Cord-Cutting Accelerating Faster Than Expected in the U.S.

According to eMarketer’s latest U.S. pay TV/OTT forecast, the number of cord-cutters is expected to climb 32.8 percent this year to 33 million.

This figure is higher than the 22 percent growth rate (27.1 million) projected in July 2017.

Overall, 186.7 million U.S. adults will watch pay TV in 2018, down 3.8 percent over last year. That is slightly higher than the 3.4 percent dip in 2017. Satellite providers are expected to have the biggest decline, followed by telcos.

eMarketer has increased its future viewership estimates for YouTube, Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, as growth is being fueled by more original programming and demand for multiple services.

“Most of the major traditional TV providers [Charter, Comcast, Dish, etc.] now have some way to integrate with Netflix,” said eMarketer’s senior forecasting analyst, Christopher Bendtsen. “These partnerships are still in the early stages, so we don’t foresee them having a significant impact reducing churn this year. With more pay TV and OTT partnerships expected in the future, combined with other strategies, providers could eventually slow—but not stop—the losses.”

“The main factor fueling growth of on-demand streaming platforms is their original content,” added eMarketer’s principal analyst, Paul Verna. “Consumers increasingly choose services on the strength of the programming they offer, and the platforms are stepping up with billions in spending on premium shows. Another factor driving the acceleration of cord-cutting is the availability of compelling and affordable live TV packages that are delivered via the internet without the need for installation fees or hardware.”