The debate between whether to opt for pay TV or Internet TV is one that has been discussed for several years now. The likelihood is that it will be discussed for several more years too. There is no denying the fact that the Internet is ruling the world at the moment. It is being used for an array of different devices and of course television is obviously one of these. But does this mean that pay TV is consequently on the decline as a result? Or can both of these television devices coexist in the digital world we live in today? Satellite TV providers in a given area will answer yes to the latter, but let’s see if they are right…
Statistics show that pay TV is on the decline
The proof is in the pudding as the say and research definitely shows that pay satellite TV is declining. Nevertheless, this is more in relation to Europe – with Spain and Italy showcasing the biggest reductions in subscribers. This research was outlined in the Informal report. They concluded that there were a little fewer than 400,000 less subscribers to pay TV throughout 2012 in comparison to 2011 in Western Europe. Thus, one can definitely conclude that pay television has experienced a hit.
But what does this actually mean?
Just because pay satellite TV is on the decline this does not mean it is because of Internet TV’s existence. The economic difficulties of the past few years have been well reported. Perhaps people are merely trying to cut their costs? There is no research stating that those 400,000 users moved to Internet television and thus it would be very presumptuous to create a link between the two.
Are we reading too much into these statistics?
But are we reading too much into these statistics to say that pay TV is experiencing a decline just because of one set of research? Perhaps one should wait until 2013’s statistics have been revealed so that a clearer conclusion can be drawn. There is nothing to say that these statistics will not improve. Who is to say that more people won’t go back to pay television now it seems that economic conditions have improved somewhat?
Internet TV is on the rise
There is no denying that Internet television is on the rise as well. As more devices offer the possibility of connecting the Internet, Internet television is going to rise. As connectivity speed increases, Internet television is going to rise. And, as more online streaming opportunities come to the fore, Internet television is definitely going to rise. This trend is predictable and it is one that is to be expected. After all, the majorities of the viewing options are free or have a low cost. Not only this, but Internet television essentially translates to portable viewing. It gives people the opportunity to watch television no matter whether they are at home, at work, on the train, or at their friend’s house.
Assumptions, but no proof
To conclude, whilst we can analyze both trends there is certainly no data to suggest that one of the television devices is affecting the other. As time goes on perhaps there will be reason to suggest a correlation between the two. But for now all we have are assumptions. And there are far too many other variables to keep in mind as well.
