The truth can be difficult to accept, but even cable executives are beginning to acknowledge it. Recently, Charter Communications, the second-largest cable company and owner of Spectrum Cable, admitted that the traditional cable model is broken.
While cable isn’t going to disappear overnight, it’s clear that resistance to change, the push for unbundling, cord-cutting, rising fees, greater customer choice, fragmented viewership, and advancements in technology are all contributing to a struggling industry. Adding to the turmoil, placing customers in the middle of disputes between cable providers and content producers is far from a winning strategy.
Kathleen Finch, the outgoing Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery’s networks, has even suggested dropping the term "cable" altogether. She emphasized the importance of focusing on content creation, allowing consumers to decide when, where, and how they want to engage with it.
This highlights a critical lesson: industries that define themselves too rigidly risk obsolescence. For instance, if the buggy whip industry had seen itself as part of the broader transportation sector, it might still be thriving today.
I stepped away from cable in 1989 and broadcast in 2017 to focus on local advertising on CTV and streaming. Business is thriving. I have avoided letting a single distribution model define me. Instead, I focus on working with customers to find the best audiences, geographies, and delivery methods. Flexibility and adaptation are the keys to staying ahead.
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