Study: U.S. Cord-Cutting Intent Rising

NEW YORK: While the amount of U.S. pay-TV customers planning to cut the cord remains small, the number is on the rise, according to a new survey from Frank N. Magid Associates.

The survey found that 2.9 percent of pay-TV customers are "very likely" to cancel their service in the year ahead. This is up from the 2.7 percent reported in 2013 and 2.2 percent in 2012.

Where the proportion is much higher is among young people. Of those surveyed aged 25 to 54, 4.9 percent say they are "very likely" to cut the cord. Sports fans, however, are not ready to do so. Only 1.4 percent of those who watch ESPN say they are likely to cancel pay TV.

"These are very small numbers in terms of future cord cutting from American consumers, but in mass media, very small numbers are very important, too," said Mike Vorhaus, the president of Magid Advisors, who presented the data at a Goldman Sachs media investor conference.