20 Percent of Consumers Could Dump Cable in 2016, Study Finds

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20 Percent of Consumers Could Dump Cable in 2016, Study Finds

A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers finds dissatisfaction with bundle is driving customers to join cord-cutting trend

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Over-The-Air Broadcast Signals Up 11.8%

“More consumers are looking to cut the cord, giving up their cable and satellite subscriptions in favor of either over-the-top or over-the-air options, according to a new survey by TiVo’s Digitalsmiths unit.

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Ventura Broadcasting Company adds channel guide

BY RICK BENTLEY
rbentley@fresnobee.com

Since 2012, Mark Shirin has been growing his local television empire. His Ventura Broadcasting Company now offers 24 channels broadcasting on KGMC (Channel 43.6), KVHF (Channel 4.1), KVBC (Channel 13) and KBID (Channel 31).

That’s a lot of programming. To help, Shirin has added an on-screen channel guide on KVHF to help viewers keep up with what’s being broadcast on the over-the-air channels.

“We strive to satisfy the requests of our viewers,” Shirin says. “One of the biggest complaints that viewers have expressed to us is that there was not a convenient way to get local program information. While we have gone to great lengths to make program guides available online and on mobile devices via our website, that simply wasn’t always convenient for our viewers.”

The guide doesn’t just list stations being broadcast by Ventura Broadcasting; it features all local TV stations.

In addition to the guide, the channel also will offer streaming audio powered by Biz Talk Radio, a nationally syndicated talk-radio network. Biz Talk Radio broadcasts business related programming.

The other recent addition is BUZZR, a classic game show television network. It is available to TV watchers who use an antenna at KVBC (Channel 13.7).

“While BUZZR is not yet a household name, our viewers will surely be familiar with the great classic game shows on the Buzzr Channel, like ‘What’s My Line’ and ‘Family Feud.’ Many of our viewers not only remember the show hosts, but fondly remember the celebrity contestants that appeared on those shows,” Shirin says.

Other game shows featured on the channel include “Let’s Make a Deal,” “Beat the Clock,” “Super Password,” “To Tell the Truth,” “Match Game,” “Password,” “Blockbusters” and “Card Sharks.”

Rick Bentley: (559) 441-6355@RickBentley1

Source: Fresno Bee http://www.fresnobee.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/rick-bentley/article24789562.html


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Mohu Channels review: An ugly marriage of over-the-air and streaming TV

Over-the-air broadcasts are enjoying something of a renaissance in the cord-cutting age. If you live within range of broadcast towers, a simple antenna will deliver basic channels—including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and PBS—in beautiful high definition for free. It’s the perfect supplement to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

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OTA DVR Comparison for Cord Cutters

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Steve Belk

When I cut the cord, I discovered that an antenna provided me access to tons of live HD programming for free. This allowed me to catch NFL games, the local news, and all the popular network TV shows. However, I lost the capability to record these shows and watch them at a later date when the cable company took my DVR back. I also really missed having the ability to pause live TV and skip those annoying commercials.

Luckily, nowadays there are some good OTA DVR options available that allow you to record, pause, skip, and playback all channels you receive through your antenna. Here’s a look at the best DVR options currently available for cord cutters.

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Living Without Cable: My Experience with Cutting the Cord

Cutting the cord sounds trendy enough but the reality is, there’s quite a bit of thought and consideration that goes into it, and there will be some compromises.
This model has been quite lucrative over the years but the times, they are a changin’.

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5 TV antenna tricks for the modern-day cord cutter

Jared Newman | @onejarednewman | TechHive

When I was growing up, it seemed like almost everyone had cable, and owning a TV antenna meant you were stuck in the past.

But with the rise of cord cutting, the lowly over-the-air antenna has experienced a rebirth. More than just an old-school way to get basic channels like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, an HD antenna can pair with all kinds of high-tech hardware, unlocking capabilities that were never possible before.

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MiCasa partners up with Gaming Grids to launch weekly eSports news program “GameSlot”

“The rise in eSports’ popularity has been staggering and the fanbase is massive,” said MCB-MiCasa CEO Sean Malatesta. “There is no shortage of traditional sports news outlets, yet the eSports segment is underserved.  GameSlot aims to remedy this condition.”

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The case for the free cord cutter DVR

Tivo’s new over the air (OTA) only DVR, the Tivo Roamio OTA, is a test of both the market – and pricing.  Tivo’s aggressively priced it at $49 – over $100 less than any other Tivo product, and $150-200 less than competing cord-cutter products like Tablo or SimpleTV.

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TECHNOBABBLE: Cutting the cord to help the environment

I’ve talked before about the benefits of “cutting the cord,” that is, canceling your cable TV subscription but keeping your Internet connection. I cut the cord a few years ago and I find that I can see almost everything I want right away.

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Look Before You Leap: Checking the Antenna Option for Watching the NFL on Free TV

In this week’s column, Bob explains the role antennas for over-the-air broadcasts play in delivering live NFL games (and more) to fans that don’t pay for typical pay-TV programming packages and as an option to those that are contemplating cutting the cable cord.

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Spending Smart: Antenna helps kick cable TV habit

As more people rethink ways to get television programming outside the traditional cable and satellite companies, the unsung TV antenna is becoming a fundamental component of their cord-cutting strategy. That makes sense. Not only are broadcast TV signals free, but even a simple antenna can produce the best picture you’ve ever seen on your TV because the high-definition signals are less compressed than through cable or satellite.

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Simple antenna can help kick costly cable TV habit

As more people rethink ways to get television programming outside the traditional cable and satellite companies, the unsung TV antenna is becoming a fundamental component of their cord cutting strategy. That makes sense. Not only are broadcast TV signals free, but even a simple antenna can produce the best picture you’ve ever seen on your TV because the high-definition signals are less compressed than through cable or satellite.

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The Over The Air (OTA) TV Antenna Guide

Remember back in ancient times when you needed to improve your television’s over the air or OTA TV reception and Mom or Dad would adjust those long metal sticks on top of the television?  Maybe your house was at the forefront of technology and they turned a dial to position the massive erector set on your roof until the reception cleared.  It seems so quaint now, but we could all watch TV for free. Did you know you can still OTA TV for free?  Did you also know that OTA TV signals are in crystal clear HD? Furthermore, it’s free!  All you need is an OTA TV antenna and digital tuner.

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Can cutting the cable cord really save you money?

Given the recent news that HBO, CBS, and Lionsgate are launching stand-alone streaming services, you may be thinking that the time is ripe to cancel your pay-TV contract and save lots of money. For years, consumers have been asking for à la carte television that lets them buy individual channels or networks without paying for broad packages of content they don’t want. It seems that à la carte TV may be finally arriving.

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Streaming Media Apps Comparison

Confused and unsure which streaming media will work for you?  Check out this handy caparison chart to help you decide!

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Simple antenna can help kick costly cable TV habit

As more people rethink ways to get television programming outside the traditional cable and satellite companies, the unsung TV antenna is becoming a fundamental component of their cord-cutting strategy.

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Cord-Cutting by the Numbers

Cord-cutting, the act of scrapping a cable or satellite subscription is a popular topic these days, and its growing interest is backed by hard numbers.

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Ditch the bill, keep the remote with these four OTA DVRs for cord cutters

Perhaps the best reason to switch to an OTA DVR system is the ability to dodge additional hardware fees typically associated with monthly cable or satellite bills.

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