Changing consumer choice may signal danger signs ahead for traditional cable TV.
Netflix now has more paid subscribers than cable providers combined.
Since 2012, cable subscriptions have fallen to 48 million -- while Netflix has doubled from 23 million subscribers to nearly 51 million today.
Call it Exhibit A in the American trend of cord cutting.
Luke Bouma of cordcuttersnews.com says the trend is accelerating. Another 400,000 people cut the cord in the first quarter of this year.
Industry watchers say the trend is growing because for a number of reasons, including:
--Lower cost than traditional cable-TV packages.
--Handier and more user-friendly technology.
--A widening range of services offering must-see streaming content.
Bouma tells NewsRadio 740 KTRH that other streaming services are also helping to turn Americans into cord cutters.
Also, many people who switch to streaming content continue to enjoy network and local channels – by adding a small antenna, which draws in the crisp, over-the-air digital signal free of charge.