ELLISVILLE, Mo.—The pandemic drove new levels of consumer dependence on television to stay entertained, informed and connected, but the rising cost of maintaining TV subscriptions is prompting many consumers to consider dropping at least some of those services, a new report from Mohu suggests. 

The survey from Mohu, a digital TV antenna provider owned by Antennas Direct, found that most Americans subscribe to more TV services today as compared to last year (59%) and that 2 in 5 (44%) currently have four or more subscriptions.

But the Mohu’s "TV Viewership Index,” which surveyed 1,200 U.S. adults ages 18 and older that currently subscribe to at least one TV service, also found that more than 2 in 5 (44%) plan to cancel at least one subscription within the next six months. 

As Americans subscribe to more services, the research also found that consumers cite cost as the primary driver (80%) for their plans to drop services. 

The research also found that financial challenges have pushed many to get creative with managing their TV costs by leveraging free trials (55%), sharing subscription logins (48%), tightening budgets for personal spending and activities (48%), and even cutting the cord altogether (54%).

"Access to TV is no longer just nice to have, it's an urgent necessity for every American to stay updated on critical news and information,” said Richard Schneider, CEO and founder of Antennas Direct and Mohu. “The problem is that watching this programming is becoming extremely difficult and expensive – but it doesn't have to be. While many Americans grapple with rising streaming and cable costs, a sizable group depend on TV antennas to seamlessly and affordably access the TV content they need to stay connected to the world around them.”

Other findings from the report include:

• Americans are willing to invest in more TV content options: Three-quarters (74%) of Americans currently subscribe to different TV services to expand available content, and nearly 4 in 5 (78%) have subscribed to a new service just to watch one particular piece of content. Content is so important that 80% say limited viewing options have pushed them to cancel a TV subscription.
• Investments also go toward optimizing the home viewing experience: Watching TV at home has become so important that Americans have invested in new devices (75%), such as a new television (86%) or streaming box (81%) to optimize the experience. Another 64% have purchased new furniture or home décor to enhance viewing at home.
• The cable vs. streaming war continues: To avoid choosing between streaming or cable, many households are diversifying content by subscribing to both (63%). In fact, cable is the go-to source for local (54%) and national (46%) news programs, while streaming is the most popular way to access movies (57%) and TV show favorites (50%). Meanwhile, approximately 1 in 10 Americans use TV antennas as the primary way to access all the different types of content.

To download the TV Viewership Index, click here. 

ST. LOUIS—Antennas Direct has acquired Mohu, maker of the Mohu Leaf and other television antennas, the St. Louis-based antenna technology developer has announced. Financial details of the acquisition were not immediately available.

“Mohu was launched with one central goal: to spread awareness of the choice that antennas give consumers and make cord cutting accessible to all," said Mark Buff, founder and CEO of Mohu. "Antennas Direct will enhance the Mohu brand with the innovation, leadership and expertise that they are known for.”

According to Antennas Direct, the acquisition creates the largest company in the United States delivering television antennas for over-the-air (OTA) reception. Efficiencies created by the deal will allow the company to invest millions of dollars in antenna technology, it said.

The number of cord cutters, those who give up cable subscriptions in favor of alternatives like off-air reception and OTT subscriptions, is growing year-over-year. Last year, a Nielsen report found cord cutting has grown nearly 50% in eight years. Other reports indicate 34% of U.S. households will have dropped their subscriptions by the end of last year. (Final 2019 tallies are not yet available.)

A report from eMarketer forecasts that by 2023 the number of cord cutters and those never subscribing to cable TV will reach 56.1 million in the United States.

"There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth within the executive suites of this nation's cable companies," said Richard Schneider, CEO and founder of Antennas Direct.

"It's clear that consumers are tired of overpaying for access to content that can be available for free,” he said. “Cable companies have perennially dwelled on the bottom of consumer satisfaction indexes. Antennas Direct and Mohu have long been on the side of consumers' efforts to get rid of cable. We look forward to welcoming even more liberated Americans to our cord-cutting family, continuing our legacy of putting billions of dollars back in their pockets."

LAS VEGAS—Mohu has released a product with the goal of cord cutters wireless access to live TV and streaming content, the Mohu AirWave. The AirWave is a wireless, OTA and OTT device that integrates live local broadcast TV with free streaming channels on streaming devices.

At launch, AirWave is compatible with Amazon Fire TV and Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, the entire Roku lineup, iOS, Android and the web. The AirWave connects wirelessly to the Mohu TV application, which offers live broadcast content and streaming content in a TV guide format. The device can be set up anywhere where there is an internet connection. It also features ClearPix technology, a pixilation reduction technology that automatically adjusts to improve image reception of OTA broadcasts.

Mohu is planning on launching the AirWave in the late spring, where it will be exclusively available at Best Buy. Retail price will be $149.99.

RALEIGH, N.C.—One man’s trash is another man’s antenna. To coincide with International Recycling Day, TV antenna maker Mohu has announced it has created an HDTV antenna made from recycled cable set-top boxes and post-consumer recycled paper. Mohu says that ReLeaf was created to counteract cable byproduct and energy waste.

ReLeaf’s clamshell, which houses the components that translate TV wave signals into live TV, is made entirely from recycled plastic of discarded cable set-top boxes. According to Mohu, a pound of plastic from set-top boxes can create up to 40 ReLeaf antenna clamshells. Post-consumer recycled paper is used to create the flat portion of the antenna that catches broadcast TV waves.

In addition, ReLeaf is packaged in post-consumer recycled cardboard.

ReLeaf is now available at a price of $49.99. It is sold exclusively at releaf.gomohu.com.