As Americans cut the cord(电线), Europeans sign up for more pay-TV. The biggest television drama of the past decade has been the story of how people watch it.
Ten years ago nearly nine out of ten American households subscribed to cable or satellite. Today little more than half do. The collapse of pay-TV, with the advance of online streaming(流媒体), has turned over the television industry. And the pace at which consumers are "cutting the cord" from cable providers is only increasing.
But not everywhere. On the other side of the Atlantic, cord-cutters are outnumbered by cord-knotters. As Americans tear up their contracts, Europeans are signing up for cable and satellite in greater numbers than ever. Why has American media's trend missed Europe?
One reason is price. America's cable industry may look competitive, but it is highly regionalised, so most homes have few options. The result is an average monthly cable bill of nearly $100. British homes pay less than half as much.
A second factor is content. American cable TV is running out of shows as studios move their best ones to their own streaming platforms. In Europe, pay-TV firms keep the rights of many of the most popular programs. Britons seeking the third season of Warner Media's "Succession", for instance, must go to Sky, a satellite firm, since Warner Media hasn't streamed outside the Americas.
The last reason why Europe still favors cable is that American streamers have collaborated with European pay-TV firms rather than competing with them. The latter are the ones with access to consumers and the ability to handle local marketing and ad sales.
Will cord-cutting at last cross the Atlantic? As long as film studios continue to license their programming to local players, consumers will have every reason to stick with pay-TV. In the long run, though, studios would rather bring viewers onto their own platforms, as in America. By the time the fourth season of "Succession" is out, audiences may be watching it online.
