Majority of Americans against regulating streaming like cable, industry group notes

In a recent poll conducted by the Preserve Viewer Choice Coalition in partnership with Change Research, most American viewers strongly prefer streaming platforms over traditional video services such as cable or satellite. This preference underscores a shift in how video content, including local news, is consumed across the United States.

The Preserve Viewer Choice Coalition is an advocacy group for streaming video providers with members including ABC, NBC, Paramount, Roku, Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox, Fubu and Hulu, to name a few.

The poll, which surveyed 1,573 registered voters nationwide, found that 64% of viewers prefer streaming video to the 23% who favor cable or satellite viewing.

This trend extends to local news consumption, with less than 20% finding it difficult to stream local news on digital devices. The ease of accessing local news via smartphones, computers and tablets is reflected in the 84% of respondents who often or sometimes view local news on these devices, compared to 48% who use traditional television sets for the same purpose.

Among the findings, 57% of Americans oppose the idea of regulating streaming services in the same manner as cable, with 42% strongly against such proposals. This opposition is rooted in concerns over cost, convenience and the desire for control over content selection, highlighting the value viewers place on the flexibility offered by streaming platforms.

The poll also sheds light on the broader video consumption habits of Americans. A significant portion of respondents engages with video online, through both social media clips and subscription on-demand services like Disney+ or Hulu, indicating a shift away from cable or satellite TV. Nearly half of the participants stated they never watch cable or satellite TV and three-quarters said the same about antenna TV.

Streaming services are not only popular for their content but also for the convenience they offer.

Most viewers believe streaming services provide more access to content and find it easier to switch between streaming providers than cable services. This sentiment is consistent across various demographics, including older Americans, who show comparable satisfaction levels with both streaming and traditional services.

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Cost and hidden fees emerged as the top concerns for viewers, with 92% and 80% of respondents, respectively, citing these issues as significant when choosing a video content provider. These concerns are reflective of a broader demand for transparency and affordability in the video content market.

The methodology of the poll, conducted online between January 10 and 15, 2024, aimed for a representative sample of the U.S. population with a modeled margin of error of +/-2.6%.

Full poll findings include:

• Viewers strongly prefer streaming video (64%) to watching it via cable or satellite (23%).
• Fewer than 1 in 5 find it difficult to stream local news, and far more watch local news on phones, laptops and tablets than watch on televisions.
• More Americans oppose regulating streaming like cable; of the 57% who oppose these proposed regulations, 42% strongly oppose them.
• Viewers are more concerned with cost and convenience than the ability to watch live content on a television.
• Americans today watch video online, more often than via cable. Respondents say they watch video online at least a few hours per week, either through clips on social media (66%) or via subscription on-demand services, such as Disney+ or Hulu (60%).
• Live streaming services, including YouTube TV and Fubo are also popular, with 45% of Americans saying they view video content on those platforms weekly.
• Almost half of Americans (48%) indicate they never watch cable or satellite TV and 3 in 4 say they never watch antenna TV.
• Local news is widely available and easy to access for Americans of all ages. 84% of respondents said they often or sometimes view local news on a smartphone, computer or tablet versus only 48% who said they often or sometimes view on their television via cable or satellite. A majority of respondents across all age groups found it easy to access local news broadcasts on streaming platforms, while fewer than 1 in 5 found it difficult. 
• Respondents were almost evenly split between cable/satellite and streaming viewership for local news – 40% and 37% respectively.
• Streaming service perks like content and convenience are attractive to consumers, with the majority of viewers indicating they are content with the current streaming model. Viewers generally express satisfaction with streaming, with most American adults (57%) opposing regulating streaming like cable.
• Most viewers (66%) believe that streaming services give them more access to content than cable or satellite.
• Most surveyed (62%) believe that it is easier to switch streaming services than to switch cable providers, speaking to the ease of opting in and out of streaming platforms.
• Just as many respondents 65 and older feel the same about cable/satellite as they do streaming, younger people are far more likely to feel more positive about streaming.
• Respondents overwhelmingly ranked hidden fees (92%) and price (80%) as their top concerns when watching video content.