Streaming TV viewers in the U.S. could surpass traditional pay TV viewers in five years

Two million Americans have cut the cord — moving from traditional Pay TV to streaming — so far in 2019, says a new study from Roku. The Roku Cord Cutting 2019 study shows that mainstream viewers are looking for value, ease of use and choice. A generation of viewers, about 60 million TV households, could be cordless and exclusively use streaming to access video on their TV over the next five years.

According to the Roku study, in contrast to early cord-cutters who mostly watched video on demand, this generation of streamers have distinct characteristics: They love live TV and free entertainment. Sound familiar? Will you be one of them?

The Roku study found several factors driving the acceleration of cord cutting.  Viewers are becoming more aware of and adopting streaming services that include network and live programming. This is providing a bridge for TV viewers who want to cut the cord but don’t want to miss out on live TV that traditional Pay TV services offer. The study also found that these viewers also enjoy the high-quality entertainment and original productions available through streaming from HBO, Netflix and others. In addition, many viewers watch video ads in exchange for access to free entertainment. Lastly, streaming is easy and enjoyable for all ages.

This new generation of Roku cord cutters surveyed are reporting higher satisfaction than those who have traditional Pay TV services. Two-thirds of all cord cutters surveyed by Roku say they wished they would have cut the cord sooner.  Of current Pay TV subscribers, 34% say they plan to switch to a cheaper option in the next six months.

For more, check out the full “The New Generation of Cord Cutters” study.