The Cable Cutting Experiment

Pandora TV?

This is pretty interesting.

5 families were asked to switch from their cable TV or satellite TV service to an internet-based TV service, such as Pandora, XBox or Google TV.

We don’t know how their reactions have been edited, nor if there were families who loved the experience who we haven’t been allowed to see — but these reactions are interesting precisely because they feel real.

As Richard Harker points out in this recent blog post (and it is definitely one you should subscribe to), “…people adopt a new technology only when they find it solves a problem.

Here’s the important part: “…it is also true that people resist a new technology when it creates bigger problems than it solves.

Here, take a few minutes and watch this:

 

An Experiment In Cord Cutting from Hill Holliday on Vimeo.

 

I have never watched a focus group, or one-on-one research for radio where a listener has said there aren’t enough format choices.

  • They complain about commercials.
  • They complain about repetition.
  • They sometimes complain about jock content being too risque or “mean.”

So, as Richard said in his blog post, “The majority of drivers place a higher value on convenience than capability in a car.

A lot is written about cars offering internet radio and how Pandora spells the death knell for broadcast radio.

I’m betting on us. I’m betting on broadcast.