Half of cord-cutters switch to a live TV streamer, 1/3 use antenna
Half of cord-cutters switch to a live TV streamer, 1/3 use antenna
Despite the amount of competition for viewers’ eyes, audiences are still turning to live TV in large numbers.
Creator video hasn’t stamped out more traditional methods of distribution just yet. Live TV is still a major source of news, sports, and entertainment for tens of millions of Americans, and a new study from S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan’s US MediaCensus reiterates that, showing that nearly half of viewers say they have moved to a live TV streaming service after cutting the cord.
Key Details:
- Still watching: Forty-seven percent of cord-cutters move on to a live TV streaming service.
- Familiar surroundings: Almost 90% of live TV streaming subscribers were once pay-TV customers.
- Shared beliefs: Other recent data shows that on-demand streaming customers also value live TV.
Per the data from Kagan, 47% of cord-cutters and cord-nevers say they watch TV via virtual multi-channel video programming distributors (vMVPDs, also known as live TV streamers) like DIRECTV or YouTube TV as of the first quarter of 2026. A further 33% say they watch via over-the-air channels only, leaving just 20% who say they no longer consume live TV after cutting the cord.
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Most current live TV streaming subscribers were once traditional pay-TV customers; 88% who now use a vMVPD once had a cable or satellite plan. 50% of those say they dropped their pay-TV service more than 12 months ago, while 20% say they cut the cord in the past six months.
Streaming still tends to be a younger viewer’s game, according to Kagan’s data. Sixty-five percent of viewers who say they receive TV only via over-the-air broadcasts are age 55 and older, indicating that younger viewers are still more willing to turn to streaming to continue accessing favorite channels.
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Overall, the data paints a picture of an audience who still craves the programming found on live TV. This craving is common across live TV streaming viewers and on-demand streaming subscribers Recent data from Parks Associates indicates that viewers who use streaming want more kinds of video on the same platform, including a melding of on-demand programming with live channels. Audiences are craving services that allow them to stream on-demand favorites and live TV channels at the same time, a sure sign that audiences aren’t ready to turn away from live TV as a key source of content.
While creator video platforms like YouTube make up an important part of the consumer media puzzle, the data makes clear that live TV has a long future ahead of it. Nearly half of cord-cutters turn to a live TV streaming service when they leave traditional pay-TV behind, and very few leave the TV ecosystem altogether. On-demand streaming customers are also seeing the benefits of live TV, and Kagan’s data only reinforces the notion that TV will continue to thrive in some form in the years to come, even if traditional cable and satellite companies continue to lose customers.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.