I had my Cable TV subscription cut off the other day. I signed up for it on an annual rate of Php3,000 only last year so it was a good deal then. When they came back to me on the 13th month, it was already Php600/month. I said I think it was too expensive and I think we have to discontinue our subscription.
Likewise, there are other things I considered…
- I used to watch the news on TV. Now, either I read them over the net or listen to streaming radio.
- There were some really good TV series that I regularly follow every week. Just got tired of waiting so now I download the whole series on torrents or watch them over YouTube.
- The only local public affairs talk show I never failed to miss was Debate with Mare & Pare. Now that they’re gone, there’s little or no motivation to sit in the couch and listen to some really good debate on current issues.
- The cheapest DSL package is around Php999. With cable TV subscriptions going as far up as Php750 a month, people are weighing their options. Why is it that net connectivity is becoming cheaper while cable TV is getting more expensive?
More and more time are now spent in front of a computer monitor compared to the TV and it’s more evident now than ever before. I have had times when I’m in front of the PC for more then 24 hours straight. Never have I had the same (even close) time spent in front of the TV.
Hello, just stopped by doing some research for my Colorado Springs 4g website. Truly more information that you can imagine on the web. Looking for something else, but cool site. Have a good day.
cable tvs these days are rapidly being converted into a digital service which offers more value added services ~’`
TV won’t die anytime soon. As a matter of fact, I predict NEVER. Though ratings are down, nothing can replace TV. I sometimes watch TV while I surf the net on one monitor. I have a big enough computer monitor to do that and I also have a TV card in my PC. There are Hi-Def LCD TV that can be used as computer monitors AND as TV and it is possible to have a split screen to watch TV and view online contents, do your email & other internet tasks.
YouTube not directly showing TV shows? It already happened both legally and illegally. But the trend now is TV networks wants to set up their own video service. In most of the official websites of the major networks, you can watch whole episodes of their current shows. Unfortunately, these shows cannot be accessed outside of the US. Similar great free audio streaming services are also unavailable to us.
HDTV (hi-def TV) such as Plasma and LCD TVs make watching TV & DVD videos a joy. I think modern technology will enhance TV and keep it alive. As for contents, that would be up to the TV execs. We can only hope that they create more interesting shows such as the Heroes TV series. I can’t see myself watching that series on a small screen PC monitor. It has to be on my 40-inch LCD TV. :)
TV won’t die. People are just too attached with it. But probably how the media will be delivered. Like somebody mentioned, AppleTV. Or if PLDT’s NGN isn’t crap, IPTV.
You might be looking at the wrong figures too. The number of people watching television may rise but not as fast as the population is rising.
Did a search and broadcast TV ratings are UP, while cable ratings are DOWN in the US. Although again, it doesn’t mean cable is dying. There are cable networks that are still experiencing growth. Cable news and ESPN are particularly weak — and that’s obvious since the type of information they deliver has moved to the Internet — and not because of YouTube. But just because a segment is getting hammered doesn’t mean “TV is dead.”
Also, what is killing cable is not the Internet… it’s broadcast TV. The must-see shows (which used to be Sex in the City, Sopranos, etc.) have now moved to broadcast with Grey Anatomy, American Idol, etc. However, the type of shows on cable will always find their market. Declaring the end of TV is just outrageous.
Finally, two letters: HD
Two words, Ron: Internet cafes.
@ politicalpinoy
Unfortunately, I live in an apartment where regular OTA signal is bad so TV reception is unbearable. I can’t have an antenna pole either so cable is the only way to get *even* regular channels.
@ hip2b2
TV, I think not. Cable, getting a bit hurt that’s why they always bundle cable TV + cable internet.
@ dave
Rates in the provinces are almost half the price in the metro. The per hour rate is dependent on the subscribers lifestyle or work. Me, just an hour of TV a day so that’s 1hr x 30 days = 30 hours for Php700.
@ mikey
I don;t watch the entire game. Some best snippets in YouTube will do.
@ rickey
I guess for some Cable TV & regular TV are two different things.
end of tv? i dont think so. tv is not going to die soon, especially here in the Philippines.
Think of the masa. Can they afford a computer + broadband connection just to watch on youtube?
no.
@ Rickey.. Are you speaking from any experience regarding Philippine cable? There are more channels available on the basic service at my father-in-law’s house than on basic service in Colorado Springs, for about 1/10th the price … so I don’t think it has to do with variety or quality.
Actually, to me the quality is better here because there are shows from Australia, Europe and the rest of Asia and US as well as Philippine produced programming. I just have no time for it.
An American would no doubt miss US sports … but then I never watched any in the US either so it’s not a factor to me, but I have acquaintances who won’t leave their games for any temptation so that is a factor.
I have no idea if you are right when you say more people than ever before are watching TV, but I do know that several studies in the US in 2006 indicated overall hours per viewer per week are down significantly, especially in the very important 17-25 year group.
US networks are jumping all over themselves to re-market by making shows available for replay on their websites, so this is no secret to those in the industry.
So TV may not be dead … but I think it’s hurting and I think the trend is down, not up.
AppleTV.
Ah, less money for greedy TV executives. Excellent. :)
Internet will not replace TV. In same way TV did not replaced radio decades ago.
The two offers different perceived needs for consumers.
So Abe disconnects his cable and people start thinking it’s the end of TV. Funny.
The end of TV will not happen because the primary outlet for these TV shows we watch on the Web is television, not the Internet. I doubt that TV stations will create shows “direct to YouTube” anytime soon.
More people are watching TV now than ever before — I’m surprised that some of you have come to the conclusion that TV is dead — it’s the motion picture industry that is dying.
I don’t know about the kids watching anime on a 320×240 screen, but given a choice, I would rather watch on a bigger screen — which is a TV.
The cable selection in the Philippines probably sucks, so you think its not worth it. There are still a lot of standard cable stations here in the U.S. which are worth the subscription (Bravo, FX, etc.) And please, watching a live sports game on TV (if you can’t be in the arena) is the way to go. Nobody “chooses” to go to the Web to watch a game when you can watch it on TV.
Dude, you totally forgot about sports. What about NBA games?!
Probably the last 100 gasps of cable TV, but not the death of TV.
Afterall, there are more Filipinos who know what boom tarat tarat means compared to those who read blogs.
I won’t unsub from cable, though, because my kids will miss High Five. Besides, there’s only one PC at home. :-)
This is the end of the television [for me]. In a week, I barely spend more than two hours in front of the television. Even my younger brother and sister watch their favorite anime series on YouTube.
As for advertising, they’ll have to find better ideas like product placement. It’s very evident in CSI now. They use lots of HP products and even one episode with the soundtrack consisting tracks from John Mayer’s recent album.
My thoughts exactly. I moved to my new home in Bulacan last November 1st. Our old TV in the US was old and I gave it to charity figuring I’d buy some new technology after I got to the Philippines. Well prices and selection don’t seem too bad, and cable is cheap here in the province … but neither my wife nor I have any interest … haven’t even bought a replacement TV yet and cable … well, don’t hold your breath.
A media friend who works in radio promotion in Manila commented recently that radio is “dead”. Don’t know how accurate her assessment is, but TV doesn’t seem that healthy either.
end of TV? i still need to watch S Files and the Buzz! so i plan to keep my TV. cable? still useful because of channel surfing. so while waiting for episodes of shows i want to be available on the net, i can still channel surf.
uhm..your statement that Debate is one of your major motivation that made you a cable subscriber, uhm.. have it crossed your mind that it is available for free even without cable tv, and yeah, unfortunately its off the air now..
this is the end of tv. there’s almost the same number of people who are watching videos online and people who are watching tv. the internet will be the new tv according to our CEO. i’m quoting him on that. and thus more media to put ads on… hehe…