i3 - September/October 2017 - 49

By Steve Smith

Business

R E TA I L ST R AT EG I E S

Experiences with
Streaming Services
and Cord Cutting

three miles or so from the Empire State
Building reminded me again about how
much clearer broadcast TV stations look in
HD versus when they are rebroadcast via
cable or satellite carriers.
Sling TV - with an indoor antenna for
local stations - makes sense for us because
we have DirecTV with a full complement
have read a lot of stories about cord-cutting and
of stations in the living room. Spectrum's
the use of streaming services during the past
new package of stations based on our
couple of years, but one recent report from
old Time Warner deal was fewer stations
with a higher price.
TechCrunch based on data from comScore hit home.
While Verizon Fios has its critics
we are anxiously awaiting it to
According to comScore, cord cutters are watching more Netflix
reach our block, if for no
each month than YouTube, Hulu or Amazon combined.
other reason to replace
Netflix in April accounted for 40 percent more of
the modem we are now
over-the-top viewing hours, compared with 18 perusing and enjoy higher
cent for YouTube, 14 percent for Hulu and 7 percent
Does cutting
speeds. Eventually
for Amazon Video. In TechCrunch's analysis of
we will at least test
the comScore report, Netflix encourages more
the cord and using
Fios and place
binge watching sessions, or as reporter Sarah
online services
DirecTV with it in
Perez put it, "On Netflix, it takes more effort to
make more sense
the living room.
stop watching than to keep bingeing."
than continuing
In my experiwith established
ence DirecTV and
Cutting the Cord
paid TV providers?
Spectrum have
My wife and I recently cut the cord thanks to
become the best
the Roku Ultra Streaming Player I purchased
marketers of online
which is attached to a decade-old Pioneer plasma
streaming TV services
HDTV in my den with access to Netflix - as well as
and cord cutting in the
Sling TV, YouTube and other streaming options. Based
U.S. Based on anyone's likes
on price and programming Netflix makes the most sense
and dislikes of different cable/
for us. And YouTube is, well, YouTube. Great for a myriad of
satellite stations Sling TV, YouTube's
unique programming from anyone around the globe.
new paid TV service, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon
Cutting the cord has shown me that you can enjoyably watch
Video and other online based services
TV with an indoor antenna to get local broadcast stations. That, in
cutting the cord and using online services
combination with Sling TV, Netflix, YouTube or whatever other promakes more sense than continuing with
gramming you want, there is less hassle and lower costs, with a comestablished paid TV providers.
promise or two along the way.
Twenty years ago attending a long gone
Concerning Netflix, while we have it and other streaming services
annual computer conference I remember
downstairs via a 4K TV we purchased last December, I've been watchspeaking with a trade publishing executive
ing shows using it much more upstairs. For instance, while I am no
after one specific seminar on how TV proTrekkie, I'm an original series Star Trek fan and liked - but did not
gramming would be available online
watch habitually - The Next Generation, or Voyager. I have caught
via broadband connections instead of cable
myself at least two or three times in the past month watching three or
or satellite providers, "in the future."
four episodes in one sitting. No commercials and a reasonable subscripWell, as the saying goes, "the future is now."
tion fee makes Netflix a winner with us.
Hopefully, the programming selections
As for Sling TV, it is not perfect because it does not provide the wide
will continue to be plentiful and reasonably
selection of stations. But its cost, reliability and ease of use has made
priced going forward.
us a fan. While Sling TV does not provide all the cable/satellite
stations we are accustomed to and only two local New York City broadcast stations - Fox and NBC - it provides plenty of programming.
Steve Smith was the longtime
And in buying and installing an indoor antenna that is around
editor in chief of TWICE.

Steve Giralt/Gallery Stock

C TA . t e c h / i 3

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

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i3 - September/October 2017

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