Photo via Digital Trends

Do people still watch TV through cable? With the rise of online media streaming structures such as Netflix, consumers have begun to steer away from cable television altogether. These are the rising concerns of telecommunications companies such as Rogers and Shaw, as detailed in this Huffington Post article. These two companies have collectively lost approximately 193,000 cable subscribers in the past year.

Netflix is a disruptive innovator. By creating an incredibly successful online TV and movie streaming subscription service, it has effectively disrupted the cable industry and poses major threat and competition for old-timer industry oligopolies, Rogers and Shaw. With today’s technology, people are able to stream Netflix or other online media streaming sites straight from their TVs. Owning TVs no longer automatically correspond with having cable subscriptions. Telecom companies are now forced to reevaluate their services and consider marketing to a different consumer segment. Cable television is something that I, personally, have not enjoyed for a very long time. Despite having multiple TVs in my family home, I prefer to watch videos on YouTube or shows on Netflix, as is the case with many of my peers. As telecom companies attempt to compete against disruptive innovators such as Netflix and YouTube, it will be interesting for consumers to see how new services emerge onto the market.