J.D. Power and Associates report: 52% of TV customers still watch regularly scheduled programming

Amid debates regarding how U.S. consumers will view video content in the near future, just 3 percent of pay-to-view customers report having “cut the cord” and canceling their television service in favor of other viewing options, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Residential Pay-to-View Study recently released.The inaugural study provides unique insights concerning attitudes, viewing preferences, behavior patterns, awareness and experiences of pay-to-view customers among the major home television and video service providers across the United States.While a minority of customers overall have canceled their cable television service, rates of cord-cutting vary significantly by generation. Six percent of Generation Y customers say they no longer subscribe to a residential television service, compared with only 2 percent of Baby Boomers. One percent of customers ages 66 to 86 report cancelling cable service, while 4 percent of Generation X customers say the same.“The predictions of the demise of television subscription service as we know it are clearly premature. The popularity of services such as Netflix and Redbox is a clear indication that consumers are enjoying the availability of alternative viewing options. However, with 52 percent of television customers reporting that they still watch regularly scheduled programming as it is broadcast, the current model will remain viable for the next two to three years, at a minimum,” said Frank Perazzini, director of Telecommunications at J.D. Power and Associates.