Topic: Who still uses regular Cable?

I recently read an article that made me laugh a bit. It was about how subscribers to cable TV in the US were expected to drop by like 5 million or so this year. It made me laugh because I haven't watched regular TV on cable for almost a decade now. At least not with any regularity. A few years ago, I was visiting my parents and watching TV with my mother. We'd try to watch a show that would be assigned an hour long segment like 5-6pm. But of that hour, only about 36-37 minutes were actually dedicated to the show. The rest being commercials. It annoyed the crap out of me! A few years before that, I remember trying to watch Shawshank Redemption with my father. The movie is listed as 2 hours and 22 minutes. But because of commercials it took over 3 hours! It was like the whole afternoon was just gone! We were both pretty annoyed despite really loving that particular movie.

Though I do have cable today, it is just because it's part of a package deal with my internet and phone and the package is actually easier and cheaper than trying to get the services individually. I don't even have it hooked up. The cable is just laying on the ground behind my TV stand.

When I watching things, these days it's all YouTube, Netflix, Crunchyroll and Twitch.TV

So how many of you still put up with the commercials you are paying for?

I haven't used cable in about 20 years myself. Back when I was living with my mom she had DirecTV which is satellite but since I been living on my own I just use Netflix, Hulu, WWE Network and YouTube for all my tv/movie needs.

I particularly like the freedom of watching something when I want to and not being tied down with a schedule. Sometimes I will binge on a particular show can't really do that with TV channels that go by a schedule.

@Tasuki I agree 100%.

I always get a bit confused when Americans talk about cable. Here everyone mostly watches free to air TV. Pay TV is a thing but it was never really sold as a must have thing or something service providers included in phone/internet plans. And even then, even at its peak, the vast majority didn't bother with it.

Netflix is pretty huge here like it is everywhere. But it didn't replace cable. It barely replaced blockbuster here, they were already pretty much done by the time we got Netflix. I guess the only thing Netflix killed here was piracy.

Have many years to actually sit down and watch TV. I prefer to have the freedom to watch what I like instead of being forced by some TV Program Director. On the other hand, when I've free time I dedicate it to different things.