If you’re between the ages of 18 and 35, you probably get the majority of your television programming via the Internet. Products like the Roku Streaming Stick and Google Chromecast make it extremely easy to stream video and are much cheaper alternatives to traditional cable programming.
But DISH Network, one of the most popular satellite subscription providers, thinks it should be easier for you to eliminate cable TV service — and cheaper.
Sling TV is Not for Cord Cutters, It’s for Cord Nevers
Believe it or not, there are many millennials who’ve never relied on a cable company to provide them with TV programming. The New York Times refers to these people as “cord nevers” and claims the number of American households that pay for Internet service sans TV increased 16 percent between 2012 and 2014. Over 10 million households fall into this category and that’s precisely who DISH is targeting their new service to.
Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show yesterday, DISH CEO Joseph P. Clayton explained why his company is doing this:
“Sling TV provides a viable alternative for live television to the millennial audience. This service gives millions of consumers a new consideration for pay-TV; Sling TV fills a void for an underserved audience.”
–Joseph P. Clayton, DISH president and CEO
Sling TV is expected to launch the first quarter of 2015 and will offer subscribers a slew of programming for only $20 a month. While it won’t feature everything that’s available via a cable subscription, it does offer some of the most popular channels. And that’s probably the content you want to pay for anyway.
Main Channel Lineup
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- TNT
- TBS
- Food Network
- HGTV
- Travel Channel
- Adult Swim
- Cartoon Network
- Disney Channel
- ABC Family
- CNN
Add-On Packs
- “Kids Extra” (Disney Junior, Disney XD, Boomerang, Baby TV, Duck TV)
- “News & Info Extra” (HLN, Cooking Channel, DIY, Bloomberg TV)
- “Sports Extra” (Coming Soon)
Sling TV’s core package features 12 of the most popular sports, lifestyle, family, and news networks. Not included are broadcast networks ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. But with CBS already offering Internet-only subscriptions for $5.99 a month, it’s only a matter of time before other networks follow suit. HBO has already jumped on board and set the precedent for premium channels.
The question isn’t who’s next?; it’s who’s last?
Sling TV is Not Just for Your Television
DISH realizes they need to target their service to a younger generation if they plan to stay relevant. That’s why Sling TV will also deliver high-quality video anywhere a wired, Wi-Fi, or mobile broadband connection is available. And because customers will also be able to pause, rewind, and fast-forward live TV channels, Sling TV could be the catalyst that sparks a cord-cutting revolution.
There’s already a wide selection of TV tuners that essentially let you do the same thing as Sling TV and DISH knows this. What sets their product apart from the competition is that it doesn’t require any additional hardware. There’s also no commitment, contract or credit check.
Popular Cable TV Alternatives
Sling TV is the easiest, most affordable way to ditch your cable TV subscription once and for all. And while you may still be shelling out money to a cable provider, you’re giving it to a company that doesn’t control your Internet access. This is a huge deal for net neutrality advocates who want to sever ties with cable companies altogether and ensures there is some sort of competition in terms of pricing down the line.
Whether or not consumers decide to go the streaming route instead of paying for a cable subscription is no longer up for debate. The people have spoken and what they want is a cheap alternative that lets them access precisely what they want without having to pay for the content they don’t need. Sling TV not only offers this, they make it enticing.
So will you be cutting the cord?
What do you think? Is Sling TV the future of television programming? Let us know in the comments below!
