More Americans are beginning to cut back on streaming subscriptions as the broader cost of living continues to rise—a new study has found.
According to a Deloitte survey, more than 40% of respondents said they had recently reduced spending on entertainment services because of financial strain, while 75% said they were frustrated that subscription costs keep climbing.
The trend is intensifying as more consumers move away from cable and linear television, shifting instead to platforms such as YouTube TV, Roku, and other streaming services.
America’s biggest media companies—from Disney to Comcast and Fox Corp.—have poured billions of dollars into direct-to-consumer streaming products, betting above all on live sports and entertainment content.
Rising streaming prices have become one of the central issues in a debate on which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is soliciting public comment—the discussion concerns restrictions on the broadcast of live sports, which critics say are outdated and in need of revision.
Streaming platforms now account for the majority of television viewing, with much of the monthly audience concentrated around technology giants such as Amazon, Apple, and Netflix.
Public opinion surveys in recent months have consistently shown that affordability and the broader cost of living remain among voters’ top concerns.