Today a new report from Nielsen details that over 16 million homes in the United States are now utilizing over-the-air antennas to receive content. That’s up nearly 50% over the last eight years, a dramatic increase in cordcutting as more consumers look to trim the fat from their monthly expenses. When combined with more options — both free and paid — on the market than ever before, it’s a very compelling time to consider ditching your cable altogether. Head below for more details on the report, and our top OTA antenna picks to help you dive into the world of cordcutting.
Cordcutting sees impressive increase over last 8 years
Nielsen is reporting that 14% of all American households are now utilizing over-the-air antennas to receive their TV content. That doesn’t touch the number of streamers, which is believed to be much higher with a mix of cable subscribers and non-subscribers. The average median age tends to be 55 among the group that doesn’t pair OTA content with any of the most popular streaming services out there.
The report says that some 6.6 million homes fall into the OTA-only category, while 9.4 million combo some type of additional service. That group is far younger with a median age of 36, versus the near-retirement age mentioned above.
What we can surmise from Nielsen data
So what does Nielsen’s latest report tell us? There are primarily two groups looking to cut the cord, with two different desired outcomes. Those going with just an OTA antenna are looking to save money, and rightly so at a closer-to-retirement age on average. Meanwhile, the other, far larger group is after a tailored content experience that ditches the bloated packages often delivered by cable and satellite companies.
It will be very interesting to track this data over the coming years. Streaming services have always been seen as a lower-cost alternative to pricier cable packages but demands from stockholders and pricey in-house content are potentially changing the tide. Just yesterday, Netflix announced its recent increase in fees. While stock prices soared, consumers largely groaned. As more players enter the market, including a potential Apple-owned alternative, in the coming years you can expect more jockeying for subscribers to occur. This hopefully keeps costs down but for now it seems more like the Wild West as competition ramps up.
Getting started with OTA content
Before we jump into our recommend antennas, jump over to AntennaWeb and see which OTA stations are available in your area. This will help judge how robust of an antenna, whether indoor or outdoor is required, to get started with OTA content.
0-30 miles
30-75 miles
- Mohu Curve Decorative 50-mile Indoor Antenna
- 1byone 50-mile Indoor Antenna
- ClearStream 60-mile Indoor/Outdoor Antenna
75-miles or more
- Mohu Sky 75-mile Indoor/Outdoor Antenna
- Channel Master 100-mile Outdoor Antenna
- 1byone 150-mile Outdoor Antenna
Wanting to take your cordcutting setup to the next level? Hit up our guide of the best services and our walkthrough of getting started with Plex and HDHomeRun.
Source: TechCrunch
FTC: 9to5Toys is reader supported, we may earn income on affiliate links
Subscribe to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more!
