are moving away from cable and satellite pay-TV services and opting to stream online video offerings, data from NTIA’s latest Internet Use Survey show," according to NTIA policy analyst Edward Carlson. "While most households still subscribe to cable or satellite television services, the survey shows the proportion of Internet users watching videos online has grown from 45 percent in 2013 to 70 percent in 2017."Age matters: The majority (86%) of internet users 15-24 watched video online in 2017, compared to 40% of those over 65.
Meanwhile, three-quarters (73%) of US households had a cable or satellite subscription in 2017, and 67% of them also watched online video.
About 40% of the remaining households identified as cord-cutters (and 82% watched video online); and 60% had never had a traditional TV subscription (71% watched online video).
"These results suggest that while cost and personal preferences dominate decisions about purchasing cable or satellite television services, the availability of internet-based video services is also influential," said Carlson.
Cord-nevers tend to be younger and lower-income and less likely to be non-Hispanic white. Cable households are mainly over 50, and less likely to have children living at home.
