metered licensing

Most people in the US subscribe to bundles of TV content that is packaged through a 3rd party.  There might be 3 or 4 tiers to an offer.  A while ago, those people that packaged TV content for you also started to offer on demand services (or pay-per-view).  Over the last few years – the ratio of the on demand to the all-you-can eat model has started to shift.  Increasingly people use Netflix, Hulu, and iTunes to consume only the shows they want to watch (and usually ad-free too!).  Read how an estimated 800,000 US households abandoned their TVs for the web.

The math is pretty simple.  Most people are lucky if they spend less than $700 a year for cable.  If you could buy only the shows you want to watch at $8.99 with Netflix ($110/year) and 15 must see shows at $40/season – $600.  Together that adds up to about the same you might pay for an entry level subscription.  If you watch more than that, go with your monthly plan.  For a lot of people – the ability to just consume what they want is compelling and driving a big move towards pay-per-view.  The internet and the iPad are also changing how you can get and watch content. Read More