Rabbit ears are back! Antenna sales back on the rise as millennials are shocked to discover broadcast TV is FREE
- Dan Sisco discovered the limits of online streaming when he invited his friends over to watch the Super Bowl in 2014 and missed out on the advertisements
- He invested in a $20 antenna in time for the 2015 Super Bowl, saying: ‘ I was just kind of surprised that this is technology that exists. It’s been awesome’
- A shocking 29 percent of Americans are unaware that local TV stations are free, according to the National Association of Broadcasters
- A federal legislation in 2009 forcing broadcasters to switch from analog signals to high-definition digital transmissions has confused people of all ages
- While old TVs were unable to receive the new digital signals, it didn’t mean they were gone completely, like many assumed
About 70 years after TV antennas were invented, rabbit ears are slowly making their way back into the homes of millennials, many of whom are shocked to find broadcast television is accessible for free.
While much is made about ‘cordcutters’ and the growth of online streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, antenna sales in the US are expected to rise seven percent this year, according to the Consumer Technology Association.
Dan Sisco, an MBA student in Utah, discovered the limits of online streaming when he invited his friends over to watch the Super Bowl in 2014 – only to miss out on the advertisements.
He invested in a $20 antenna and told the Wall Street Journal: ‘I was just kind of surprised that this is technology that exists. It’s been awesome. It doesn’t log out and it doesn’t skip.’
Dan Sisco, an MBA student in Utah, invested in a $20 antenna, telling the Wall Street Journal: ‘I was just kind of surprised that this is technology that exists. It’s been awesome’
While cable TV includes access to significantly more channels at prices upwards of $100 a month, major networks like ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX, are free with the help of an antenna, which can be plugged into the TV set.
But a shocking 29 percent of Americans are unaware that local TV stations are free, according to the National Association of Broadcasters.
While millennials can be forgiven for not knowing about the old-school technology, it appears a federal legislation in 2009 has confused people of all ages.
The new law required broadcasters to send high-definition digital transmissions, rather than analog signals.
And while old TV sets weren’t be able to pick up the new digital signals without a converter, it didn’t mean they were gone completely, like many assumed.
A shocking 29percent of Americans are unaware that local TV stations are free, according to the National Association of Broadcasters. Now, antenna sales are expected to rise 7percent this year.
Scott Wills, a wireless-industry executive who worked on the legislation, discussed the new law with his son, only to realize nearly a decade later that he was just as clueless as everyone else.
‘His answer was, “Dad, you should know better than anyone that there’s no broadcast TV!” Mr. Wills told the Wall Street Journal. ‘He thought broadcast TV went away.’
Richard Schneider, who founded an antenna manufacturing company, is well ahead of the curve. And while people question how he’s still in business, he said he sold 75,000 of them in June alone.
Carlos Vallalobos also sells digital antennas in San Diegom where skeptical customers question his claims that they can access free TV channels.
One woman in particular was convinced he was selling an illegal device. He told the WSJ: ‘She was mad. She says, “No, you can’t live in America for free, what are you talking about?”‘
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4754862/Antenna-sales-rise.html#ixzz4ojmqYZi9
Category : Blog , Cord-Cutting